To company secretary or not to company secretary?

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Psyche
Psyche Registered Posts: 187 Dedicated contributor 🦉
in General accounting discussion
Hi,
I have a new client who is setting up as a limited company. He is an IT contractor and will be the sole director. I know that he does not *need* to have a company secretary, but I am wondering if the most convenient option will be to set myself up as the company secretary? As I will be the one filing the documents with Companies House anyway. Or is this too risky for me personally?
Thanks!
~Psyche

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  • A-Vic
    A-Vic Registered Posts: 6,970 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
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    Psyche wrote: »
    Hi,
    I have a new client who is setting up as a limited company. He is an IT contractor and will be the sole director. I know that he does not *need* to have a company secretary, but I am wondering if the most convenient option will be to set myself up as the company secretary? As I will be the one filing the documents with Companies House anyway. Or is this too risky for me personally?
    Thanks!
    ~Psyche

    can you not just set yourself up as the agent?
  • mark130273
    mark130273 Registered Posts: 4,234 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
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    i dont think company secreteries have no legal rights they are just in that position to deal with company house and filing and keeping the records upto date with directors etc. but it is advisable to put your company's name as company director and not yourself as it will help them in the long run .
  • Vonni
    Vonni Registered Posts: 63 Regular contributor ⭐
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    Surely if you are acting as the Accountant and signing off the accounts just registering as the agent would be best - I wouldn't complicate it by making yourself the company secretary as this might imply that you are something to do with the business other than the accountant? I cannot see any benefit of being the company secretary, even more so now that that role is not required - unless I'm missing something??
  • Anne Boleyn
    Anne Boleyn Registered Posts: 196 Dedicated contributor 🦉
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    Company secretary

    Hi Psyche

    You would also need to consider your position as their accountant if you were Co Secretary. As an employee of the company you might not be seen as objective (by HMRC) when compiling the accounts and signing them as the accountant.

    Regards
  • mark130273
    mark130273 Registered Posts: 4,234 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
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    Anne Boleyn wrote: »
    Hi Psyche

    You would also need to consider your position as their accountant if you were Co Secretary. As an employee of the company you might not be seen as objective (by HMRC) when compiling the accounts and signing them as the accountant.

    Regards

    when i works at an acocuntancy firm they were most of their clients company secs.??
  • A-Vic
    A-Vic Registered Posts: 6,970 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
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    mark130273 wrote: »
    when i works at an acocuntancy firm they were most of their clients company secs.??

    Yep same here too mark but now without the need for a company sec as said before just set yourself up as the agent so that all the forms ect can be done.
  • mark130273
    mark130273 Registered Posts: 4,234 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
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    A-Vic wrote: »
    Yep same here too mark but now without the need for a company sec as said before just set yourself up as the agent so that all the forms ect can be done.

    but im sure that if you only have a person as comp sec then it is harder to find finance ,if its needed ? thats all .....
  • Psyche
    Psyche Registered Posts: 187 Dedicated contributor 🦉
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    Thanks everyone for all the advice. I guess I will advise him not to bother with a company secretary, and just be the agent.
  • deanshepherd
    deanshepherd Registered Posts: 1,809 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
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    Lots of interesting thoughts above. It makes no difference to HMRC if you are company secretary or not (it's an office not an employment) and I can't see what difference it makes to raising finance.

    Lot's of firms offered to be company secretary when it was necessary to have one. Nowadays I don't tend to bother, although for my own company I do have one.
  • AK002
    AK002 Registered Posts: 2,492 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
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    10 to 5 in the morning dean... jesus lol.. early start?
  • deanshepherd
    deanshepherd Registered Posts: 1,809 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
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    Doesn't everyone start that early?
  • Psyche
    Psyche Registered Posts: 187 Dedicated contributor 🦉
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    If you ever catch me up that early it's because I haven't been to bed!
  • A-Vic
    A-Vic Registered Posts: 6,970 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
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    well i get up at 5.30 sighs
  • AK002
    AK002 Registered Posts: 2,492 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
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    deanshepherd wrote: »
    Doesn't everyone start that early?

    I get up at 6.40..

    But there's getting up.. and getting up & logging on to the forum @ that time lol!
  • Bluewednesday
    Bluewednesday Registered Posts: 1,624 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
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    How lucky am I?

    It's 7.30am for me
  • Psyche
    Psyche Registered Posts: 187 Dedicated contributor 🦉
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    Well, see, here I thought we all wanted to be MIPs so we could sleep til 10am and work in our pajamas. Guess that's just me then :)

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