A company appears not to have filed annual returns?

BetsyClark

Registered User
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148
Hi

I am searching CRO to find annual returns for a business. I have found the business, but no filing for an annual return. They must have as they have at least 20 employees and substantial turnover. I am interested as they have offered me a job, and I am curious as to their financial situation.

Does a "Business Name" have to file or is it the Company who files? If this is the case, and all I have is a business name, is there some way of finding the company name without the company number?

Many thanks

Betsy
 
Only a company is required to submit returns. If you have one of the owners names you can use a site like solocheck to get the companies they are directors of, that should allow you find more information on their financial position. Keep in mind that their annual return date could be any time so the accounts could be well over a year old so may not be an accurate currently - alot has changed in the last year!
 
The Business Name might be owned by an individual, a partnership or by a Body Corporate(a limited company). There is no obligation for a business name to file accounts or annual returns with the CRO, but if the business name is owned by a limited company, this limited company must file accounts and you can access this information.

You can find who owns the business by doing a company search and requesting a print out.
 
Thanks RonanC, I think this is the answer, I guess that if the business is owned by a sole trader, and no company is connected then there will be no return ....

Betsy
 
If it's a significant business with 20 employees I'd be amazed if it wasn't incorporated. You need either the official company name or number to do a search on CRO and download the relevant docs.
 
I would also be very surprised if a company employing 20 people was not a limited company.

The mistake people make sometimes is thinking the limited company will have the same name as the business name. Or mixing a business name up with a limited company. For example, just say the registered business name name is Good Value Carpets, the actual company name could be something obscure.....Oakdale Limited or something totally unconnected as there will already be a good value carpets limited registered already. Company cheques will have Oakdale Limited T/A Good Value Carpets.

You dont need to have the company number to do a search. If you find out who registered the business name, then it will probably be the same person who is Director. Then you can do a Director search. It can be difficult if the person is called John Smith or something ordinary as there will be lots of John Smiths with lots of Directorships.
 
Yes, I am amazed it appears not to be a company with so many staff. I have checked the directors list on solocheck and neither the owner or her husband appear as a director of any company. I'm mystified but have to accept that this business appears to not be a company, so no financial info I'm afraid.

Thanks for all of the input

Betsy
 
No you need to use one of the other searches - Solocheck, which I think is mentioned above or Vision-Net, which I use.

Solocheck is the one to use for once off, Vision net you have to pay a few hundred euro to set up an account and leave it in credit.
 
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