Our methodology
CompanyCheckr combines official UK registry data, filing behaviour, director history and adverse media into a single, explainable view. Here's exactly how we do it — and where the limits lie.
1. Official registry signals
Every report starts with live data from the UK's official company registry: incorporation date, company status, registered office, filing history, officers (directors and secretaries), Persons with Significant Control and outstanding charges. This is the authoritative record and we never guess or infer where the registry is definitive.
2. Filing behaviour
How a company files tells you a lot. We flag overdue accounts and confirmation statements, unusual filing gaps, frequent registered-office changes, and sudden bursts of activity that don't match the trading pattern. Individually each signal is weak; together they meaningfully change the risk picture.
3. Director & network history
For each officer we look at appointment history, resignations, common co-directors, and any disqualifications on the public register. This is where we surface phoenix patterns — the same directors repeatedly closing insolvent companies and re-opening similar ones — and networks of interconnected shells.
4. Watchlists & adverse media
We screen names against global sanctions and PEP watchlists, and sweep recent news for insolvency, fraud, disputes and enforcement actions. Every finding shown to you is cited with the source URL and publish date, so you can verify before acting.
How the risk score is built
The overall risk score (0–100) is a weighted composite of the four pillars above. Higher scores mean more risk signals were found. We deliberately keep the score bounded and explainable — every point contributing to a score is shown as a discrete red flag with the underlying evidence, so you can audit exactly why a company scored the way it did.
- • 0–19 Low: no significant signals; standard onboarding is usually appropriate.
- • 20–49 Medium: one or more signals worth understanding before you commit.
- • 50–79 High: multiple concerning signals; enhanced due diligence recommended.
- • 80–100 Severe: serious findings such as sanctions matches, insolvency or disqualifications.
Go deeper
Each pillar has its own detailed write-up:
- • How the 0–100 risk score is calculated — the signals, weights and grade bands.
- • How phoenix-director detection works — short-life failure patterns and name re-use rules.
- • How AI summaries and reputation scores are generated — grounding, citations and limitations.
- • Where our data comes from — registry, watchlists, adverse media.
What we don't do
- • We do not issue credit scores or credit limits. For financial credit decisions, use a licensed credit reference agency alongside our findings.
- • We do not make automated decisions about people or businesses. The risk score is a decision-support tool; a human should always make the final call.
- • We do not scrape or store personal data outside what the UK company registry and public watchlists already publish.
For the full legal position, see our terms and privacy policy.
Go beyond the basics
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