Can someone help me please with corporate signatures?

[MarionCole]

Just preparing template engagement letters - this is a limited company accountancy practice.

So the company is called (say) MarionCole Accountancy Limited.

I really can't be arsed with signing MarionCole Accountancy Limited at the bottom of every letter. Do I have to? Or can I just sign MarionCole with the full company name printed underneath? It does say on my letterhead "MarionCole is a trading name of MarionCole Accountancy Limited" if that helps.

Thanks.

(This sounds such a minor point but I'm going round in circles)

Can you say somewhere in the preamble = MarionColeAccountancy Ltd - represented by Marion Cole, and your title. This is what I have on all of my commercial contracts.

an engagement letter is a simple contract. Therefore you can have one director signature. I assume you are a director so something like

x
For and on behalf of
MarianCole limited

Would normally do.

For more complex contracts or to be on the safe side normally you need: a director whose signature is witnessed, two directors or one director and the company secretary.

It does say "Director - Marion Cole" on the bottom of my letterhead. I don't know whether it's a legal requirement or just standard practice, but all accountancy engagement letters are signed in the name of the firm. For example, a KPMG engagement letter will be signed KPMG in one of the partner's handwriting.

And yes, life is too short for worrying about things like this

Thanks bb, I will look at that.

For and on behalf of Marion Cole Accountancy Limited

[Your own signature]

Director

Why do practices sign in their corporate name MrA? Do you know? Is it just because that's what they have always done, back to the days of partnerships?

Exactly that MarionCole. Note that in order to do this, your Articles of Association should provide for it and as I understand it anyone entering into an agreement where the other party executes in this way would be advised to check the Articles to make sure they do, whereas an agreement that is signed by a Director on behalf of the company is binding on the company by statute.

That's great, thanks. I like to understand why these things are done.