Company ownership

[TrciaT]

Where can I find out who owns a limited company?

It's listed at Companies House but I could not find any names of owners.

[rebby]

A Limited Company is not owned by anyone - it is an entity in its own right. The Directors and Secretary work for the Company, and are not held responsible if the company gets into trouble. You can find out who the Directors and Secretary are, but you have to pay - something like �5 I think of the Coy's House Website. Hope thats what you wanted !

[kempie]

A private limited company by shares (Ltd.) is owned by its shareholders, a list of whom must be registered with Companies House.

[Miss Zippy]

You can order information on a private limited company via the Companies House website. You can order a copy of a company's latest annual return for only �1.00 and this will tell you who the shareholders are (who own and control the company) (it will also tell you who the directors and the co sec are). A company's annual accounts will also provide you with this information - again these can be ordered from the Co House website for �1 (provided the company is not new and has yet to file its first set of accounts).

[january_bug]

rebby - to add to what others said, you obviously are mistaken. As other users have said a company is owned by its shareholders. I suspect that what you're thinking of, is the fact that a company's assets are not owned by anyone, but are owned by the company itself because of the corporate veil principal from Solomon v Solomon. (I may have spelt the name wrong, but people will know which case I mean).

Miss Zippy - it's technically risky to assume that the ownership and control of a company rest in the hands of the same person(s). In a private company the separation is admittedly less pronounced, but a certain degree usually exists. I realise I'm perhaps coming across as petty, but I've studied this for a long time, and the separation of ownership and control is the biggest challenge that faces modern companies. (Obviously I'm not questioning the rest of your answer! :-) )

[Miss Zippy]

january_bug, no you're not coming across as petty at all as I too have studied law in detail (LLB (Hons) and LLM in Commercial Law) so appreciate where you're coming from. You are, of course, correct about the "academic" separation of powers, but (as Co Sec of 17 private limited companies and director of one) I was talking from practical experience (which can differ hugely from what you learn in the lecture theatre as I'm sure you'll appreciate), where it is more often than not the case that the owners and controllers are the same people.

[january_bug]

Yeah, you're right. As someone with a legal background I'm sure you spotted my cautious language! :-) However, I'm sure you'll agree with me that the major problem of separation of ownership and control, shirking, is rather simply yet beautifully illustrated by the number of us at work, yet on here!!! :-p :-)

PS My LLM was in law & economics, so I did the economic analysis of business organisations (focusing on companies) but obviously didn't look at it from other angles as you must have done, so your views will be more rounded on this one than mine, I suspect! :-)

[Miss Zippy]

Shirk, moi? I prefer to call it the art of delegation :o)

[january_bug]

I'm the only one in the office, and also the joint lowest of a ladder that consists of top, and 2 at joint second. I can't delegate down, but boy can I shirk!!! lol :-)

[rebby]

The key point to recognise is that a company is a separate entity. This means that it is a legal person in its own right. It is separate from those who own or run it, and has 'limited liability'. - Taken from Coy's House website.