A property-ownership search can involve several records, each answering a different question. If an overseas entity is connected to a trust, Companies House has a separate process for requesting information about that trust.
Its guidance, updated on 9 July 2026, explains that information may be released in certain circumstances, and that only partial records may be available. A request is not a guarantee that the applicant will receive a complete ownership history.
Two request routes
The guidance distinguishes an application concerning a single overseas entity from requests covering multiple entities or information relating to someone aged 17 or under. The latter route requires a demonstrated legitimate interest. The fee is £55 for each overseas entity.
Applicants need the entity’s name and identification number. Companies House may impose conditions restricting how disclosed information can be used or shared. Protected information and some personal details are excluded from disclosure.
Read records as evidence, not as a verdict
A trust relationship is not itself evidence of wrongdoing. Equally, a name on one register should not be treated as a complete answer to every question about who controls, benefits from or can sell a property. Keep those questions separate when reviewing documents.
For a buyer, the practical task is to establish which party is selling, whether the transaction documents identify the correct entity and what the conveyancer needs to check. Do not replace professional title and authority checks with an informal internet search.
Keep a clear research trail
Record the exact entity name, identification number, source and date of each document. Similar names can belong to different organisations. If two sources appear inconsistent, ask what each was designed to record before assuming that one proves concealment.
When requesting information, be precise about the question you need answered. Keep the application and any response together, including restrictions on disclosure. Avoid publishing personal information simply because it has been supplied to you: the conditions attached to the response matter.
What this means for property reporting
Ownership-transparency research can inform a useful discussion about public records and their limits. Large estimates of property held through trusts, however, require their own underlying dataset, definitions and valuation method. The existence of a request service does not validate a historic headline total.
Source: Companies House, Ask Companies House for information about a trust. Checked 8 November 2026.