change of company name and annual accounts

change of company name and annual accounts

Didn't find your answer?

I would be grateful if someone could help.

If a limited company has changed its name during the current financial year, which name the accounts of a previous year have to be filed with Companies House?  and what would be the proper disclosure notes of the name change?

Many thanks

EC

Replies (10)

Please login or register to join the discussion.

avatar
By dkbookkeepers
07th Feb 2012 19:09

Name Change and Accounts

I am pretty sure it's as follows (please feel free to contradict me).

I assume that the name changed during the current financial year and not at the end of the past one. If so;

Prior year accounts (i.e. year before the year of the name change)

Complete accounts in previous name of companyInclude "Post Balance Sheet Events" note to state that the company changed it's name to "XXX Ltd" on XX/XX/20XX

Current year accounts (i.e. year of the name change)

Complete accounts current name of companyInclude a note to state that the company changed it's name from "YYY Ltd" to "XXX Ltd" on XX/XX/20XX

Future accounts

Complete accounts in current name of companyNo further notes.

Hope this helps. As I say, anyone else; please feel free to contradict me (especially regarding the notes wording.

May thanks

DK

Thanks (2)
Replying to Disabled Campaigner:
avatar
By MartinLevin
15th Feb 2012 13:29

The GoodEnglish Professor spots another one..

 

Include "Post Balance Sheet Events" note to state that the company changed it's name to "XXX Ltd" on XX/XX/20XX

Mis-use of the apostrophe - UGH.

It shows EITHER:

POSSESSION - example Aunt Mathilda's pen (the pen of Aunt Mathilda) or

OMISSION - it's down to you - it is down to you

 

We are supposed to be PROFESSIONAL people

Thanks (1)
avatar
By taxhound
07th Feb 2012 19:22

I was told by Companies House

To put "XYZ Limited formerly known as ABC Limited" throughout the accounts where you would normally put the name of the company, in the first set of accounts filed after the name change (even if the change was after the year end).  And put a note in the directors report too.

That was in the days before xbrl though - not sure if that will mess things up!

Thanks (1)
Replying to Disabled Campaigner:
avatar
By tenbury1
15th Feb 2012 11:00

Formerly known as..

Hi, I used to do the same as Taxhound said and it was fine.

xbrl filing is a good point to note. I have not experienced that one yet. But I would think that it should not be a problem if you include the "Formerly known as.." on a separate line underneath the new name.

Thanks (0)
avatar
By pauljohnston
15th Feb 2012 11:41

We were told

by CH to use the name on the record at the date the accounts were presented (we put a note on the balance sheet too)

Thanks (0)
avatar
By SS12
16th Feb 2012 09:56

Name change

We've had issues with CH as our change in the year was to our working name. The original showing the working name was rejected and later advised by CH to put the registered name on the B/S while the cover remains in the registered name. 

Thanks (0)
avatar
By keithas
16th Feb 2012 11:13

@ The Good English Professor

The usual misuse of the apostrophe is on plurals (not plural's). In this case we do not have a plural "it".

In fact, it is (it's) about possession in this instance: the name belonging to it - it being the company. If you didn't use the pronoun you would write "the company's name".

But*, then we stumble into the world of possessive pronouns of which "its" is one and, as you say, doesn't contain the apostrophe.

Given that you could create a full-time job correcting the spelling and grammar in Accountingweb posts, some of which make them completely unintelligible, I would have thought this case is much too subtle to be worthy of picking on. (There I go again: ending a sentence with a preposition!)

 

* Deliberately breaking the rules and starting the sentence with a conjunction for dramatic effect.

Thanks (0)
avatar
By MartinLevin
17th Feb 2012 10:40

The GoodEnglish Professor - a plea for Good English - continued

"spelling and grammar in Accountingweb posts" is often abysmal.  I was commended to Accounting Web by a member of the public.  Therefore good English is a must.

Let me not dissuade genuine queries as posted by EddConsulting, which appears to have been well-addressed.  My point - lost on other third parties - is that sloppiness in replies needs addressing.

I stand by my original "UGH" (Wed, 15/02/2012) in that the apostrophe WAS mis-used, and the "defence"  offered by Keith-As (I note the absence of an ""R" and an "E" at the end?), was incorrect.  At the Theatre Royal Stratford (East London) they used to have a banner "PANTO AT IT'S BEST" strung up - until the mis-use of the apostrophe was pointed out.  Their pantos are always great - as well.

Please also note that I am the GoodEnglish (no space) Professor and not the Good English Professor, and the former is designated to be the English LANGUAGE and the latter would represent a NATIONALITY. 

Enjoy the week-end

Thanks (0)
avatar
By mutley
21st Jun 2013 10:05

Companies House advice

I had a similar issue and came across this thread. Not being able to get a definitive answer, I e-mailed Companies House and received the following response:                  The account name should be correct as at the completion date (this can either be the made-up date of the accounts, or the balance sheet signature date) of the accounts. It is, however, recommended, to help avoid any confusion with regard to any recent change of company name, to show the correct company number and both names: e.g. ABC Ltd (now XYZ Ltd); or XYZ Ltd (formerly ABC Ltd).      On a different note, I would like to say that The GoodEnglish Professor has, in my opinion, not offered anything to this thread, other than a level of pedantism I didn't know existed.         

Thanks (3)
Replying to ignoranceisbliss:
avatar
By thomas
07th May 2014 14:46

Name change

mutley wrote:

I had a similar issue and came across this thread. Not being able to get a definitive answer, I e-mailed Companies House and received the following response:                  The account name should be correct as at the completion date (this can either be the made-up date of the accounts, or the balance sheet signature date) of the accounts. It is, however, recommended, to help avoid any confusion with regard to any recent change of company name, to show the correct company number and both names: e.g. ABC Ltd (now XYZ Ltd); or XYZ Ltd (formerly ABC Ltd).      On a different note, I would like to say that The GoodEnglish Professor has, in my opinion, not offered anything to this thread, other than a level of pedantism I didn't know existed.         

Did you show XYZ Ltd (formerly ABC Ltd) on the cover page or on every page of the accounts?

 

Thanks

 

Thanks (0)