Thousands of companies have been struck off the register following a major crackdown by Companies House and the Insolvency Service - many linked to property and fraudulent corporate activity.
In a sweeping operation to clean up the UK company register, Companies House has removed thousands of businesses suspected of being involved in illegal activities. The investigation uncovered that just 30 entities were responsible for incorporating up to 50,000 companies, many of which were used as shell companies for money laundering, fraud, or hiding property assets.
What does this mean for UK property?
Authorities have identified over £50 million in UK property tied to organised crime, which is now subject to asset recovery proceedings. For landlords, developers, and company directors using corporate structures for property ownership, this signals a new era of compliance and scrutiny.
In total, over 100,000 dormant and suspect shell companies (some dating back two decades) are now under review. Investigations have already led to:
10,000 companies removed from the register
965 company dissolutions and 2,895 director appointments struck off
The discovery of 786 cloned restaurant companies, including one impersonating a firm linked to chef Heston Blumenthal
Major changes coming to company formation and property ownership transparency
Companies House is rolling out sweeping reforms under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act, aimed at restoring trust in the register and tackling abuse. These include:
✅ Compulsory ID verification for all directors and persons with significant control (expected by autumn 2025)
✅ From spring 2026: directors must verify ID each time they file a document
✅ Third-party agents will need to register as Authorised Corporate Service Providers (ACSPs)
✅ Companies will need to confirm future activities will be lawful when filing documents
✅ LLPs, overseas companies and unregistered companies will also be brought under the ID verification regime
What about registered office addresses?
Since March 2024, Companies House has changed the addresses of over 82,000 companies suspected of listing fake or unverified addresses.
Companies that fail to prove their address is genuine risk being struck off entirely. PO boxes are also being phased out, with warning letters already reducing PO box usage to just 700 cases.
Tougher stance on late filings and overseas entities
Since March 2024, 419 warning notices have been sent to companies failing to file confirmation statements. This led to 192 financial penalties, with more expected over the coming months.
Overseas entities, often used to hold UK property, are also being brought into line. 8,100 warnings have already been issued to those who failed to register or update their details, resulting in 555 penalties.
Importantly, regulations now allow trust ownership details to be shared on request. Yet another step toward transparency in UK property ownership.
Final Thoughts for Property Investors
For those using limited companies or overseas entities to manage property portfolios, this is a clear sign: compliance is no longer optional.
If your company setup, registered address, or filings aren’t in order (especially if you're using a corporate structure to own property) you could be at risk.
Get ahead of the reforms. Make sure your company admin is watertight.
We can help.
At Property Tax Advice, we specialise in property-focused Company Secretarial services - keeping your structure compliant, efficient, and future-proof.
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