FAQs

Full List of FAQs

* All fees must be made payable to 'Companies House’.

Company Charges and Mortgages

GBA8 - Company Charge and Mortgages
GBA8(S) - Company Charge (Scotland)

How much does it cost to register a mortgage / charge at Companies House?

A fee of £13 made payable to Companies House must accompany each company mortgage/charge form and Deed delivered (Forms 395, 397 & 400)
A fee of £13 will also be levied for each charge form and Deed delivered in relation to a Slavenburg charge. (oversea company without a place of business in England or Wales).
With regard to LLP forms (Limited Liability Partnerships) the fee levied for this type of registration is £13.

Can I open an account with Companies House rather than send a cheque for each submission?
Yes, if you are a regular presenter. For further information and to set up an account, please contact Richard Evans; Tel: 029 2038 0918 or Email: revans@companieshouse.gov.uk

What documents must be submitted to register a mortgage/charge?
The form numbers correspond to the relevant sections of the Companies Act 1985 and are listed in the table below:

Form No	Description / Purpose
395 /LLP395	Particulars of a mortgage or charge
397 /LLP397	Particulars for the registration of a charge to secure a series of debentures
397a /LLP397a	Particulars of an issue of secured debentures in a series
398 /LLP398	Confirmation of registration in Scotland or Northern Ireland of a charge comprising property situated there
400 /LLP400	Particulars of a mortgage or charge subject to which property has been acquired

The original instrument creating or evidencing the charge must accompany the form.
However, in the case of Forms 398 and 400 it can be a verified copy.

What documents must be submitted to notify satisfaction of a mortgage / charge?

Form M403a - Full or part satisfaction of the debt, or
Form M403b - Property ceased to belong or released from the charge, or both in some cases.

How long does it take to register the original mortgage document and certificate of registration?
Mortgage documents normally take 5 working days from date of receipt to appear on the public file.

Who must sign Form M395?
An officer of the company, the chargee (lender) or a solicitor acting on behalf of one or both of them.

Who must sign Form M403a / M403b?
An officer of the company or administrator must declare the form by signing, then it must be sworn before a Commissioner for Oaths etc (see form for details).

Who can sign the form M400?
The form must be signed by one of the following:

An officer of the company - director or secretary
A solicitor acting on behalf of the company.

Does the 21-day time limit for registration include weekends and bank holidays?
Yes

Is the 1989 Companies Act in force in relation to mortgage documents?
No, this section of the Act will not be introduced.

Is it possible to amend the register entry of a charge when there is a change of chargee?
No, the 1985 Companies Act does not provide for transfer of chargees.