CEIDG - check the contractor before you fall into a trap!

Basic checking of a potential partner does not cost anything, so it is worth using all available means to make sure that you are working with a reliable and trustworthy contractor.

Free contractor checking

CEIDG

If the contractor runs a sole proprietorship, you can use, inter alia, from the information contained in CEIDG, which will concern:

• checking if the company has been registered,

• checking that it has not been suspended,

• checking whether it has not been removed from the register,

• verify the data, whether they are consistent with those presented.

National Debt Register

If the counterparty is a commercial law company (e.g. a limited liability company), the entrepreneur has the right to access the full excerpt from KRD, in particular:

• to section IV, which informs about arrears with the tax office, the Social Insurance Institution, or about bailiff executions,

• to section VI, which informs about the liquidation proceedings conducted or about the declaration of bankruptcy.

SEED-on-Europe

SEED-on-Europa is a system provided by the European Commission, thanks to which entrepreneurs can check contractor's data in the field of excise goods. The data collected in SEED concern:

• validity of the excise number,

• type of activity,

• group of excise goods.

VIES

VIES (confirmation of the VAT number) is a system that allows you to check the activity of the VAT number if we are dealing with a foreign contractor.

Other activities that may confirm the credibility of the contractor

In addition, the entrepreneur may:

• read opinions about the contractor on the Internet, bearing in mind that quite often negative comments are issued by the competition,

• check the company, e.g. by phone call,

• verify the credibility certificates you have, such as Rzetelna Firma,

• ask the contractor to obtain registration forms, mainly a certificate of granting NIP and REGON.

Paid counterparty verification

BIG debtors register

On the website of the Economic Information Bureau, you can download InfoMonitor - Report on Entrepreneurs, which will indicate whether a given contractor is not entered in the Debt Register, and if so, how much is overdue and who reported it. You can receive such information after submitting the application in person at the BIG customer service office, by letter or via the website, after prior registration.

Application to the tax office and the Social Insurance Institution

The entrepreneur may submit a paid application to the Tax Office to determine whether the contractor has arrears for non-payment of VAT or income tax, which requires the consent of both parties. When submitting an application to the Tax Office, you can also find out whether the customer is an active VAT payer - in this case, the entrepreneur does not need the consent of the party.

Similarly, you can submit an application to the Social Insurance Institution for information on whether the client is in arrears with civil law liabilities.

Business intelligence

The most expensive way to determine the contractor's liabilities is to use the services of commercial intelligence agencies. These companies offer a reliable background check of a client who can operate both domestically and abroad. They reach the contractor's former employees, check the company's history on their own and present the entrepreneur's full report.

Entrepreneurs have many opportunities to check the credibility of a contractor before entering into cooperation with him. Basic activities, such as checking an entry in the CEIDG or online research carried out on your own, are free and easily available. However, to be 100% sure that the client is not hiding anything, you can reach for paid reports from the Tax Office or Social Insurance Institution or use the services of commercial intelligence agencies.