Companies House reforms and statutory registers
From 18 November 2025, major reforms to the Companies Act 2006 came into effect as part of the government’s Companies House modernisation programme. These updates simplify how UK companies keep and make certain information available for inspection:
- Companies will no longer need to maintain internal registers of directors, secretaries, or PSCs (People with Significant Control).
- All companies must continue to maintain a register of members (shareholders).
- This register must be available for public inspection either at the company’s registered office or a Single Alternative Inspection Location (SAIL).
In short: your company must still make shareholder information accessible, but how and where you do that is now clearer and more straightforward.
What is a SAIL address?
A SAIL (Single Alternative Inspection Location) is an address that a company can nominate as the official place where certain statutory registers can be inspected by the public.
If you list Clyde Offices as your SAIL, our Glasgow address becomes the point of contact for any lawful inspection request under the Companies Act.
The law only requires that your company registers are available for inspection at this address. They do not need to be physically stored here unless you choose to have us hold them for you.
Using Clyde Offices as your SAIL
If you use our address as your registered office, you may also use it as your SAIL at no additional cost. We will:
- Record your company as using our address as a SAIL;
- Receive and log any inspection requests (which are extremely rare); and
- Notify you immediately if a request is received.
What is included
Use of 48 West George Street, Glasgow as your nominated SAIL is included when you use Clyde Offices for registered office or virtual office services. There is no separate SAIL address fee on eligible packages.
Optional record storage
Although not required by law, we can securely hold copies of your statutory registers on-site for your convenience. If your registers are updated (for example new shareholders), email us the revised version and we will replace the previous copy.
Inspection requests
If anyone requests to inspect your company’s registers:
- We will log and verify the request.
- We’ll notify you immediately.
- Access will be arranged in line with the Companies Act 2006.
- A £20 admin fee applies per inspection event to cover staff time and documentation.
In over 10 years of providing address services, Clyde Offices has never received a single public inspection request, but we maintain the correct procedures to ensure full compliance.
If your registers are not stored with us, we will notify you of any request and you will be responsible for complying with the inspection requirements. Clyde Offices acts solely as an intermediary location, not as the record holder.
Director and company responsibilities
As a company director or officer, you are legally responsible for:
- Keeping your company registers accurate and up to date.
- Notifying Companies House (via Form AD02/AD03) if your registers are held at a SAIL address.
- Informing Clyde Offices if you are using our address as your SAIL.
- Responding promptly to any inspection requests we notify you of.
Summary of SAIL charges
| Service | Description | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Use of our address as SAIL | Included with Registered Office and Virtual Office packages | £0 |
| Optional register storage | We hold copies of your statutory registers | £20 one-off |
| Updates to stored registers | When shareholder/member information changes | £20 per update |
| Inspection request handling | If a lawful inspection request is received | £20 per event |
FAQs
What does SAIL stand for?
SAIL means Single Alternative Inspection Location: an address nominated by a company where statutory registers can be inspected instead of the registered office.
Do registers have to be kept physically at the SAIL?
No. The law only requires that the records are available for inspection. You can keep them electronically elsewhere as long as they can be produced at the SAIL on request.
Do I need to tell Companies House?
Yes. You’ll need to file Form AD02 to register the address and Form AD03 to specify which registers are held there.
What happens if someone requests an inspection?
We’ll notify you immediately and help coordinate access. A £20 admin fee applies per event. You’re responsible for ensuring the registers are provided within the statutory timeframe.
Has Clyde Offices ever had an inspection?
No. In over a decade of providing virtual office and registered office services, no public inspection has ever taken place at Clyde Offices.
Need to use Clyde Offices as your SAIL?
Contact us and we’ll confirm how to record our Glasgow address as your Single Alternative Inspection Location.