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"An accommodating jurisdiction" (BVI website in 2002)

British Virgin Islands Registration

 

Concurrently with this section, see also:

The following 5 'paper companies' are reportedly domiciled in the British Virgin Islands

  • Sloan Development (Headlessors # 6 ; Owners identity # 4 )
  • F.M.C. Ltd (Owners identity # 1 )

'Reportedly' as the situation is 'very fluid', and they might not exist if the registration fee is not renewed (e.g. Steel Services being struck-off for non-payment of the licence fee in 2002 - Owners identity # 2 )

At 23 April 2004, the reply I received from the BVI gives IBC (International Business Company)

  • No. 199 568 for Steel Services (NB: No. 199 568 is the registration number shown on the Land Registry (Rosebrae District); Registration date: 18 September 1996
  • No. 227 649 for Jefferson House Limited; Registration date: 21 April 1997
  • No. 4344 for F.M.C. Ltd ; Registration date: 6 August 1981

Re. Sloan Development, its acquisition of the title for flat 7, on 15 April 2004, gives its domicile in the BVI.

Pages downloaded from the British Virgin Islands Financial Services website on 6 February 2002 and 24 October 2002 highlight numerous advantages from registering a company in the BVI.   These include, among others:

•  Formation of a company within 24 hours " with a minimum of formality " , at a cost of US$300

•  " No accounting requirements "

•  Guarantee of " maximum confidentiality and anonymity "

•  " Protection of assets from expropriation or confiscation orders from foreign governments "  

•  Post-incorporation services which include the provision of " Certificates of good standing "

Etc.

Not surprisingly, a BVI registration is proving extremely attractive to other landlords. These include the the Crown Estates (Channel 4 Dispatches, 23 February 2009 'The problem princes'), and the Duke of Westminster (reported in the media in 2008 in the context of one of his central London property being occupied by squatters).

(To this can be added domicile in similar types of jurisdiction e.g. Panama, domicile for 'Rootstock Overseas Corp' (Headlessors # 3 and # 5 ), Gibraltar, domicile for Basil Street Properties (Owners identity # 4 )

As the above pages were downloaded from the BVI website in 2002, there may have been some changes in policy since. However, why should any individual or corporation use these secretive jurisdictions? Perhaps the February 2009 revelation of an alleged multi-billion fraud by Sir Allen Stanford's Antigua based operations will provide answers.

Consider reconciling the benefits of these offshore domiciles with Landlord-Tenant legislation e.g. the Landlord & Tenant Act 1985 - s.2.

As demonstrated by my experience in 2001-02, and in 2006-08 (my 3 June 2008 Witness Statement - headings 5 and 6): it makes a mockery of legislation - and this is well known by government.