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Practical company secretarial support that keeps your business compliant and your directors focused on what matters.
Running a company comes with a long list of legal and administrative obligations. Confirmation statements, statutory registers, Companies House filings, board minutes, shareholder resolutions… the list goes on. Miss a deadline or file something incorrectly and you could face fines, penalties, or worse.
Our company secretarial services take this off your plate. Whether you need a full outsourced company secretary or occasional support with specific tasks, we’ll make sure your company stays compliant and your governance is in good shape.
Get a free, no-obligation chat with our corporate and commercial team, call us on 02920 829 100 or use our Contact us form.
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Every UK company has legal obligations under the Companies Act 2006. Directors are personally responsible for making sure these are met. Get it wrong and you’re looking at late filing penalties, fines, and potentially even criminal liability in serious cases.
The problem is that most business owners didn’t start their company to spend time on administrative compliance. You’ve got customers to serve, staff to manage, and a business to grow. Company secretarial duties can easily slip down the priority list until something goes wrong.
That’s where we come in. Our company secretarial team handles the compliance so you can focus on running your business. We’ll keep your statutory records up to date, file everything on time, and flag any governance issues before they become problems.
If you’re spending too much time on company admin, or you’re not sure whether your records are in order, let’s talk.
Get a free, no-obligation chat with our corporate and commercial team, call us on 02920 829 100 or use our Contact us form.
A company secretary is responsible for the administrative and compliance side of running a company. While the role isn’t defined in detail by legislation, it typically covers:
Statutory filings – Making sure everything that needs to go to Companies House gets there on time and in the right format
Maintaining registers – Keeping the company’s statutory books accurate and up to date, including registers of members, directors, and persons with significant control (PSCs)
Corporate governance – Advising directors on their duties and helping the company comply with its legal obligations
Document management – Looking after important company documents like the certificate of incorporation, articles of association, and share certificates
For public companies, having a qualified company secretary is a legal requirement. Private companies don’t have to appoint one, but many do because it takes a significant burden off the directors and reduces the risk of compliance failures.
Even if you don’t formally appoint a company secretary, someone has to do this work. Under the Companies Act 2006, the responsibility falls to the directors if there’s no secretary in place.
We offer flexible company secretarial support tailored to what you actually need. Some clients want us to handle everything; others just need help with specific tasks or one-off projects.
For businesses that want to hand over the whole function, we act as your company secretary on an ongoing basis. You get a named contact who knows your company and handles all your compliance needs.
What’s included:
This works well for owner-managed businesses, subsidiaries of overseas companies, and any organisation that wants the peace of mind of knowing compliance is handled.
If you handle most things in-house but want professional support for your annual filings, we can prepare and submit your confirmation statement and review your statutory registers to make sure everything’s in order.
What’s included:
Starting a new company or restructuring an existing group? We’ll make sure everything’s set up properly from day one.
What’s included:
When things change in your business, there’s usually company secretarial work to do. We handle the paperwork so transactions complete smoothly.
What’s included:
Good governance isn’t just about ticking boxes. It protects directors, keeps shareholders happy, and makes your business more attractive to investors, lenders, and potential buyers.
What’s included:
The short answer: private companies don’t legally need one, but public companies do.
Since April 2008, private limited companies have been able to choose whether to appoint a company secretary. Many decide not to, particularly smaller businesses where the directors handle everything themselves.
But here’s the thing: even without a formal company secretary, the work still needs to be done. If you don’t appoint one, the directors become responsible for all the compliance tasks that would otherwise fall to the secretary.
You might benefit from company secretarial support if:
You probably don’t need external support if:
Not sure which camp you fall into? We’re happy to have a conversation and give you an honest view of whether our services would add value for your situation.
The Companies Act 2006 sets out the legal framework for company secretaries in the UK.
Private companies:
All companies:
Companies House is undergoing significant reform following the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023. These changes will affect company secretarial obligations over the coming months and years.
Key changes to be aware of:
Identity verification – From November 2025, all directors and PSCs will need to verify their identity with Companies House. This can be done directly or through an authorised corporate service provider like Darwin Gray. Existing directors will have a transition period to comply.
Stronger Companies House powers – The Registrar now has greater powers to query filings, request evidence, reject information, and remove material from the register. Late or incorrect filings could result in civil financial penalties.
Corporate director restrictions – New rules will restrict the use of corporate directors. Where permitted, all directors of the corporate director must be natural persons with verified identities.
Enhanced accuracy requirements – Companies will face stricter obligations around the accuracy of information filed at Companies House. Knowingly providing false or misleading information is a criminal offence.
We’re staying on top of these changes and advising clients on how to prepare. If you’re concerned about what the new requirements mean for your company, get in touch.
Choosing a law firm is a big decision. You want experts who actually get you and your organisation, respond when you need them, and give you straight answers. That’s us. We’re one of Wales’ leading commercial law firms, and we do things a little differently.
You won’t be passed through layers of gatekeepers here. When you call, you’ll speak to the person handling your company’s affairs. You’ll have their direct contact details and a genuine working relationship. Our clients tell us this makes all the difference when deadlines are tight or questions come up.
We don’t work in silos. Our company secretarial team works closely with colleagues in corporate, employment, and commercial property. If your company secretarial matter connects to a wider transaction or issue, we’ll bring in the right people and keep everything coordinated.
Devolved decision-making and flexible working hours mean we can move at pace. Need an urgent filing submitted? A last-minute board minute prepared? We’re set up to respond when you need us.
You’ll always get the full picture from us. If something’s wrong with your statutory records, we’ll tell you and explain what needs to happen to fix it. If you’re over-engineering your governance for a company of your size, we’ll say so. No sugar-coating, just practical guidance you can act on.
We know that company secretarial work needs to be cost-effective. We’ll give you a clear fee quote at the outset, and many of our services are available for a fixed annual fee so you know exactly what you’re paying.
We’re the leading commercial law firm with offices in South and North Wales offering Welsh language legal services at every level, from trainees right through to partners. This isn’t an add-on or a tick-box exercise. It’s part of who we are.
Company secretarial services are typically charged in one of three ways:
Fixed annual fee – For ongoing outsourced company secretary services, we agree an annual fee based on the complexity of your company and the level of activity expected. This gives you budget certainty and covers all routine compliance work.
Fixed fee per task – For specific one-off tasks like company formations, share transfers, or filing particular documents, we can usually agree a fixed fee upfront.
Hourly rates – For more complex or unpredictable work, we charge by the hour but keep you regularly updated on costs.
They provide sensible and pragmatic advice.
Legal 500
They are flexible and responsive.
Legal 500
A company secretary is an officer of the company responsible for ensuring it meets its legal and administrative obligations. This includes maintaining statutory registers, filing documents with Companies House, supporting board meetings, and advising directors on compliance matters. Despite the name, it’s not a clerical role. In larger companies, the company secretary is often a senior position with significant responsibilities for governance and regulatory compliance. For smaller businesses, the role can be handled by a director, an employee, or outsourced to professionals like us.
Private limited companies in the UK aren’t legally required to have a company secretary. This changed in April 2008 when the Companies Act 2006 removed the requirement. Public companies (PLCs) still must appoint a qualified company secretary. Even without a formal appointment, someone needs to handle the company secretarial duties. If you don’t appoint a secretary, those responsibilities fall to the directors. Many businesses choose to appoint one anyway, or outsource the function, because it reduces the burden on directors and ensures compliance is properly managed.
Company secretary duties typically include: filing the annual confirmation statement and other documents at Companies House; maintaining statutory registers (members, directors, PSCs, charges); preparing and filing notices of changes to company details; organising and minuting board and shareholder meetings; keeping company records and important documents safe; advising directors on their duties and company law compliance; and managing the company’s registered office. The exact scope varies depending on the company’s size and complexity. For public companies, there are additional responsibilities around stock exchange compliance and financial reporting.
Failing to meet Companies House filing obligations can result in late filing penalties, fines, and in serious cases, criminal prosecution of directors. For example, late filing of accounts attracts automatic penalties starting at £150 for private companies (£750 for public companies) and increasing the longer you delay. Persistent non-compliance can lead to the company being struck off the register. Directors can also be disqualified for repeated failures. Beyond penalties, poor compliance creates problems when you want to raise investment, sell the business, or take out finance, as due diligence will reveal the issues.
Costs vary depending on the level of service. A full outsourced company secretary service typically costs from a few hundred pounds to several thousand pounds per year, depending on company complexity and activity levels. Individual tasks like company formations, share transfers, or filing specific documents can often be done for fixed fees. We’re happy to give you a quote based on your specific requirements. For many businesses, the cost is modest compared to the time directors would otherwise spend on compliance, and the peace of mind of knowing it’s handled properly.
Yes, but with one important exception: a sole director cannot also be the company secretary. If your company has only one director, you’ll need to appoint someone else as secretary or leave the position vacant and have the director handle the duties themselves. Where there are multiple directors, one of them can be appointed as company secretary. In practice, many small companies don’t formally appoint a secretary and the directors share the compliance responsibilities between them.
For private companies, there are no formal qualification requirements. Anyone can be appointed as company secretary (except the sole director of the company). While private companies don’t need a qualified secretary, using someone with proper knowledge and experience significantly reduces the risk of compliance failures.
The confirmation statement (formerly called the annual return) is a filing that every company must make at least once every 12 months. It confirms that the information Companies House holds about your company is accurate and up to date. This includes details of directors, shareholders, registered office, share capital, and persons with significant control. The filing fee is currently £50 (online) or £110 (paper). Missing the deadline is an offence that can result in prosecution of directors and potentially the company being struck off.
Persons with significant control are individuals or entities that have significant influence over a company. This includes anyone who holds more than 25% of shares or voting rights, has the right to appoint or remove a majority of directors, or otherwise exercises significant influence or control. Companies must maintain a PSC register and file PSC information at Companies House. The requirements were introduced to increase corporate transparency and combat money laundering. Getting PSC information wrong can result in criminal penalties, so it’s important to understand who your PSCs are and keep the register accurate.
Yes, we can provide company secretarial services for UK subsidiaries of overseas parent companies. This works well because the parent company often doesn’t have UK company law expertise in-house. We act as the UK company secretary, handle all Companies House compliance, and provide a point of contact for local regulatory matters.
The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 introduces significant changes to company compliance. From November 2025, all directors and PSCs must verify their identity with Companies House. The Registrar will have stronger powers to query filings, reject information, and impose civil penalties. There will be new restrictions on corporate directors. Companies will face stricter requirements around the accuracy of filed information. We’re advising clients on how to prepare for these changes and can help ensure your company is ready when the new requirements come into force.
a: 9 Cathedral Road, Cardiff, CF11 9HA
t:Â 02920 829 100
Located in the heart of Cardiff’s business district, our head office is easily accessible by car and public transport. We can provide a Cardiff registered office address for your company.
a: Unit F12, InTec, Ffordd y Parc, Parc Menai, Bangor, LL57 4FG
t:Â 01248 301 100
Our North Wales office serves businesses across the region. We can provide a Bangor registered office address if you’d prefer a North Wales presence.
We provide company secretarial services to clients throughout Wales and across the UK. Most of our work is done remotely, so your location doesn’t limit our ability to help.
Whether you need a full outsourced company secretary or just some help getting your records in order, we’re here to make it easy.
Contact us for a free, no-obligation chat to see if we can help you. You’ll speak directly to someone who can discuss your situation and explain how we might work together.
Call us on 02920 829 100 or use our Contact us form.
We aim to respond to all enquiries within one working day.
To speak to one of our experts today, please contact us on 02920 829 100 or by using our Contact Us form for a free initial chat to see how we can help.
02920 829 100 
