When running a limited company, you must maintain certain records about the company’s meetings, directors and shareholders. These are known as ‘statutory books’.
Statutory books are kept for the benefit of the shareholders and the general public.
The limited company records you must maintain are as follows:
- Register of Members.
- Register of Directors.
- Register of Secretaries (if a company secretary has been appointed).
- Register of Directors’ Interests. This records the limited company directors’ interests in shares or debentures of the company and its associated companies together with any interest of a spouse or child. This document is optional.
- Register of Charges. This records charges (i.e. financial liabilities or commitments) over the property of the limited company.
Each of the registers should be kept at the limited company’s registered office – although you can keep them at another location, in which case file Form AD02 – or, in certain circumstances, at another address within the country of incorporation; Companies House does require to be notified if certain registers, such as the register of members and the register of directors’ interests are kept outside the registered office.
Shareholders can inspect the statutory books free of charge, but the limited company may charge anyone else a nominal fee.
The limited company must also maintain accounting records. Your accountant will be able to advise you on the accounting records which need to be kept. In addition, copies of the directors’ service contracts, if any, and copies of any charges (loans secured on the company’s assets) must be kept by the limited company and be available for inspection to any member of the limited company.
Must the limited company have a minutes book?
A company minutes book is a record of board and shareholder meetings and can take the form of a file.
You are legally required to keep a minute book. Board meetings and shareholder meetings must be fully recorded in writing.
Written company resolutions must also be noted in a minute book.
Company minutes must be signed by a limited company director or chairman and filed in the minute book.
Remember that the limited company must maintain a continuous and up-to-date record of all its actions approved by shareholders and/or directors.
Get example templates for all your company minutes and resolutions.
Related Articles:
