Company Health Check Essex
As businesses grow and change, legal documents and structures can fall out of step with how the company actually operates. A company health check provides a structured review of your corporate arrangements, helping identify risk, gaps, and areas that may need attention before they become a problem.
Is your company legally aligned with how it operates today?
Auditing the legal aspects: regulatory, employment, due diligence and other important reviews to prepare your company for sale or to make sure all legal aspects are up to date.
You want reassurance that company records and governance are in order. We review statutory books and constitutional documents to reduce compliance risk, avoid ownership disputes, and ensure the business is properly prepared for future scrutiny or sale.
You need to know employment contracts and practices reflect current law. We review key documents to reduce the risk of claims, regulatory issues, or reputational damage, ensuring arrangements remain clear, compliant, and fit for how the business operates today.
You want confidence that commercial agreements reflect reality. We review key contracts to ensure payment terms, liability, termination rights, and dispute provisions are clear, helping reduce risk and prevent avoidable disputes.
You are considering a future sale or investment. We help prepare for due diligence by identifying issues early and organising documentation, making the transaction process smoother and reducing the risk of delays or renegotiation.
Speak to our team
Step 1 – Regulatory Matters
We start by reviewing your company’s constitutional documentation to make sure everything is correct, compliant, and up to date. This includes checking your statutory books, which are the official records every company must keep by law
Keeping these records up to date is important because:
- The Companies Act 2006 requires all companies to maintain certain registers. Failure to do so can result in fines.
- Shareholders have the right to inspect these records for free, and the public can also access some of them for a fee. Not providing access is a legal offence.
- The shareholder register confirms who legally owns the shares. Errors or missing information can cause serious problems and may even require court involvement to fix.
- If you sell your company, the buyer’s solicitors will ask to see these records and expect them to be accurate and well maintained.
We also review your articles to ensure they are suitable for your business. Recent legal cases have raised concerns about whether standard model articles work properly for companies with a sole director, so this is an important area to check.
Step 2 – Employment
The second stage of our process is a full review of your employment arrangements. Employment law and regulations change frequently, and it can be challenging for businesses to keep up and remain compliant.
Employment law governs the relationship between employers and employees. It sets out what employers can expect from their staff, what they can ask employees to do, and the rights employees have at work. UK employment law comes from three main sources:
Common law
The employment contract forms the legal foundation of the employer–employee relationship. It is essential that contracts are up to date, reflect current working arrangements, and comply with the latest legal decisions. Outdated or unclear contracts can create risk for the business.
European Law
European legislation continues to play an important role in UK employment law, despite Brexit. These rules cover areas such as equal pay, discrimination, and employees’ rights when a business is transferred. Employers must still ensure their employment practices comply with these requirements.
UK Law
UK legislation includes laws such as the Health and Safety at Work Act, the Disability Discrimination Act, the National Minimum Wage Act, and the Employment Relations Act. These laws are regularly amended, making it difficult for businesses to stay fully compliant without regular review.
Failure to comply with employment law can lead not only to employee claims but also to enforcement action and prosecution. Breaches can be costly, damaging to a company’s reputation, and often attract public attention and significant fines.
Step 3 – Contracts
We then review your key commercial contracts with customers and suppliers.
Good contracts should clearly reflect what both sides have agreed and protect your business from unnecessary risk. Poorly drafted or outdated contracts can lead to disputes and financial loss.
We make sure your contracts:
- Accurately reflect your business arrangements
- Clearly set out payment terms and responsibilities
- Include limits on liability
- Explain how the contract can be ended
- Set out what happens if something goes wrong
Having clear, well-written contracts helps prevent disputes and protects your business if issues arise.
Step 4 – Due Diligence
This step is ideal if you are planning to sell your business in the near future.
We help you prepare for buyer due diligence by creating a set of questions similar to those a buyer would ask during a sale. We then work with you to prepare answers and gather the relevant documents.
This approach:
- Saves time and stress during the sale process
- Helps the transaction run more smoothly
- Highlights any issues early so they can be resolved in advance
- Reduces the risk of last-minute negotiations or price reductions
Why choose Mullis & Peake
A company health check should provide reassurance and clarity, not unnecessary alarm. Our approach is measured, commercial, and proportionate.
We explain what we find in plain English, focusing on practical implications rather than technical detail for its own sake.
We advise businesses across sectors and understand the realities of running a company alongside legal obligations.
Not every issue requires immediate action. We help you prioritise what matters now and what can sensibly wait.
Based in Essex, we offer responsive advice with a strong understanding of local owner-managed and growing businesses.
Frequently asked questions
A company health check is a structured legal review of your company’s documents, governance, and compliance, designed to identify risks and areas for improvement.
No. Owner-managed businesses and growing companies often benefit the most, particularly where documents have not been reviewed for some time.
No. The process is designed to be efficient and minimally disruptive, focusing on document review and targeted discussions.
Not at all. Many checks simply confirm that arrangements are broadly sound, while highlighting small improvements that could reduce risk.
We provide a clear summary of findings and recommendations. Any further work is entirely optional and discussed in advance.
Get in touch with our Company Health Check team
If you would like a clear, proportionate review of your company’s legal position, our team is here to help.
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