What is the registered office of an SCI?
An SCI is a real estate investment company that allows you to manage and pass on your real estate assets. Its primary purpose isto enable multiple owners to jointly acquire real estate and manage it collectively through the company.
Like all businesses, an SCI must have a registered office in order to be registered. Therefore, establishing a registered office for the SCI is a legal requirement. This provides your company with an administrative and legal address, which determines:
- nationality and applicable regulations ;
- the competent court in the event of a dispute ;
- the location where all of the company's administrative mail is received.
Good to know: The address of the company’s registered office must be included in the SCI’s articles of incorporation and on all of the company’s official documents.
What are the registered office options for an SCI?
There are several options for establishing the registered office of an SCI:
- registration at the residence of the SCI manager;
- registration at a commercial address;
- registering a business address with a registered address provider.
Registered address at the SCI manager's address
The registered office of an SCI may be located at the manager’s personal residence. Indeed, the law provides that any legal entity is authorized to establish its registered office at the residence of its legal representative for the purpose of conducting its business, unless otherwise provided by law or contract (Art. L. 123-11-1 of the Commercial Code).
The registration of an SCI’s registered office at the legal representative’s residence is limited to five years if the business activities are of a commercial nature. After this period, the registered office must be relocated.
Good to know: The address you choose can be solely for administrative purposes or can also serve as a workplace.
Before choosing to have mail forwarded to your home address, you must verify that you meet the following requirements:
- you own or rent the property;
- the property is your principal residence;
- Your residential lease or condominium bylawsdo not prohibit a company from registering its address there.
Next, you must inform your landlord (if you are a tenant) or your property management company that your personal residence will be used as the registered address for your real estate investment company (SCI).
You must then include your SCI's address on all your documents, such as the lease, electricity and phone bills, etc.
Domiciliation in commercial premises
The second option is to use commercial premises as the registered address for your real estate investment company (SCI). These premises can be either purchased or leased under a commercial lease. This option allows you to keep your personal address separate from your business address.
Please note, however, that the term of a commercial lease cannot be less than 9 years. Once this period has expired, you must either renew your commercial lease or relocate your company’s headquarters.
Registering an SCI at a commercial address is generally more expensive than registering it at your home address and involves more complex administrative procedures.
Domiciliation with a domiciliation company
Registered office providers are specialized companies that offer registered office addresses to other businesses, including real estate investment companies (SCIs). They not only provide you with a prestigious address but also give you access to additional services (mail handling, telephone answering services, meeting room rentals, etc.).
This registered office solution allows you to establish your real estate investment company’s (SCI) registered office in a location that is perfectly suited to your business, while enjoying a competitive rate.
Using a registered address service like SeDomicilier is the perfect solution: simply choose a prestigious address from those offered on the platform and sign your registered address contract directly online—it’s that easy!
Choosing the registered office for your real estate investment company (SCI) is a step that should not be overlooked. Indeed, the address you choose affects not onlyyour company’s image but also its day-to-day operations. It is therefore essential to select a location that reflects your company’s image and values.
Here are the key factors to consider when making the best choice:
- the nature of your business ;
- the accessibility of the location;
- proximity to your customers or suppliers;
- the services offered (mail forwarding, office and meeting room rentals, telephone switchboard services, etc.);
- lease term ;
- the cost of the registered address.
The choice of your real estate investment company’s (SCI) headquarters should therefore be carefully considered, taking into account both practical factors (accessibility, costs) and strategic factors (image, proximity to clients). This decision will influence not only the day-to-day management of your SCI, but also how it is perceived by your clients and partners.
What are the benefits of a business address for an SCI?
Registering a business address with a specialized company offers several advantages for an SCI, particularly in terms of privacy protection and the impact on the company's image.
Privacy Policy
Using a business address helps protect the privacy of the SCI manager by ensuring that their personal address does not appear on the company’s official documents.
This solution ensures that the private address remains confidential and is not made public, thereby protecting the manager from the risks associated with disclosing their home address, such as unwanted intrusions or inappropriate contact.
Impact on the company's image and credibility
A business address is more than just a place to receive mail... It also serves as a showcase for the company. Choosing a prestigious address can therefore be very important, especially if you're about to launch your business.
A business address allows you to choose a prestigious location for your real estate investment company (SCI), which enhances its professional image and credibility with clients and banks. Indeed, such an address reassures banks and investors when applying for financing.
Even though many real estate investment companies are family-owned, maintaining a strong brand image remains a valuable asset for attracting new investors and partners.
Finally, virtual office providers offer services tailored to your business needs at a lower cost. With their help, you can eliminate all time-consuming, low-value-added tasks so you can focus on what matters most: effectively managing your real estate portfolio.
What are the steps involved in establishing the registered office of an SCI?
To establish the registered office of an SCI, you must follow these steps:
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Choose a business address solution based on the specific needs of your business;
- specify the reason for the change of address ( formation of an SCI or transfer of the registered office);
-
include the address of the principal office in the articles of incorporation of the SCI;
-
publish a legal notice in a publication authorized to carry legal notices;
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Register your real estate investment company (SCI).
Good to know: If your address changes, your SCI’s articles of incorporation must be updated to reflect the new registered address.
Once your company has been registered at a business address, you must obtain a certificate of registration. This document is required and serves to prove that you have a valid address for your SCI’s registered office. It must be kept in a safe place, as it may be required for the registration of your SCI or for other administrative procedures.
Depending on the registered office solution you choose, you must provide the following documents:
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at the manager's personal residence: the residential lease or a utility bill (water, electricity, gas) in the name of the SCI manager, the manager's proof of identity, and a certificate of residence issued by the manager;
-
in a commercial space: the commercial lease;
-
through a registered office service provider: the registered office agreement.
What is the cost of registering an SCI?
The cost of registering an SCI varies depending on the registration option chosen:
-
at home: the most cost-effective option, as it requires no office rent or business address fees;
-
in a commercial space: a more expensive option, as it requires paying monthly rent, security deposits, and guarantees under the commercial lease, as well as regular maintenance costs and various utility bills (electricity, internet, water, etc.);
-
through a business address provider: this is the most cost-effective option, offered as a monthly subscription ranging from a few dozen to a few hundred euros, depending on the services selected. It allows you to benefit from a prestigious address and additional services at a lower cost.
Good to know: The cost of using a registered office service depends on the address you choose, the services you sign up for, and the company’s rates.
To change the registered office of an SCI, certain formalities must be completed:
- decide to relocate the company's headquarters;
- amend the bylaws;
- publish an advert in a legal gazette;
- declare the transfer of the registered office.
Decision to Relocate the Corporate Headquarters
The decision to relocate the registered office of your SCI must, in principle, be made by mutual agreement among the partners, since an SCI consists of at least two partners. To bring the partners together, it is essential to convene an extraordinary general meeting (EGM).
To formalize this decision, minutes must be drafted following the extraordinary general meeting, stating the decision to relocate the registered office. This document must be signed by all the partners.
Modification of the articles of association
Once the partners have decided to relocate the registered office, the SCI’s articles of incorporation must be updated. This is because the address of the registered office is a mandatory item to be included in the articles of incorporation, regardless of the company’s legal form.
If the company’s registered office is relocated, it is therefore necessary to amend the provision in the articles of incorporation that specifies the address of the registered office to reflect the new address.
Publication of an advertisement in a legal gazette
The next step is to publish a notice in a medium authorized to carry legal notices: either a legal notice journal (JAL) or an online news service. This step is essential, as it ensuresthat third parties are informed of the change in your registered office’s address.
Important: The notice must be published withinone month of the general meeting at which the decision to change the registered office was made.
If the registered office is moved within the same department, you need only publish a single notice in a legal gazette in the department where your SCI’s registered office is located.
However, if the company’s registered office is moved to another department, it will be necessary to publish a double notice:
- the first in a legal notice publication for the department wherethe former headquarters was located;
- the second in a legal notice publication for the department where the new headquarters is located.
Declaration of transfer of registered office
You must report the transfer of your SCI’s registered office withinone month on the Guichet Unique website. When filing this report, you must provide several supporting documents :
- a copy of the document authorizing the transfer of the registered office;
- a copy of the updated articles of incorporation;
- proof of publication of the notice in a legal gazette;
- proof of occupancy of the new premises: title deed, lease agreement, utility bills, etc.;
- if the head office is transferred to another département: a list of the company's successive head offices since registration, signed by the legal representative.
Finally, the application for amendment is filed with the clerk’s office of the commercial court.
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