How to check out a UK translation company
An internet search for “certified translation services UK” brings up a large number of results. Choosing a company to handle your UK-certified translation is an important decision, which can also be confusing, especially if it’s the first time you have had to do it.
The risk of rejection of your certified translation
The worst scenario would be to pay for an official translation that is rejected by government authorities or other key organisations in the United Kingdom, hence wasting your money and your time.
What is the legal name of the companies that have quoted for your certified translation?
We tend to assume that online companies are stable, solvent and experienced, especially if they display official accreditation logos, but this is not always the case. It is a good idea to know the legal name (i.e. the exact name under which the company is registered at Companies House) of the companies that quote for your certified translation so that you can perform checks and make an informed choice before paying.
However, this is not always made obvious and explicit on websites. In fact, the number of websites advertising certified translation services that do not display a company name that can be checked easily is quite alarming. If it is not completely clear which company you are dealing with, you may find it difficult to resolve any issues resulting from a poor or deficient translation.
Finding information about UK companies
Here is a link to the UK government’s Companies House website, which allows you to check out a UK company’s credentials:
https://www.gov.uk/get-information-about-a-company
The risks of accepting a very cheap quote for your certified translation
Please be wary of companies offering very cheap certified translations (i.e. £25.00 or £30.00). This indicates that they are likely to be using non-accredited or inexperienced translators who will accept very low payments, which may lead to your official translation being rejected by UK government authorities. We have heard about instances of this happening.
To our knowledge, every certified translation issued by The Language Corner Limited since the company was established in 2008 has been accepted by all official UK authorities.
If your quote is from a company rather than a qualified freelance translator, you can check the financial status, stability and years of experience of UK companies before making your decision.
https://www.gov.uk/get-information-about-a-company
How long has the company that quoted been in business and what is their current financial situation?
You can check how long a company has been in business via “Overview“ under “Incorporated on“.
You can then check company accounts via “Filing History “. They are available to view by anyone. The first page showing a list of figures will show you the financial situation of the company.
N.B. If the figure at the bottom of the “Balance Sheet ” or “Statement of Financial Position ” under “Capital and Reserves ” is in brackets, for example: (29,297), this means that the company made a loss in this amount last financial year, which probably indicates poor management and/or a poor grasp of pricing. If the positive figure is a few hundred pounds, this indicates that the profit is very small indeed, which may not be enough for the company to survive in the longer term.
The Language Corner Limited is a small company with modest profits which has been operating consistently and reliably since 2008. We only work with translators with official UK accreditation to guarantee accuracy and acceptance.
Where should you expect to find the legal name of UK registered companies on websites?
Websites selling UK certified translation services should display the legal company name for reasons of transparency. In the United Kingdom, this name is usually followed by “Limited“ or “Ltd.“. This is not always obvious, but may be in the footer, in very small print on an accreditation logo or in the Privacy Policy or Terms and Conditions. These documents should state the company name explicitly, rather than just refer to “our website” or “the company”, which is vague and unclear, avoiding naming the company specifically and making it very difficult to perform checks. Companies are allowed to use a trading name that is different from their registered company name for marketing purposes, but the official company name (i.e. the name under which it is registered) should also be easily findable on the website. And if it’s not, a good question to ask is “why not”?
Checking company or business reviews
It is also a good idea to check company reviews, preferably via Google or Trustpilot, in addition to reviews on the website.
Certified translations carried out by companies registered outside the UK
Another point to take into consideration is that UK government bodies often reject certified translations that are not carried out by companies registered here in the UK. Some companies advertising for certified translation services in the UK are actually registered in other countries. This is worth checking too. Sometimes the phone number on the website indicates that the company is based outside the UK.
Fair rates for highly-qualified translators with official accreditation
Companies that undercharge for important certified translation services by using underqualified translators not only undermine and endanger the livelihoods of experienced, accredited professional linguists, but also risk not being around for many years, due to lack of financial stability and insufficient profit. This has implications should you require a reissue in the near future, because the company may well no longer exist.