Possible Case Study Questions Flashcards
Which section CA allows members to requisition a general meeting?
303
What shareholding is required for a member to requisition a general meeting?
5% paid up capital
What action must directors take following receipt of a valid general meeting requisition?
Convene a meeting within 21 days, to be held not more than 28 days after the notice of the meeting.
When is a company required to circulate a member’s statement on a resolution?
If requested by:
- one or more shareholders holding at least 5% full paid voting capital
- not less than 100 shareholders holding shares on which there has been paid an average of not less than £100
When may members place an item of business on the AGM?
If requested by:
- one or more shareholders holding at least 5% full paid voting capital
- not less than 100 shareholders holding shares on which there has been paid an average of not less than £100
When must a member’s requisition be lodged with the company for an item of business at the AGM?
6 weeks before the meeting
When must the company pay for circulation of a member’s statement or resolution?
If it is an AGM and issued 6 weeks prior to the meeting.
When must the accounts be laid before general meeting and delivered to the Registrar for a public company?
Within 6 months of the end of the relevant accounting reference period (s442 CA)
When must the accounts be laid before general meeting and delivered to the Registrar for a PRIVATE company?
Within 9 months of the end of the relevant accounting reference period (s442), although private companies do not need to hold general meetings.
If a private company has elected to hold AGMs, when must the AGM be held?
Within 6 months of the end of the financial year.
What is the consequence for late filing of accounts with the registrar?
A late filing penalty.
How are late filing penalties calculated?
On a sliding scale according to how late they are.
Which form must be filed with Companies House for a change of accounting reference date?
Form AA01
What special type of accounts must parent companies file?
Group accounts complying with CA S 404
What should group accounts contain?
- balance sheet got the parent
- consolidated balance sheet for the group
- consolidated profit and loss account for the group
- a full list of the subsidiary companies
Which companies may file abridged accounts?
Small companies
How are small companies defined?
Must meet two of the following:
- annual turnover less than £10.2 m
- balance sheet less than £5.1 m
- average number of employees less than 50
What should abridged accounts contain?
- an abridged balance sheet
- a report of the directors
- an abridged profit and loss account together with supporting notes relevant for the small companies regime
- a conformation statement that the directors have complied with the relevant provisions of the CA.
- a statement of the members confirming unanimous consent for abridged accounts
Whose consent is required in order to prepare abridged accounts?
Unanimous consent of all the members
To who must copies of the accounts be sent?
All members
All debenture holders
Everyone entitled to receive notice of general meetings
When must copies of the accounts be sent?
Delivered at least 21 days before the general meeting, or if the company must. If a private company does not hold general meetings, then no later than the end of the period for filing accounts and reports.
Can members request a further copy of the accounts?
Yes, and the company must provide them within 7 days,
Unlimited companies are typically exempt from filing accounts with companies house. When MUST they file accounts?
If it is:
- a subsidiary or parent of a limited company
- a banking or insurance company
- a qualifying company under the Partnerships and Unlimited Companies (Accounts) Regulations 1993
- operating a trading stamp schem
What signatures are required on the various accounts?
Strategic report - CoSec on behalf of the board or a nominated director
Directors’ remuneration report - chair of RemCo
Directors’ report - CoSec on behalf of the board or a nominated director
Balance sheet - nominated director
Auditor’s report - senior statutory auditor
What are the benefits of using the Companies House Web Filing service?
- service provides reminder emails
- inbuilt templates and checks for errors
- file accounts to HMRC simultaneously
What is the liability of directors for false or misleading reports and accounts?
Liability to the company got any loss suffered for any untrue or misleading statement or omission. This requires the directors actual knowledge of inaccuracy or recklessness.
What is an off the shelf company?
One which has already been incorporated and has certificates of incorporation, memorandum and articles and a name.
What conditions must be met by a company name?
- not already on the index
- “limited/unlimited/plc” are only at the end
- not offensive
- use of the name is not an offence
- permission has been granted for any sensitive words
What is a business name?
A name other than the registered name under which a business trades.
When can the Registrar order a name change?
- within 12 months if too similar to an existing name (s67 CA)
- within 5 years of registration if misleading information was given (s 75 CA)
- at any time if use of the name is misleading and likely to harm the public (s 80)
When can an objection to a name be filed under s 69-74 CA?
If it has been registered “opportunistically”, i.e. to extract money from a business who wishes to use that name
What is an action for passing off relating to names?
An action through the courts for rectification of a name where a person with goodwill has already registered a similar name
What documents must be filed on incorporation?
- IN01
What information must be entered into form IN01?
- address of registered office
- name and details of directors and secretary
- details of any alteration from the model articles
- capital of the company and its shareholders
- election to keep documents at companies house (optional)
- statement of initial significant control (PSC)
- statement of compliance from all subscribers to the Memorandum of Association
What is the purpose of form SH50?
Application by a public company for a trading certificate.
For what purpose does a public company require a trading certificate?
To commence business and to exercise borrowing powers
What are the consequences of a plc trading without a trading certificate?
Company and all its officers are liable to criminal proceedings.
What is the purpose of form AA01?
Change of accounting reference date.
What is the purpose of form SH01?
Return of allotments of further shares issued for cash.
What information is contained in the certificate of incorporation?
- the company’s allocated registered number
- whether the company is public
- the date of incorporation (not the date of certificate issue)
What key matters should be dealt with by the company following incorporation?
- formalise any changes to directors/secretary
- obtain a seal
- hold board meeting
- file returns of allotments to registrar
- change accounting reference date
- obtain statutory registers
- organise headed stationary
- display company name at business location
- inform HMRC of the company
- arrange insurance
- consider changes to articles
What matters should be dealt with at the first board meeting of a company?
- appoint chairman
- appoint managing director
- appoint bankers
- appoint auditors
- determine accounting reference date
- approve the registration of subscribers’ share transfers
- make any necessary allotments of capital
- approve share certificates
- appoint persons to represent the company at members/creditors meetings
- approve directors service contracts
- receive declaration of directors’ interests.
- notify the registrar of the SAIL (if applicable).
Where must the company name be displayed?
- any place where business is carried on
- business letters
- notices and other publications
- all bills and cheques
- all invoices, recipients and letters of credit
- all company emails, faxes and websites
What is the process for re-registration from a private company to public?
- resolve any deficiencies such as insufficient capital, secretary, only 1 director etc.
- pass special resolution authorising change
- submit application on RR01 to registrar along with:
- copy of revised articles
- signed resolution
- copy of balance sheet + unqualified audit report
- written statement by auditor that the net assets are not less than the called-up share capital
- valuation report on any non-cash share consideration
- statement on RR01 confirming compliance
At what point does re-registration become effective?
When new share certificate is received.
What is the process for re-registration from public to private?
- board calls general meeting
- pass special resolution to re-register and alter the articles as needed
- issue resolution to Registrar within 15 days with form RR02 and statement of compliance
Who may object to a re-registration from public to private?
Members representing not less than 5% nominal value or 50 members may apply to the court for cancellation of re-registration within 28 days.
What improvements did the “Red Tape Challenge” make for simplifying company administration?
- remove need for annual return, replaced by confirmation statement
- allowing certain registers to be held at CH
- improvements to filing electronically
- remove need for directors consent to be appointed
- simpler reporting of statements of capital
- improved communication with companies by requiring the company to keep an email address up to date.
Which statute introduced the PSC register?
SBEE 2015
When did the need to maintain PSC registers come into force?
April 2016
What is a “person with significant control”?
A person meeting one of the 5 PSC conditions:
- owns, directly or indirectly more than 25% company shares
- holds, directly or indirectly, 25% or more company voting rights
- holds the right to exercise, or actually exercises, significant influence or control over the company
- holds the right, directly or indirectly, to appoint or remove a majority of board members
- holds the right to exercise, or actually exercises, significant influence or control over the activities of a trust or firm which meets a condition.
What scenarios are exempt from being a PSC?
- being a director
- an employee undertaking duties in the normal course of business
- important customers
- professional advisors
What information must be recorded about an in individual who is a PSC in the PSC register?
- full name
- service address and usual residential address
- date of birth
- usual country of residence
- nationality- date on which PSC became registerable and ceased
- nature of significant control
What information must be recorded about “registerable legal entity” who is a PSC in the PSC register?
- company name
- registered office
- legal form of the entity and governing law
- company registration number and the applicable registrar
- date on which RLE became registrable and ceased
- nature of the significant control
What steps should be taken if there are no PSCs?
A statement must appear in the PSC register that there are no applicable entries and that reasonable steps have been taken to identify any PSCs or RLEs
Does the “proper purpose” regime apply to PSCs?
Yes
What is a “registerable legal entity” for the purposes of the PSC register?
An entity that:
- would meet at least one of the conditions for being a PSC
- is the first such entity above the company in the chain of ownership
- is either required to keep its own PSC register or is subject to the disclosure requirements of a publicly traded company