An asset report maps what official registers, filed documents and public databases show about a corporate object. The angle is control: who holds it, on what terms, and what constraints are recorded against it. Every finding is traceable to a named source. Every gap is named before the report is commissioned.
The ceiling of what the sources allow is stated before payment. That is not a disclaimer — it is the first deliverable.
What the report establishesRecorded ownership, directorship, encumbrances and filed financials — drawn from official registers across the relevant jurisdictions. Sources verified September–October 2026. Jurisdictions coveredUp to 35 jurisdictions per engagement, depending on the corporate structure of the object. TurnaroundSignal tier: 5 business days. Standard tier: 10 business days. Extended tier: 15 business days. Timelines run from confirmed instruction. What the sources do not showBeneficial ownership layers shielded by nominee arrangements, trust structures or jurisdictions with no public UBO register. The chain is traced to the point where the source stops — and that point is named.What an asset report covers across 35 jurisdictions
A cross-border corporate object rarely sits in one register. A holding company in one jurisdiction owns an operating subsidiary in a second, which holds real property in a third. Each layer has its own registry, its own filing obligations and its own disclosure ceiling.
The report works through each layer in sequence. At each level, the analyst identifies the authoritative source, extracts what it shows, and records what it does not show. The result is a structured map: what is confirmed, what is absent from the record, and where the record ends.
The control angle runs through every layer. Registered ownership is noted. Directorship appointments are noted. Charges, pledges and encumbrances filed against the object are noted. Where filed financial statements are available, key structural indicators are extracted. Where they are not filed or not accessible to a foreign requester, that gap is recorded.
Sources used in a cross-border asset report
The report draws on official registers only. No unverified commercial databases are used as primary sources. Where a commercial aggregator is consulted for orientation, the underlying official source is always checked directly.
Typical source categories across 35 jurisdictions:
- Corporate registers — directorship, registered capital, shareholder of record, filing history
- Land and property registers — title, encumbrances, mortgages, easements
- Insolvency and enforcement registers — filed proceedings, administrator appointments, enforcement notices
- Court record systems — where public access is available without a national identifier
- VAT and tax identification registers — existence and status of the entity, not financial detail
- Filed financial statements — where mandatory filing applies and the document is accessible to a foreign requester
Each source is identified by name in the report. Each extracted fact carries the source name and the date of extraction. No fact appears without a traceable source.
The limit of what the sources allow
This section is not a qualification. It is a factual description of what official registers do not contain.
Beneficial ownership. Following the CJEU ruling of November 2022, EU member-state UBO registers are closed to general public access by default. Access requires a demonstrated legitimate interest, assessed by the national authority. The outcome of that assessment is not guaranteed. In jurisdictions outside the EU, disclosure requirements vary from full public access to no register at all. The report traces the ownership chain to the point where the source stops and names that point explicitly.
Nominee arrangements. A registered shareholder who is a nominee does not appear as such in the corporate register. The register shows the name on the record. Whether that person holds on behalf of another is not a fact the register contains. The report records what the register shows and notes where the record is consistent with a nominee arrangement — without asserting what the register does not state.
Trust structures. Where an asset is held through a trust, the trust itself may not appear in any public register. The trustee may appear as registered owner with no indication of the trust relationship. The report records the registered position and identifies the structural indicator.
Deleted and expired records. In several jurisdictions, insolvency and enforcement records are deleted after a statutory retention period. An absence from the register does not confirm that no proceeding occurred — only that no current record exists. The report states this distinction where it applies.
Structured data. Several major registers — including some that are publicly accessible without charge — deliver documents as scanned images or PDFs rather than structured data. Extraction from these sources is manual. The report notes the format of each source.
Foreign requester conditions. Some registers require a national identifier, a domestic electronic signature, or a declaration of legitimate interest filed in the national language. Where these conditions apply, the report describes the access path used and any limitation it imposed.
The ceiling of what the sources allow is stated in the report before any finding is presented. A buyer who commissions the report knows the ceiling before payment is made.
Where the sources disagree
When two sources covering the same object return inconsistent information, the inconsistency is a finding — not an error to be resolved before delivery.
Common patterns:
Register versus filed document. The corporate register may show a shareholder of record whose name does not appear in the most recently filed shareholder list. Both are official sources. The discrepancy is recorded and the dates of each source are noted.
Filed financials versus register capital. Registered share capital and paid-in capital as shown in filed accounts sometimes differ. The report records both figures, both sources and both dates.
Multiple jurisdictions, same entity. An entity registered in two jurisdictions — for example, through a branch or dual registration — may carry different directorship records in each. The report maps both records without resolving the discrepancy: resolution is a legal question, not a registry question.
Where sources disagree, the report presents both positions, both sources and both dates. No editorial preference is applied.
What is included at each tier
| Tier | Price | What is included | Not included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signal | €890 | Corporate register check in up to 3 jurisdictions; directorship and registered ownership; insolvency register check; source list with extraction dates | Property register; filed financials; court records; jurisdictions beyond 3 |
| Standard | €1,900 | Corporate register check in up to 10 jurisdictions; directorship and registered ownership; insolvency register check; property register check where publicly accessible; filed financial statements where available; source list with extraction dates | Court records; jurisdictions beyond 10; UBO register access requiring demonstrated legitimate interest assessment |
| Extended | €4,200 | Corporate register check across all identified jurisdictions up to 35; full ownership chain to the point where the source stops; property and encumbrance registers; insolvency and enforcement registers; filed financial statements; court record systems where public access is available; UBO register requests where access conditions are met; written statement of each source's ceiling; source list with extraction dates | Facts not contained in official registers; beneficial ownership layers shielded by nominee or trust structures; records deleted under statutory retention rules |
The price is fixed at the tier selected. No variable element is added after instruction is confirmed. If the scope of the object exceeds the tier selected, the analyst identifies this before proceeding and the instruction is confirmed or adjusted.
Turnaround
| Tier | Business days from confirmed instruction |
|---|---|
| Signal | 5 |
| Standard | 10 |
| Extended | 15 |
Turnaround is measured in business days from the point at which instruction is confirmed and the object is identified with sufficient precision to begin extraction. Where a register imposes its own processing time — for example, a formal access request assessed by a national authority — that period is noted in the report and does not count against the turnaround commitment.
FAQ
What does "confirmed instruction" mean for turnaround purposes? Instruction is confirmed when the object is identified with sufficient precision — typically: legal name of the entity, jurisdiction of incorporation, and any available registration number. Turnaround does not begin until that information is received.
Can the report cover an object whose structure is not yet known? Yes. The Signal tier is designed for initial orientation. It establishes the registered position in up to three jurisdictions and identifies whether the structure extends further. If it does, the findings inform a decision on whether to proceed to Standard or Extended.
What happens if a register requires a formal access request that is refused? The refusal is recorded as a finding. The report states the register, the access condition, the request made and the outcome. A refused access request is itself information about the object.
Does the report include legal advice on the findings? No. The report is a factual compilation from official sources. It records what the sources show, what they do not show, and where they disagree. Legal qualification of those facts is a separate engagement.
What if the object spans more than 35 jurisdictions? The Extended tier covers up to 35 jurisdictions. If the object spans more, the scope is discussed before instruction is confirmed. The price for scope beyond 35 jurisdictions is agreed separately and stated in writing before work begins.
Is the price the same regardless of how many registers are checked within the tier? Yes. The price is fixed at the tier level. The number of registers checked within the tier does not affect the price.
Sources: Official corporate, property, insolvency and court registers in the jurisdictions covered by the engagement — identified by name in each report with extraction dates. No single external URL applies: the source list is specific to each object and is delivered as part of the report.
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Disclaimer: This report is a factual compilation from official registers and public sources. It is provided for informational purposes only, does not constitute legal advice, and contains no legal qualification of the facts established. VLO Law Firm assumes no liability for actions taken or not taken based on this material. For advice regarding your particular situation, please contact info@vlolawfirm.com.
Author: James Whitfield — Partner, UK & Common Law, VLO Law Firm
