Most first-time founders assume going direct to Companies House is the sensible, no-frills option. It isn’t. Here’s what they don’t tell you — and what it costs when things go wrong.
The Myth of the “Free” Companies House Registration
It sounds simple. Go to Companies House, pay £100, fill in a form, get your limited company formation done. Job done.
Thousands of founders do exactly this every year — and thousands of them run into problems they didn’t see coming. A rejected application meaning delay, confusion, and starting the process over — with no guidance on what went wrong. A home address sitting on a public database for anyone to find. A compliance deadline missed because nobody told them it existed.
Companies House is a government filing service. It registers your company. That’s it. It doesn’t check your application before you submit it. It doesn’t warn you if something looks wrong. It won’t pick up the phone when HMRC writes to you six months later and you don’t know what it means.
That’s not a criticism of Companies House — it’s simply not what they’re there for.
A specialist formation agent is.
What Actually Happens When You Register at Companies House Directly
Before you decide to go it alone, here’s what the DIY route actually looks like in practice.
Your Home Address Becomes Publicly Available
When you register a limited company in the UK, a director’s address goes on the public register — and if you use your home address, it stays there. Permanently. Anyone can search it. That means clients, competitors, and complete strangers can find out where you live with a thirty-second search on the Companies House website.
Most first-time founders don’t realise this until after they’ve filed.
A formation agent provides a registered office address and a service address as part of the package, keeping your home address off the public record entirely.
You’re on Your Own During Registration
Companies House provides a form. It doesn’t provide guidance. If you’re unsure whether you need a sole director structure or multiple shareholders, whether your chosen SIC code accurately describes your business, or what “persons with significant control” actually means — you’re on your own.
For a first-time founder, these aren’t minor administrative details. They’re decisions that affect how your company is structured, how it appears to banks and investors, and how HMRC classifies your business activity.
A formation agent walks you through every step. You’re not guessing. You’re guided.
No Second Pair of Eyes Before It’s Submitted
Once you hit submit on Companies House, that’s it. Your application goes in as filed. If you’ve made an error — wrong director details, incorrect share structure, mismatched information — you won’t find out until it comes back rejected.
And when it does? You’re left to work out what went wrong yourself, with no guidance on how to fix it and resubmit correctly.
A good formation agent reviews your application before it goes anywhere near Companies House. Real people check the details. Errors get caught before they become rejections.
No One to Call If Something Goes Wrong
This is the one that catches founders out most often — not at registration, but afterwards.
A letter arrives from HMRC. Your bank asks for documentation you don’t have. Your confirmation statement deadline appears in your diary and you have no idea what it requires. There is a Companies House support line. But you’ll join a queue, wait as long as it takes, and when you finally get through, you’ll speak to someone who has never heard of you or your company. They’ll read from the same guidance page you already found yourself.
With Mint, there is. We pick up the phone. Every time.
Support Ends the Moment You File
The Companies House process ends at incorporation. You get your certificate. That’s the end of the relationship.
But running a limited company doesn’t end at incorporation. Corporation Tax registration, VAT thresholds, confirmation statements, bookkeeping, accounting, Self Assessment, PAYE if you take on staff — the compliance obligations begin the day your company is formed. None of that comes with a DIY filing.
What You Actually Get With a Formation Agent
Using a formation agent like Mint doesn’t just mean someone fills in the form for you. It means you have a team behind you from day one — and beyond.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
Your home address stays off the public register. We provide a registered office address and service address as standard, so your personal details stay private.
Full guidance through the registration process. From choosing the right share structure to selecting the correct SIC code, we guide you through every decision before anything is submitted.
Real people check everything before submission. Your application is reviewed by a member of our team before it goes to Companies House. Errors get caught. Rejections get avoided.
Call us, chat with us, or WhatsApp us — real people, every time. Got a question? We’re reachable by phone, live chat, and WhatsApp. Real agents, not bots. Customers know us by name because we’re actually here.
Lifetime free support — not just on day one. Formation is just the beginning. We’re still here for your bookkeeping, accounting, Corporation Tax and Self Assessment returns, confirmation statements, and any changes to your company structure down the line.
“But Can’t I Just Do It Myself and Save Money?”
This is the question most founders ask — and it’s a fair one.
The honest answer: yes, you can register directly at Companies House for £100. If you have no questions, make no errors, never need to call anyone, and feel confident navigating the compliance obligations that follow — you’ll be fine.
But most first-time founders don’t fit that description. They have questions. They’re not sure if they’ve filled something in correctly. They want to know what comes next.
The cost of a formation agent isn’t the £4.99 starting fee. It’s the insurance against the things that go wrong when you don’t have one — the rejected application, the missed deadline, the home address you can’t take back off the public register.
When you look at it that way, the question isn’t “can I afford a formation agent?” It’s “can I afford not to have one?”
Who Should Use a Formation Agent?
A formation agent is the right choice if any of the following applies to you:
- You’re registering your first limited company and want guidance, not just a form
- You want to keep your home address private and off the public register
- You’re based outside the UK and need help navigating UK residency requirements, registered addresses, and opening a business bank account from abroad
- You want someone to check your application before it’s submitted to Companies House
- You want ongoing support beyond the day your company is formed — compliance reminders, help with changes, and someone to call when questions come up
Why Mint Formations
Mint has helped over 30,000 founders register their companies — from first-time sole directors to overseas entrepreneurs setting up their first UK entity.
We’re a family-run business, which means you get real people, not a processing system. Our customers know us by name. They call us with questions six months after registration and we’re still here. That’s not something you get from a government portal or a bank that’s using formation as a loss-leader to sign you up to a current account.
We do one thing. We do it properly. And we stay with you long after the certificate arrives.
The Bottom Line
Companies House registers your company. Mint looks after it.
If you’re ready to register your limited company the right way — with guidance, with your privacy protected, and with a team that stays with you for life — start your formation here for £4.99 + the £100 Companies House fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to register a limited company directly at Companies House?
On the surface, yes — Companies House charges £100 to register a limited company. But that’s the only thing the fee covers. You get no guidance, no application review, no privacy protection for your home address, and no support after registration. A formation agent like Mint starts from £4.99 plus the £100 Companies House fee, and includes guidance through the process, a pre-submission check, and lifetime support. When you factor in the cost of mistakes, missed deadlines, and navigating compliance alone, the agent route is nearly always better value.
What does a formation agent actually do?
A formation agent handles the entire company registration process on your behalf — from helping you choose the right company structure and SIC code, to submitting your application to Companies House and providing your registered office address. A good formation agent also stays with you after registration, offering ongoing support for compliance, bookkeeping, accounting, and tax filing. Mint provides all of this, with real agents available by phone, live chat, and WhatsApp.
Can I register a UK limited company if I live outside the UK?
Yes. There is no requirement to be a UK resident to register a limited company in the UK. However, the process involves additional considerations — residency questions, registered address requirements, and opening a UK business bank account from abroad. A formation agent with experience in international registrations makes this significantly easier. Mint has helped founders from every corner of the world register their UK company without the confusion.
What happens after I register my limited company?
Registration is just the beginning. Once your company is formed, you’ll need to register for Corporation Tax within three months, file a confirmation statement every year, and manage your annual accounts. Depending on your turnover, VAT registration may also apply. If you take on staff, PAYE comes into play too. A formation agent with lifetime support — like Mint — helps you navigate all of this, so nothing gets missed.
What is a registered office address and do I need one?
Every UK limited company must have a registered office address — a physical UK address where official correspondence from Companies House and HMRC is received. If you use your home address, it goes on the public register and anyone can find it. A formation agent provides a registered office address as part of their service, keeping your personal details private. Mint provides this across all packages.
Is Companies House the same as a formation agent?
No. Companies House is a government registry — it records and maintains information about UK companies. It processes your registration but provides no guidance, no support, and no ongoing relationship. A formation agent is a specialist business that manages the registration process for you, checks your application before submission, and supports you throughout the life of your company.
How long does it take to register a limited company in the UK?
With Companies House directly, online registration typically takes 24 hours. Through a formation agent like Mint, the process is the same speed — but with the added reassurance that your application has been checked by a real person before it’s submitted. Same speed. Fewer errors.
What is a SIC code and why does it matter?
A SIC code — Standard Industrial Classification code — describes the nature of your business activity. It’s used by HMRC, banks, and Companies House to classify your company. Choosing the wrong SIC code can cause issues with your bank account application, affect how HMRC treats your business, and create problems down the line. A formation agent helps you choose the right one before your application is submitted.
