Guide · UK due diligence
How to check a UK company before you pay them
A new supplier wants a 30% deposit. A new customer asks for 60-day terms. Before money moves, an hour of checking can tell you whether the business is real, solvent and run by people with a clean record. Here is the checklist, in the order we would do it.
01Confirm the company exists and is active
Search the exact registered name or company number on Companies House. Match it to the name on the quote, invoice and website.
- ✓Status is Active, not Dissolved, Liquidation or Proposal to strike off
- ✓Incorporation date: a company formed weeks ago asking for a large deposit deserves more questions
- ✓Registered office address matches what they told you, or is at least plausible
02Read the filing history
Late or missing filings are one of the easiest warning signs to spot.
- ✓Accounts and confirmation statements filed on time
- ✓Overdue accounts or a gap in filings
- ✓Charges (secured lending) registered against the company
- ✓Accounts size that fits the size of the deal you are discussing
03Look at the people behind it
Check the current and past directors and the persons with significant control (PSC).
- ✓How many companies each director has run, and how many were dissolved or went insolvent
- ✓Frequent changes of director just before trading
- ✓Whether a director is disqualified
04Search for insolvency notices
The Gazette publishes winding-up petitions, liquidations and bankruptcies. Search the company name and the directors' names.
- ✓Winding-up petitions against the company
- ✓Past insolvencies linked to the directors
05Check for County Court Judgments
Unpaid court judgments (CCJs) suggest a business that does not pay its debts. The official register charges a small fee per search.
- ✓Judgments in the last six years
- ✓Judgments that were paid off versus still outstanding
06Verify the VAT number and any regulated status
If their invoice shows a VAT number, check it is valid and belongs to them. If they handle money, credit or investments, they may need FCA authorisation.
- ✓VAT number valid and registered to the same business name
- ✓FCA authorisation if they offer financial services
07Look at their footprint online
Real businesses leave a trail. Search the company, its brand name and its directors.
- ✓Website age and contact details that match the registry
- ✓Reviews on more than one platform, including negative ones
- ✓News stories, complaints or forum warnings
- ✓A trading name that differs from the registered name without explanation
08Protect the payment itself
Most supplier fraud happens at payment, not at contract. Treat any change of bank details as suspicious until proven otherwise.
- ✓Bank account name matches the company (your bank's Confirmation of Payee check)
- ✓Confirm new or changed bank details by phone, using a number you found yourself
- ✓Pay a smaller first instalment where you can
- ✓Ask for and call two trade references
Short on time?
Get a first look in minutes with AI Private Eye
Enter the company name, its registry number and the director you are dealing with. AI Private Eye drafts a structured dossier covering the company and the people behind it: corporate filings, public and legal records, online footprint and red flags. Each finding comes with a confidence rating and the sources to check.
Use it to see where to look first, then confirm the important points on the official registers above. Findings are AI-generated leads drawn from the model's knowledge, not a live search of Companies House, so always verify before you pay.
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. For high-value contracts, take advice from a qualified professional.