How to get information about your mutual society, including original registration documents, copies of your rules, and other registered documents.
You can get information from us about the following mutual societies:
- building societies
- friendly societies
- credit unions
- co-operative societies
- community benefit societies
The information we hold and can provide includes:
- registration certificates
- registered office addresses
- annual returns and accounts
- rules
- name changes
- transfers of assets and liabilities (engagements)
- merger details
- de-registrations
- charges (eg mortgages)
We have digitised most paper files still held by us. Other paperwork may have been transferred to the National Archive[2]. Visit the Glossary on the Mutuals Public Register[3] for more information.
How to get information and costs
You can get information by:
- Searching the Mutuals Public Register[1] to see if the document is available online and downloading it for free.
- Filling in the order form to request a free electronic copy[4] of the document if it’s not available online.
- Booking an appointment if you want to see a paper copy of the document at our office[5]. This may be possible on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays between 9.30am and 12.30pm or 1.30pm and 4.30pm. This service costs £75 per hour or part thereof.
- Contacting the society if you can’t find the document.
How to pay
You can pay:
- on the phone - we will phone you to take payment once you’ve ordered
- by cheque - make it out to ‘Financial Conduct Authority’ and send to Financial Conduct Authority, 12 Endeavour Square, London, E20 1JN
If a society isn’t on the Mutuals Public Register
If a society isn’t on the Mutuals Public Register[4]:
- it may not be registered
- it may be registered as a private company – you can get information about a company from Companies House[5]
- its file may be stored by the National Archives[6]
Financial Services Register
We authorise some mutual societies to offer financial services. These firms appear on the Mutuals Public Register[7] and the Financial Services Register[5]. They include:
- building societies
- credit unions
- many friendly societies
- some registered societies
Search the Financial Services Register[11].
Contact us
If you have any questions, contact:
- email: [email protected]
- post: Mutual Societies, Financial Conduct Authority, 12 Endeavour Square, London, E20 1JN
