The company check — read a builder's Companies House record in 5 minutes
The short answer: before you pay a builder, or before you sue one, look up their company on the official register. Five fields tell you most of the story: incorporation date, status, directors, prior companies, and filing history. Free, official, no account needed.
REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-09-03
The walk-through
1. Open Companies House search. Enter the exact name from the quote or invoice — not the trading name on the van. 2. Incorporation date. Registered three weeks ago? Any contract is higher-risk: no track record, nothing to sue for. Ten years with consistent filings is a good sign. 3. Status. Active is normal. Dissolved/liquidation changes your route: builder disappeared guide. 4. Directors. Click each name — their other directorships show prior construction companies. A chain of dissolved building firms with outstanding debts is the "phoenix" pattern: same people, new company, debts abandoned. 5. Filing history. Overdue accounts or confirmation statements = distress. Screenshot everything into your evidence file.
What to do with what you find
- Before hiring: walk away from the phoenix pattern; insist on staged payments.
- Mid-dispute: the registered office address is where your letter before action goes.
- Before suing: a company with no assets wins you a paper judgment — weigh the card route instead.
Independent information directory — not legal advice.
Source: Companies House (verified 2026-09-03).
Reviewed by Sean McNamara · 2026-09-03 · Independent information directory — not legal advice.