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A summary of what we do

Companies Investigation Branch (CIB) investigates corporate abuse - companies behaving badly. We have compulsory powers under the Companies Act and investigate a wide range of cases, including fraudulent trading, sharp practice and scams.

Companies Investigation Branch (CIB) is the only organisation in Great Britain which has the power to ask a court to wind up a company in the public interest, without having to show that it is insolvent or that its activities are contrary to 
criminal law.

Most of the information we act upon comes to us from complaints. These come from the public, police officers, 
regulators, trading standards officers, and other professionals in the law-enforcement or consumer-protection field.

If we are satisfied that there is sufficient 'good reason' to conduct an investigation and it is in the public interest, we will do so.

We may decide not to investigate. If we do not investigate your complaint ourselves, we may pass it to someone - usually another regulator - who may be better able to look into it. 

Our investigations are fact-finding. They are not criminal investigations as such, but they may look at conduct that could amount to criminal behaviour. If we do find things that concern us, we can take action.

We do not have to restrict our enquiries solely to the original complaint.

What we do not do

• Investigate sole traders or partnerships, unless they have limited liability.
• Investigate companies that have been dissolved.
• Help to recover money people are owed by a company.
• Resolve any disputes between individuals and the company.
• Intervene in internal disputes between a company, its management and its shareholders.

What can happen if we investigate?

If it is in the public interest, we can ask the court to wind the company up and stop it trading. If the behaviour of the directors is questionable enough, we may ask the court to disqualify them. This will make it an offence for them to take part in managing a company.

The investigation may show that the causes for concern are unfounded.

We may give companies and their directors a warning and ask them to improve their conduct.

We can disclose the information we get to a prosecuting authority and to other regulators so that they can investigate further or take their own action.

You can get information from our website: http://www.insolvency.gov.uk/cib 

or you can write to us at:

Companies Investigation Branch
Ground Floor
21 Bloomsbury Street
London
WC1B 3QW

You can get more copies of this booklet from this website:

http://www.berr.gov.uk/publications

If you have difficulty using the site, please contact the DTI Publications Unit by telephone on 020 7215 6024 or by 
e-mail to pubs.unit@berr.gsi.gov.uk.

You may also order copies of our publications by calling the Publications Orderline on 0870 150 2500 (calls to the number are charged at national rate). You may also fax orders to the orderline on 0870 150 2333. Minicom users should telephone 0870 150 1200.