Overview
The Act introduces a requirement for all companies to maintain a registered appropriate email address. The email address will not be made public.
The intention behind this provision is to allow the registrar to communicate with companies via email to provide updates, notices and reminders.
Requirement to maintain a registered appropriate email address
Section 29 of the Act introduces a requirement (in section 88 of the Companies Act 2006) for all companies to maintain a registered appropriate email address.
An email address will be an “appropriate email address” if, in the ordinary course of events, emails sent to it by the registrar would be expected to come to the attention of a person acting on behalf of the company.
From 4 March 2024, newly incorporated companies will be required to include their chosen email address in their registration documents. Companies House has published an updated version of Form IN01 (Application to register a company) which includes a new section for the registered email address.
Existing companies will be required to deliver a statement to the registrar specifying their registered email address when they file their next confirmation statement with a statement date from 5 March 2024 onwards. Companies House has published an updated version of the confirmation statement (CS01) with a new Part 5 for the inclusion of a registered email address.
A company’s registered email address will not be available to public inspection and will only be used by Companies House to communicate with the company.
If a company fails to maintain an appropriate email address without reasonable excuse, then an offence will have been committed by the company and every officer in default.
Change of registered email address
A company may change its registered email address by giving notice to the registrar and that change will only be effective once the registrar has registered the notice.
Once a company has registered an email address with Companies House, if that address is not appropriate, it will be required to register a new email address at the same time that it files its next confirmation statement.
Practical steps
Companies should identify a suitable email address to be used as their registered email. The email address should be actively monitored (otherwise it is unlikely to meet the appropriateness requirements) and so using a group address that is accessible by a wider range of people may be preferable to using one individual’s email address.
