United Kingdom
Companies House — Register of Charges
The UK requires companies to register charges (security interests) with Companies House. The system focuses on company charges rather than a general personal property register.
The United Kingdom does not have a direct equivalent of the Australian PPSR. Instead, it operates a system of registering charges with Companies House under the Companies Act 2006.
When a company creates a charge — a form of security interest over its assets — it must be registered with Companies House within 21 days. This applies to charges over a wide range of property including land, intellectual property, book debts, floating charges over all assets, and more.
Key aspects of the UK system:
- Charges register — Companies House maintains a public register of charges for each company
- Fixed charges — security over specific identified assets
- Floating charges — security over a class of assets that changes over time (e.g., inventory, receivables)
- 21-day registration window — charges must be registered within 21 days of creation or they may be void against a liquidator or other creditors
The Law Commission has previously recommended reforms to create a more comprehensive notice-filing system similar to Australia's PPSR, but these have not yet been implemented.
For individuals and unincorporated businesses, the Bills of Sale Acts 1878 and 1882 govern security over personal chattels, though this area is widely regarded as outdated.