What is the company charges register?

The charges register is a public record at Companies House showing all security interests (charges) registered against a company. When a company borrows money and grants security over its assets (property, equipment, book debts, or all assets via a debenture), the lender registers the charge. This gives the lender priority over unsecured creditors if the company enters insolvency.

What is the difference between a fixed charge and a floating charge?

A fixed charge attaches to a specific identified asset (e.g. a particular property, a specific piece of machinery). The company cannot sell or dispose of it without the lender permission. A floating charge covers a class of assets that changes over time (e.g. stock, book debts, all assets). The company can deal with them in the ordinary course of business until the charge "crystallises" (typically on insolvency).

What does a debenture mean for unsecured creditors?

A debenture typically creates a fixed charge over specific assets AND a floating charge over all other assets. This means the debenture holder (usually the bank) has priority over virtually everything the company owns. Unsecured creditors only receive what is left after the secured lender is paid in full. If the debenture covers all assets, unsecured creditors often receive nothing.

How do I check charges against a UK company?

Search the company at Companies House and view the "Charges" tab. This shows: charge description, persons entitled (the lender), date created, and whether it is satisfied (discharged). However, this only shows the existence of charges, not the current outstanding balance. RecoupIQ analyses charges as part of its risk assessment, showing you the practical impact on your position.

What does "satisfied" mean on a charge?

A satisfied charge means the debt has been repaid and the security released. The charge remains on the register (it is never deleted) but is marked as satisfied. An outstanding (unsatisfied) charge means the security is still in place. However, companies sometimes fail to file satisfaction, so an "outstanding" charge may already have been repaid.

Why do charges matter if I am an unsecured creditor?

If a company has a debenture covering all assets, and it enters insolvency, the secured lender gets paid first from all asset realisations. As an unsecured creditor, you only receive from the "prescribed part" (a small ring-fenced amount) and anything left over. Checking charges tells you: is there any capacity to pay unsecured creditors, or is everything already pledged to the bank?

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Secured Lending

Company Charges Register: Who Gets Paid First?

Before you extend credit or pursue a debt, check what security other lenders already hold over the company's assets. If everything is pledged to the bank, unsecured creditors get nothing in insolvency.

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Check a company's charges

Enter a company name or number. See registered charges, security interests, and what capacity remains for unsecured creditors.

What the charges register shows

Every time a UK company grants security over its assets to a lender, the charge must be registered at Companies House within 21 days. The register shows: who holds the charge (the lender), what assets are secured, whether it is a fixed or floating charge, and whether it has been satisfied (repaid).

Fixed charge vs floating charge

Fixed charge

Attaches to a specific asset (property, specific equipment). Company cannot sell or deal with the asset without lender consent. Lender has absolute priority over that asset in insolvency. Most common on property.

Floating charge

Covers a class of assets that changes (stock, debtors, all assets). Company can deal with them normally until "crystallisation" (usually insolvency). Floating charge holders rank behind fixed charge holders and preferential creditors.

What a debenture means for you

All-asset debenture = unsecured creditors get almost nothing

Most bank lending to SMEs is secured by a debenture covering all present and future assets (fixed charge on property + floating charge on everything else). If this company enters insolvency, the bank gets paid first from everything. The "prescribed part" (capped at £800,000) is ring-fenced for unsecured creditors, but it is often small relative to total debts.

Priority order in insolvency

Fixed charge holders (paid from the specific secured asset)
Costs of insolvency (IP fees, legal costs of the liquidation)
Preferential creditors (employee wages up to £800, holiday pay, pension contributions)
Prescribed part (ring-fenced from floating charge assets for unsecured creditors, max £800K)
Floating charge holders (paid from remaining floating charge assets)
Unsecured creditors (paid from anything left, typically 0 to 10p in the £1)
Shareholders (last, almost never receive anything)

What charges tell you as a creditor

Supplier extending credit

Customer has an all-asset debenture with HSBC. If they fail, you get nothing. Consider: demanding personal guarantee, retaining title to goods, or requiring payment upfront.

Finance lead reviewing exposure

A company has a debenture and two fixed charges on property. The charge stack changes the context for a material commitment, so verify the source record and obtain qualified advice where needed.

Landlord checking tenant

Prospective tenant has three charges registered, all outstanding. Heavy borrowing suggests either growth (positive) or over-leverage (risky). Check net assets relative to total charges to judge which.

Investor doing due diligence

Target company shows clean balance sheet but has a debenture in favour of the director personally. On insolvency, the director (as secured creditor) gets paid before unsecured creditors. Classic asset-protection arrangement.

An accountant and a small-business client at a desk, one taking notes — Amy Hirschi / Unsplash

Charges are one piece. See the full picture.

RecoupIQ places registered charges alongside the company identity, officers, PSC records, filing chronology and public notices available for that company. Quick Check (£29) helps prioritise what the charge record means for your exposure and what to verify next.

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Monitor for new charges

A company taking on new secured debt reduces the capacity available to unsecured creditors. RecoupIQ monitoring (from £19.99/mo) alerts you within 24 hours when a new charge is registered against any company in your portfolio. Available via the web dashboard or the Microsoft 365 Trust Check app (per-seat for teams). RecoupIQ is a Microsoft partner.

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Last reviewed: July 2026. General information for UK businesses. Not legal or financial advice. RecoupIQ Ltd, Company No. 16947526, ICO ZC077511. Microsoft Partner.