Is a director appointment or a resignation the better reason to call a UK company?

For most UK sellers an appointment is the better reason to call. A new director has been in post for a short time, is often looking at suppliers and processes, and can be named in the first sentence. A resignation is useful too, but it tells you who has left rather than who to speak to, so it needs one more step of research.

What gets filed and when

Companies House holds a record each time a director joins, leaves or changes their details. Secondary guides to the process describe the forms as AP01 for an appointment, TM01 for the end of one and CH01 for a change to a director's details, each due within 14 days of the change. The Institute of Directors sets out the 14-day rule for directors and company secretaries.

That timing is why the signal is fresh. A change filed this week usually happened in the last two weeks, though a late filing can lag.

Why an appointment is usually stronger

Three reasons. First, there is a name, and a named person is easier to call than a company. Second, a recent arrival has a reason to review how things are done. Third, you can tie your offer to the role: a new finance director and a new operations director need different conversations.

This is a judgement drawn from how sellers use the record, not a measured conversion rate, and Lockley does not publish one.

When a resignation is the better opening

A departure can matter if you sold to, or know, the person who left, or if a small company loses a co-director and now relies on one. It can also come before an appointment: the vacancy exists, and someone will fill it. Read the officers list on Companies House to see whether a replacement has already been filed.

Be careful with tone. A call that opens with 'I see your finance director has left' can land badly. It is better to ask who now looks after the area.

Many changes are administrative

Most of the 34,286 filings in a week are not a company in transition. Routine changes, such as an address update or a long-serving director stepping down in a planned handover, make up much of the volume. Combine the change with a second record, such as a new charge or a first hire, before you decide it is worth a call.

A short method

Open the officers list. Note the date and the role. Check whether it is a single change or one of several. Look at the company website for the person's name and job title. Then open with the fact, in one sentence, and ask a question about the area they now own.

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