Agency requesting list of my Ltd Co's shareholders & directors

[tractor]

...

What's so sensitive about the share distribution and how do you imagine it being used fraudulently?

Are you prepared to walk from an offer on the sole basis of the above, if not, what's the point?

I would guess the point is that agencies increasingly expect to take larger profits AND want you to do their work for them.

Clearly, they don't realise that PDFs can be editable, meaning any information that you supply cannot be guaranteed to be the original or represent accurate data rendering it potentially next to useless for due diligence purposes. But they ticked the box so it's all OK!

[haggaredOldGit]

Called the agent, made it clear I wasn't comfortable supplying the companies house report. He argued the info is in the public realm anyway - to which I responded you guys are welcome to source the same info from whatever public sources you see fit. When queried, he didn't know why the info was being requested, said it was a directive from 'legal', that Ltd Co contractors must supply this info to the agency as a prerequisite to raising a contract. Dug my heels in. An hour later he informed me agency is ok to proceed without it.

wtf?

[Contreras]

Dug my heels in. An hour later he informed me agency is ok to proceed without it.

wtf?

The prospect of losing his commission may have had something to do with it.

[kingcook]

You can also lookup the names of directors of a company on CH's new beta service

https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/

[eek]

You can also lookup the names of directors of a company on CH's new beta service

https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/

That's a well designed government website that works

[kingcook]

That's a well designed government website that works

Why, thank you

[Taita]

Interview went well, agency confirmed offer by email.

Prior to raising the contract, agency want the usual plethora of 'evidence' to prove my legal legitimacy.

One item demanded, which I haven't been asked for by agencies previously, is a list of my Ltd Co's shareholders & directors, in the form of an official document generated by the companies house website - is this an unusual demand?

Sounds like the Agency's legal wallahs are trying to cover some aspect of the recent intermediaries rules.

The info they request is not private or confidential and if they really want to cover their bums they should get it directly from Companies House. As others here say; anything you provide could be concocted. However, if you have given them a statement, a box will have been ticked and (maybe) that is enough for a defence against wrongdoing, on their part, under the legislation.

Their legal beagles probably do not realise they can obtain shareholder info for free!

Put the paranoia to one side, send an email giving the answer (or a copy of your annual return) and enjoy the gig......

[unixman]

I think company directors are public knowledge, not sure about shareholders. Sounds like the agent wanted you to be his little helper. Nothing wrong with that if you have the time.

[unixman]

Not usual.
If you get one and deliver it you could spoof it.
Surely they would be better getting it direct, or using a free service like :
Company Check | Free Companies House search and download

Lol. Many companies listed like "net worth: minus 5 million...",

[TheCyclingProgrammer]

Why, thank you

Good to see this finally getting some attention. I attended a hack day years ago (2009 in fact) where one of the participants hacked together a more modern Companies House website:

Companies Open House - National Hack the Government Day, 2009 - Rewired State

Back then, the website didn't even work 24/7. I don't know if the old one still works like this but it was ridiculous.