By International Credit Reports
First ask what each address is used for
A company can use different locations for registration, administration, production, warehousing, and deliveries. A mismatch deserves an explanation, but the addresses may serve different purposes. Begin by labeling the role attached to each address in the document that supplied it.
Do not silently change the report subject to the company at the delivery location. A logistics provider may receive goods without being your customer, and a factory may make products without being the seller on your agreement. Identity, operating location, and payment instructions are related questions that need separate evidence.
Create an address comparison log
Copy the full address, including local-language spelling, building, unit, city, postal code, and country where supplied. Record the document and date. A missing unit number or older address can explain an apparent conflict, but the explanation should be supported rather than guessed.
| Address role | Compare with | Follow-up question |
|---|---|---|
| Registered office | Current company registration record | Has the registered office changed? |
| Factory or warehouse | Supplier’s operating-location details | Who operates this site, and how is it connected? |
| Invoice or billing address | Agreement and billing instructions | Is this an administrative address for the same entity? |
| Delivery location | Purchase order and delivery contact | Is the recipient the buyer or a separate service provider? |
Keep a dated identity source
Use the relevant official record to establish what it actually says about the company’s address. A registry entry does not establish that a production line operates there. Conversely, photographs of a facility do not establish the registered identity of the company selling to you.
For UK companies, the official company search is one source for checking the registered office and reviewing company filings. Apply the scope of the relevant local register in other markets. Companies House company search.
Example: a registered office and a warehouse
In a hypothetical transaction, the registration record gives a city-center office, the quotation lists an industrial estate, and the delivery plan uses a third-party warehouse. Ask the counterparty to label all three and identify any separate warehouse operator. If the legal name and company number remain consistent, record the explanation and supporting documents.
If different company numbers also appear, the issue is wider than an address mismatch. Establish whether multiple entities are involved before ordering. A new payment recipient or an urgent change request should also enter your payment-verification process; an address match alone cannot authenticate a payment instruction.
- Keep the original addresses; do not overwrite historical evidence.
- Record who explained the difference and which document supports it.
- Describe unresolved location or entity questions explicitly in the research brief.
Explain the mismatch in your company enquiry
Give the team the registered identity and label any separate office, factory, or warehouse address.