Essential Documents for Business

Chapter 1 - Employment

Anti-bribery policy

Computer policy

Corporate hospitality policy

Dignity at work policy

Disciplinary procedure

Dismissal with notice letter (misconduct)

Email and internet policy

Equal opportunities policy

Flexible working policy

GDPR data protection policy

GDPR privacy notice for staff

Gifts from clients/suppliers policy

Grievance procedure

Health and safety policy

Restrictive covenant clauses

Telephone policy

Training costs agreement

Written statement of employment particulars

Chapter 2 - Business documents

Affidavit

Agency agreement

Assignment of intellectual property (IP)

Break clause notice

Business plan

Business-to-business terms and conditions of sale

Commercial agents agreement

Conditions of settlement of invoice

Confidentiality agreement

Copyright assignment

Copyright licence agreement

Credit account application form

Defective goods notice

Distribution agreement

Employee and customer contact list

Example of an opt-in for direct marketing

Example website wording for processing data relying on legitimate business interests

GDPR - privacy notice

Guarantee

Heads of terms

Invoice

Loan agreement

Notice that goods are ready

Online terms and conditions - sale of services to a consumer

Online terms and conditions - business to consumer - sale of goods contract

Promissory note

Purchase order

Sale of goods agreement

Subcontracting agreement

Terms and conditions for supply of services to business customers

Terms and conditions of sale to a consumer

Chapter 3 - Business letters

Acknowledgement of alteration of terms to an order

Cancellation due to delay

Cease and desist letter

Compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation - letter to suppliers

Customer satisfaction note

Damaged goods acceptance letter

Demand for better service

Demand for delivery of goods

Demand to guarantor

Invoice reminder letter

Letter assigning a contract

Letter confirming insurance cover

Letter confirming verbal order

Letter disputing an invoice

Letter ending a contract

Letter of confidentiality (mutual)

Letter of intent

Letter of offer to settle by arbitration

Letter proposing payment by instalment

Letter to liquidator

Letter to solicitors

No contract

Passing off letter

Refusal of business terms letter

Request to bank to stop a cheque

Trade reference request

Unsolicited goods

Chapter 4 - Business terms

Agreement to use of electronic communications

Company reorganisations summary

Company sale comparison

Competition law summary

Intellectual property rights summary

Joint ventures summary

Modern slavery and human trafficking statement

Notice to terminate or suspend contract

Chapter 5 - Company formation and management

Change of company name checklist

Checklist for altering the company’s articles of association

Checklist for re-registering as a public company

Companies House filing

Companies House forms

Company accounts key facts

Company secretary checklist

Confirmation statement checklist

Corporate insolvency procedures summary

Correcting information on the register at Companies House

Data protection obligations summary

Deceased or bankrupt shareholder summary

Deemed service times for company communications summary

Directors’ personal guarantees

Dormant companies summary

Inspecting the register of shareholders checklist

Inspection and copying of company records

Invitation to shareholders to consent to e-communication

Making an application to court under the Companies Act 2006

Memorandum and articles of association - private companies

Memorandum of contract between company and sole shareholder

Model signature clauses

Non-statutory registers

Notice to shareholders that information is available on the company’s website

Obtaining shareholder consent to e-communication flow chart

Personal information filed at Companies House

PSC checklist

Raising additional finance summary

Register of directors and register of directors’ residential addresses

Register of PSCs

Register of secretaries

Register of shareholders

Registration of charges at Companies House

Shareholders’ rights summary

Sole shareholder checklist

Statutory model articles for private companies limited by guarantee

Statutory model articles for public companies

Strike off and dissolution summary

Trading disclosures checklist and model letterhead

Types of security summary

Using pre-signed signature clauses

Wording for articles to enable the company to use e-communication

Wording for resolution authorising the company to use e-communication

Written board resolution

Written record of decision by sole shareholder

Written resolution on shareholder requisition

Written resolution procedure

Written resolution to alter company’s articles of association

Written resolution to change company’s name

Written resolution

Chapter 6 - Company directors

Appointing an alternate director

Appointment of non-executive director

Board decisions checklist

Company director’s loan agreement

Consequences of breach of duty

Delegation of directorial powers

Directors’ conflict of interest flow chart

Directors’ duties summary

Director’s service agreement

Disqualification summary

Loans to directors checklist

Memorandum of terms of loan to director

Minute - appointment of director(s)

Notice to a director of a shareholder proposal to remove them from office

Notice to board of director’s interests

Ordinary resolution to remove a director from office

Resignation of a director relinquishing all claims

Shadow director checklist

Shareholder written resolution to ratify director’s breach of duty

Sole director checklist

Special notice for the removal of a director

Substantial property transaction checklist

Types of authority to act on behalf of a company

Written resolution to approve loan to a director

Written resolution to approve substantial property transaction

Chapter 7 - Company meetings

Agreement to short notice of a general meeting

Board meeting minutes

Board resolution to establish committee

Directors’ meeting to raise finance: draft minutes

Minute recording a director’s disclosure of interest

Minutes of a general meeting

Minutes of an AGM

Minutes of board meeting held remotely

Notice of AGM for private limited company

Notice of class meeting

Notice of general meeting to alter the articles of association of the company

Notice of general meeting to change company name

Notice of general meeting

Notice to directors of ordinary board meeting

Online meetings checklist

Proxy appointment form

Resolution of general meeting to approve a loan to a director

Revocation of proxy appointment

Shareholder meeting timetable

Shareholder resolution at a meeting

Shareholder resolutions summary

Chapter 8 - Partnerships

Admission of new partner to existing partnership

Dissolution of partnership

Limited liability partnership agreement

Notice of intention to end partnership at will

Notice to end partnership under the provisions of the partnership agreement

Partnership agreement

Chapter 9 - Company shares

Alterations to share capital summary

Minute of board resolution to allot shares

Company dividend checklist

Company dividend voucher

Distribution flow chart

Glossary - shares

Master share wording

Minute of board resolution to pay interim dividend

Minute of board resolution to recommend final dividend

Preference shares wording

Preparing to issue shares checklist

Redemption or purchase of a company’s own shares summary

Reduction of share capital summary

Requisition by a shareholder for a general meeting

Share certificate

Share transfer checklist

Shareholders’ agreement

Special resolution of a class of shareholders to vary their class rights

Stock transfer form

Variation of class rights checklist

Written ordinary resolution to approve final dividend

Written resolution to authorise directors to allot shares

Written resolution to disapply pre-emption rights

Chapter 10 - Debt recovery

Acceptance of proposal to settle debt

Assignment of contract debt

Compromise agreement

Instalment agreement

Letter before action for unpaid invoice

Letter before claim (under the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims)

Letter to court enclosing Form N1

Letter to court to request judgment - not a fixed amount

Letter to request court to enter judgment in default - fixed amount

Particulars of claim for a debt

Pre-enforcement agents letter

Request for payment of judgment post-admission

Second debt recovery letter

Chapter 11 - Landlord and tenant

Agreement to exclude security of tenure - at least 14 days’ notice

Agreement to exclude security of tenure - less than 14 days’ notice

Assignment of business lease

Deed of surrender

Form 1 - New Section 25 Notice: landlord not opposing renewal

Form 2 - New Section 25 Notice: landlord opposing renewal

Form 3 - New Section 26 request

Landlord’s notice to exclude security of tenure

Licence to assign

Licence to make alterations

Licence to occupy

Licence to sublet

Notice of breach of covenant

Office share agreement

Rent deposit deed

Service occupancy

Sublease

Tenancy at will

The business lease (whole of building)