Overseas entities are urged to register with Companies House before January deadline
The Register of Overseas Entities came into force on 1 August 2022 and requires all entities in scope to register with Companies House before the deadline of 31 January 2023.
Overseas entities that own land or property in the UK must register with Companies House and declare their beneficial owners and/or managing officers.
As the deadline nears, Companies House is urging overseas entities and agents to register in good time and avoid some common pitfalls.
To make sure registrations are processed quickly, Companies House is recommending that agents:
Companies House has also published a list of agents who offer verification services. Find a UK-regulated agent to verify information for an overseas entity.
Overseas entities must register on time to avoid prosecution or civil financial penalties. Overseas entities that fail to register will also find it difficult to sell, lease or raise charges over their land.
Read more information about registering on the Register of Overseas Entities.
Rachael Watts, head of register of overseas entities at Companies House, says: ‘We have seen a significant number of filings rejected with most of these due to errors in the agent information section.
‘Common errors include the registry name being abbreviated or incorrect, and inconsistencies in the agent’s name, overall person with responsibility, address, and email address.
By minimising these errors and registering in good time, overseas entities and agents can avoid running into issues later on.’
The Register of Overseas Entities was launched on 1 August 2022. Overseas entities that already own UK land or property in scope, or who intend to acquire land or property in the UK, must register with Companies House and declare their beneficial owners or managing officers. On registration, Companies House allocates a unique Overseas Entity ID (OE ID) for each overseas entity.
From 5 September 2022 applications to any UK Land Registry to register a relevant disposition in land require an Overseas Entity ID from Companies House.
Find out how to register an overseas entity and get an OE ID number from Companies House.
Read HM Land Registry's guidance on the Register of Overseas Entities.
Read Registers of Scotland's guidance on the Register of Overseas Entities.
Read HM Land Registry's blog post on how the Register of Overseas Entities affects land transactions.