What to do when a cited supplier source disappears

A directory article may retain a link after the underlying page moves or changes. The existence of an old citation no longer makes the current claim checkable.

What the primary source can establish

The UK Companies House search is the first-party reference for this guide. Companies House offers company search and access to company information and filing images. It does not investigate or endorse any named supplier on Source Ledger. The steps below are our editorial method for making a buyer-facing field more precise.

A field-level check

Try the official site or register's current search using the original identifier. Record the old URL, new URL, date and whether the material statement is still present. Preserve an internal snapshot reference, but cite a current retrievable source when possible.

Write down the exact field, the party that supplied the information, the original document or page, the date seen and the scope of the check. If a reviewer took an action, record that action rather than a general “verified” label. Reopen the source when the transaction or underlying document changes.

Where the inference stops

An archived copy can explain what an editor saw in the past; it does not automatically prove present status. If the content has changed, do not quietly keep the old tense or date.

A missing answer is a question to resolve, not permission to substitute a guess. Separate a statement by the supplier from a public record and from a documented human review. No source in this article proves a quality ranking or an existing buyer relationship.

What to record before deciding

Mark the field for review and remove a present-tense conclusion until a current source supports it. Keep a clear change note so later editors know why the wording moved.

This entry describes how to evaluate evidence. It is not a dossier for a real company, an approval decision or a substitute for transaction-specific professional review.

Common question

Can an archive replace a current register check?

It can document history. A current identity or status claim needs a current authoritative record.

Related guide

Continue with Public record, company claim or human check: choose the right label for another field-level check.