Got hit with a £150 late filing penalty from Companies House? Don't panic - you can appeal it, and many appeals succeed. Here's exactly how to challenge the penalty, what excuses work, and how to prevent future penalties.

What exactly is the late filing penalty?

Companies House charges £150 for filing your annual accounts late - even by one day. It's automatic and harsh, but the good news is that legitimate appeals often succeed if you have valid grounds and file correctly.

Quick Action Required

You have just 3 months from the penalty date to appeal. Miss this deadline and you're stuck with the £150 charge.

Valid grounds for appeal

Companies House accepts appeals based on these grounds^[1]:

Acceptable reasons include:

Serious illness of the person responsible for filing
Death of director/accountant during the filing period
Postal strikes or serious transport disruption
Fire, flood, or other natural disasters affecting your business
IT system failures (yours or your accountant's)
Companies House systems were down when you tried to file

What WON'T work as an excuse

Don't waste your time with these common excuses that Companies House routinely rejects:

Didn't receive the reminder emails (they're not legally required)
Your accountant let you down
You forgot or were too busy
Financial difficulties
Waiting for information from third parties
First-time mistake

How to appeal step-by-step

✓Download form AP01 from Companies House website (don't try email or phone appeals)

✓Complete form with exact company name and number, state grounds clearly with specific dates

✓Attach supporting evidence (medical certificates, proof of IT failures, etc.)

✓Submit within 3 months to: Companies House, Crown Way, Cardiff, CF14 3UZ or enquiries@companieshouse.gov.uk

What happens next?

Companies House typically responds within 4-6 weeks. They'll either:

Accept your appeal - The penalty is cancelled
Reject your appeal - You must pay the £150
Request more information - Respond quickly to avoid rejection

Preventing future penalties

The best strategy is never needing to appeal in the first place:

Prevention strategies:

✓Set up automatic calendar reminders 2 months before your filing deadline

✓Use CH Watch to monitor your company status and get alerts

✓File accounts early - don't wait until the last minute

✓Have backup contact details registered with Companies House

✓Keep your accountant's contact details updated

Pro Tip

Even if your appeal is rejected, it's often worth trying. Many companies successfully appeal penalties that initially seem hopeless - especially for IT failures or medical emergencies.

References

[1]
Companies House Guidance - Late Filing Penalties and Appeals Available at:www.gov.uk/government/publications/late-filing-penalties/late-filing-penalties

How to appeal a Companies House late filing penalty