Company Secretary
A company secretary plays a crucial role in maintaining corporate governance and ensuring legal compliance for UK limited companies. Although appointing a company secretary is not always legally required for private companies, it provides an essential layer of oversight and operational structure.
Company Secretary Services in the UK
A key responsibility of the company secretary is to ensure the timely submission of documents to Companies House. These include annual confirmation statements, changes to company officers, share allocations, and updates to the company register. The company secretary must also maintain up-to-date statutory registers, including those for the board of directors, shareholders, and people with significant control (PSCs).
With growing expectations around transparency and governance, having a knowledgeable company secretary manage these tasks helps prevent errors and avoid penalties. At Hayvenhursts, our company secretarial services ensures nothing falls through the cracks. Call us today on 02920 777 756 or complete our contact form to stay fully compliant.
The Difference Between a Company Director and a Secretary
While both the company director and the secretary are responsible for maintaining legal and regulatory standards, their roles serve different functions within a business. The company director is primarily tasked with making strategic decisions and overseeing company accounts, while the company secretary ensures that those decisions are properly documented, legally compliant, and aligned with corporate obligations.
The director is ultimately accountable for governance and operational performance. In contrast, the company secretary plays a key supporting role by managing statutory filings, maintaining registers, and advising on regulatory requirements.
In many businesses, especially larger operations, the company secretary also exercises strategic influence, supporting the company directors by helping them understand the legal implications of their decisions and ensuring deadlines are never missed.
Although their responsibilities can sometimes overlap, especially in smaller firms, separating the two roles helps preserve transparency, reinforce accountability, and streamline decision-making.
At Hayvenhursts, we help your business define clear roles and responsibilities that support your company’s legal obligations and strategic clarity. To learn more about how our approach to strategic planning can strengthen your governance framework, click here.
Do You Legally Need a Secretary For Your Company?
Whether your business is required to appoint a secretary depends on your company’s structure. For public limited companies (PLCs), it is a legal requirement to appoint a qualified company secretary due to the scale and complexity of statutory administration and governance. The secretary in a PLC oversees compliance, advises the board, and ensures that regulatory changes are managed effectively.
At Hayvenhursts, our professional business planning services are here to support the future of your company. Explore your business growth potential today by visiting our dedicated page.
Why Do Many SMEs Voluntarily Appoint a Company Secretary?
Even when not legally required, many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) choose to appoint a company secretary. For growing businesses, this voluntary decision supports smoother operations, improves UK corporate governance, and ensures regulatory compliance is always up to date. A dedicated company secretary for a small business helps reduce administrative pressure, giving the board of directors more time to focus on growth, clients, and strategic planning.
Appointing a company secretary also demonstrates your business’s commitment to professional standards. It improves internal communication between directors and shareholders, ensures statutory registers are correctly maintained, and keeps your business prepared for HMRC or Companies House queries at short notice.
The UK Corporate Governance Code encourages robust processes, and for many SMEs, a voluntary secretary enhances both governance and confidence among stakeholders. This is particularly beneficial if you’re looking to attract investors or scale operations.
At Hayvenhursts, our team of chartered accountants helps you make informed decisions that support your company’s compliance and long-term vision. Use our contact form for reliable guidance.
Supporting Business Property Owners
A company secretary plays a pivotal role for business property owners, especially those managing structured entities such as Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs), development companies, or landlord portfolios. As the property market often involves layered ownership and regulatory duties, professional secretarial support ensures your legal, financial, and compliance obligations are managed with precision. It also adds value to investors and lenders, who expect organised reporting and strong internal governance.
Managing Title Ownership and Land Registry Communications
A company secretary handles formal correspondence with the Land Registry and other property-related bodies, helping ensure accurate title ownership. This includes documenting any beneficial interest holders and ensuring all statutory filings reflect current ownership.
Safeguarding Financial Reports for Property Companies
For property companies and SPVs, filing accurate and timely annual reports and financial statements is essential. A company secretary ensures these obligations are met, keeping you audit-ready and preventing any filing-related issues that might delay financial activities or transactions.
At Hayvenhursts, our specialist company secretarial services are tailored to meet the needs of landlords and property developers. Contact us today on 02920 777 756 for practical support.
Outsourcing Your Company Duties
Outsourcing your company secretarial responsibilities can significantly reduce your administrative pressure and compliance risk. With evolving regulations and strict filing deadlines, relying on your dependable company secretary ensures that no statutory obligation is overlooked.
By choosing to outsource, you benefit from timely confirmation statement submissions, accurate statutory register maintenance, and ongoing governance support, all without the need to manage it in-house. This is especially helpful for business and property owners who want to focus on operations while maintaining full regulatory compliance.
At Hayvenhursts, our outsourced company secretarial services give you peace of mind and professional coverage bespoke to your business structure. Fill out our contact form to book a free consultation today.
How Hayvenhursts Supports Your Company Needs
At Hayvenhursts, we understand that no two businesses are alike, so neither should your company secretarial services be. Our tailored business approach ensures that your statutory duties are handled with accuracy, professionalism, and efficiency.
Personalised, Professional Company Secretarial Services
We provide bespoke compliance schedules and annual reminders that keep you ahead of every deadline. Our company secretarial service integrates seamlessly with your existing accounting and reporting systems to ensure consistency across your corporate documentation, filings, and internal controls.
Full Company Secretarial Support for UK Businesses
Whether you need assistance with company formation, shareholder register maintenance, or preparing filings for Companies House, we provide end-to-end support. From dormant companies to fully trading businesses and special purpose vehicles (SPVs), our expert guidance ensures your legal and administrative requirements are always met.
At Hayvenhursts, we offer reputable company secretarial services that adapt to your business. Get in touch with us today on 02920 777 756 for more information.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I act as my own company secretary?
Answer: Yes, in a private limited company, you can act as your own company secretary, provided your company’s Articles of Association don’t require otherwise. However, managing all corporate compliance, filings, and statutory registers on your own can be overwhelming without professional support, especially during board meetings and legal reviews.
2. What happens if I miss a filing deadline?
Answer: Missing your statutory deadline, such as a confirmation statement or annual accounts, can result in financial penalties or your company director’s disqualification. Timely filing is critical to maintain your company’s status, particularly for public companies that face stricter compliance from the stock exchange and regulators.
3. Can I change my company secretary later?
Answer: Yes, you can appoint a new company secretary at any time by updating your records with Companies House. Many businesses review this role during annual general meetings or when restructuring their executive management.
4. Do I need a company secretary if I use an accountant?
Answer: An accountant typically handles financial aspects like tax and company reports, but a company secretary is responsible for broader corporate legislation and corporate compliance. These include maintaining corporate records, managing office management functions, and ensuring statutory duties are met throughout the year.
5. What should be in my company’s registers?
Answer: Your company must maintain up-to-date statutory registers that detail your directors, shareholders, persons with significant control (PSCs), and any share transactions. These documents are essential for your company registration updates, corporate transparency, and proper handling of legal notices.
At Hayvenhursts, we answer all your questions and help you avoid the risks of poor bookkeeping. our expert team today for clear advice and fast support.
Are You Ready to Appoint Your Company Secretary?
Appointing a company secretary is one of the most effective ways to maintain compliance, improve clarity across your business operations, and enhance your professional credibility. Whether you’re a growing SME, property company, or newly formed private limited company, your company secretary ensures statutory duties are never overlooked or mishandled.
From managing your confirmation statements and filing deadlines to maintaining clean statutory registers and drafting board resolutions, a company secretary takes the pressure off your internal team. Having a company secretary demonstrates your commitment to corporate governance and helps you prevent fines, administrative oversights, or reputational risk.
If you’re ready to strengthen your business structure, hiring a company secretary is your smart step forward. With support tailored to your company’s setup and sector, you can stay ahead of legal requirements and focus more time on your core business operations. At Hayvenhursts, we make appointing your company secretary straightforward and stress-free. Reach out to our experienced team today on 02920 777 756 or complete our contact form to get started.