Looking up financials for non-UK businesses?

[DaveB]

Yes, if you look up director details of some well known umbrella companies, they've got some crazy accounting stuff going on. One director I've spotted was appointed director of 61 new limited companies on the same day a few years ago; all these ltd's had a short life before being dissolved, varying in length, but all less than 9 months.

Would love to know what accounting trick that was for !

Probably registering them as empty shell Co's to be sold onto new contractors "off the shelf".

[SunnyInHades]

I don't think the full return is free but yes, it's scary just how much is free now.

Yes, if you look up director details of some well known umbrella companies, they've got some crazy accounting stuff going on. One director I've spotted was appointed director of 61 new limited companies on the same day a few years ago; all these ltd's had a short life before being dissolved, varying in length, but all less than 9 months.

Would love to know what accounting trick that was for !

[SunnyInHades]

Directors
Miss Helen James
Year of Birth: 1966

JAMES JOHN FREDERICK LECKIE
Year of Birth: 1972

Oops copied wrong section, those are previous directors, current director is

ANTHONY NICHOLAS SHERICK
Year of Birth: 1973
(longest current appointment spans 6 years and 2 months at MATAN ONLINE LIMITED)

[d000hg]

Err, well UK limited company annual return/director info is now free (and public domain) at Company Check | Free Companies House search and download

I don't think the full return is free but yes, it's scary just how much is free now.

[SunnyInHades]

It's not that well known that you can look up UK company accounts info for a trivial fee

Err, well UK limited company annual return/director info is now free (and public domain) at Company Check | Free Companies House search and download

e.g. Just looked up "contractor uk limited", here's some of the free public domain snippets...

CONTRACTOR UK LIMITED
03574763
Registered Address: 1 Northumberland Avenue, Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 5BW
Age 15 years (Incorporation date 03/06/1998)
Cash: £15,219
Assets: £110,527
Net Worth : have a look yourself

Directors
Miss Helen James
Year of Birth: 1966

JAMES JOHN FREDERICK LECKIE
Year of Birth: 1972

[Safe Collections]

Most of the major UK credit reporting players offer international reports, but they tend to inflate the price you pay in the UK by a significant margin. Report on a company in the USA from Experian in the USA, $50. Same report here in the region of £100!

The cheapest route is usually to purchase direct in the country you need the info for, most agencies supply reports in English so it isn't much of an inconvenience.

A good list of agencies in different countries can be found here and here. Hope that helps

[d000hg]

For EU info try these guys.

Official Company Information - GBRDirect

A little pricey but looks good otherwise.

[DaveB]

It's not that well known that you can look up UK company accounts info for a trivial fee, but can you do the same for countries in the EU and USA?

e.g. loads of companies use GmbH, I've no idea how it works in the US since you can incorporate in different states.

For EU info try these guys.

Official Company Information - GBRDirect

[d000hg]

They got all the info you need.

HTH

Does M12 receive demands for information and back-door access?

[AtW]

They got all the info you need.

HTH

[BigTime]

Have you tried Dunn & Bradstreet or Experian?

[d000hg]

It's not that well known that you can look up UK company accounts info for a trivial fee, but can you do the same for countries in the EU and USA?

e.g. loads of companies use GmbH, I've no idea how it works in the US since you can incorporate in different states.