Companies House - Directors and Secretaries Guide

Introduction

All companies must have officers. This means at least one director and a company secretary for a private limited company, and at least two directors and a company secretary for a public limited company. The director, or directors, must manage the company's affairs in accordance with its articles of association and the law. Certain responsibilities apply to all directors, whether executive or non-executive, and to all types of company whether trading or not. The company secretary is the chief administrator of the company.

This guide:

• explains some of the main responsibilities of a company's officers; and
• deals with some of the key requirements of the Companies Act 1985 in relation to the delivery of documents to Companies House. When we refer to 'the Act' in this guide, we mean the 1985 Companies Act (as amended in 1989 and later).

The guide will not tell you everything about being a director or secretary, but it will give you a good idea of your responsibilities as they relate to Companies House.

If, after reading this guide, you are in doubt about your responsibilities, you should seek professional advice from a solicitor or accountant.