Share Dealing Discussion Area

eskbanker

richter said:

cloud_dog said:

I think richter was thinking in terms of physical years or possibly tax years, hence the 15/16 etc reference.

that's correct - that would make more sense to me.

That style of data presentation is available from various other sources, such as https://www.fundsmith.co.uk/fund-factsheet, if that's what you prefer, but the HL format does clearly indicate the effective dates immediately above the percentages.

MikeMaughan

I have some shares that have devolved from the original "Tell Sid" Gas share issue back in the dark ages.  For various reasons involving working overseas and some serious health issues I am only now trying to sort this situation out.

I've been offered the chance to sell my shares by ProSearch but they seem to want a great deal of money for so doing.

My immediate questions are:

1) I know of National Grid and Shell shares that come from my originals.  Who else?

2) Initially I just need to change my contact details with the registrars.  Does doing so oblige me to use them to sell the shares thereafter?

3) Once I have changed the contact info on the shares can I sell them elsewhere than via ProSearch?

Notepad_Phil

Sorry I don't understand your 1st question.

As to the other 2, you won't need to sell them via the registrar or ProSearch unless you've entered into some type of contract that commits you to sell the shares via that company - how did ProSearch get to know you?

MikeMaughan

Notepad_Phil said:

Sorry I don't understand your 1st question.

As to the other 2, you won't need to sell them via the registrar or ProSearch unless you've entered into some type of contract that commits you to sell the shares via that company - how did ProSearch get to know you?

Thanks for your response.

My first question relates to the shares that devolved from the original British Gas shares through mergers and takeovers; I know of National Grid shares and Shell shares but I believe there are others?

As regards the second points I have been in contact with the registrars for Shell and National grid about updating my contact information and reclaiming a number of dividends which have been unclaimed.  In both cases it was suggested I go via ProSearch and thus become liable for a hefty commission on not only the value of the dividends but also the value of the shares.  I don't object to paying a reasonable commission for services but I was quoted 20% of _everything_ which to me is daylight robbery!

I have separately received correspondence from ProSearch offering to "re-unite" me with my shares and when I enquired of them what would be involved I'm still looking at a hefty commission.

I've found so far that it is very difficult to get a straight answer on such matters from the official channels, hence my queries here.

MikeMaughan

OK, I've found some answers from the thisismoney site (Are-British-Gas-shares-worth-anything), which suggests I now should have Shell, National Grid and possibly BG shares:

"Simon Moon from This is Money adds: British Gas has undergone several transformations since it was privatised at 135p a share in 1986. In February 1997 shareholders of British Gas approved the demerger of Centrica, as British Gas was renamed BG plc. Centrica is the company that supplies gas to millions of homes under the British Gas brand name. BG held on to British Gas's transportation and storage business (Transco) and the exploration and production arms, as well as a few other bits and pieces.

In December 1999 BG plc completed a financial restructuring that resulted in the creation of a new parent company, BG Group plc. In October 2000 BG Group completed the demerger of gas pipeline business Lattice Group plc creating two separate companies. In October 2002 Lattice Group merged with National Grid to form National Grid Transco. And in July 2005 National Grid Transco was renamed National Grid plc to provide what the company described as 'a unifying identity across its operations'.

dont_look_now

MikeMaughan said:

My first question relates to the shares that devolved from the original British Gas shares through mergers and takeovers; I know of National Grid shares and Shell shares but I believe there are others?

AFAICR, the (only) other one is Centrica.

As regards the second points I have been in contact with the registrars for Shell and National grid about updating my contact information and reclaiming a number of dividends which have been unclaimed.  In both cases it was suggested I go via ProSearch and thus become liable for a hefty commission on not only the value of the dividends but also the value of the shares.

That doesn't seem very helpful from the registrars. What are you working with? I.e. do you have shares certificates, or are they lost, or were the shares in purely electronic form (no certificates)? And do you know the exact name and address that your shareholdings will currently be recorded under, or is it a bit vaguer?

wmb194

"... which suggests I now should have Shell, National Grid and possibly BG shares"
BG Group doesn't exist anymore as it was bought by RD Shell in 2016 in a cash and share deal. This is where the Shell shares would have come from.

https://www.ft.com/content/cb881348-de9a-11e4-b9ec-00144feab7de

gt94sss2

Prosearch is owned by Equiniti who also act as the share registrar for lots of companies including Shell and National Grid.

That they suggest you use Prosearch means they can charge you commission for not doing much. Contact the registrar's direct and avoid paying this commission.

MikeMaughan

dont_look_now said:

That doesn't seem very helpful from the registrars. What are you working with? I.e. do you have shares certificates, or are they lost, or were the shares in purely electronic form (no certificates)? And do you know the exact name and address that your shareholdings will currently be recorded under, or is it a bit vaguer?

A little more background may help here.  Shares were bought in my name but with an extra (never used) christian name with which I was saddled by my parents.  Whilst I never used that first name it was my "official" name until I changed it by Deed Poll after my folks had gone.

I was also working abroad quite a lot and had planned to emigrate but our plans were interrupted by ill health (a stroke).  I had used a PO Box for our mail as we were expecting to move away, so the shares were originally set up in a name I don't use now and to an address that has lapsed ...

Moving forward a lot and by-passing a decade in and out of depression I'm now retired and trying to sort out my admin and finances. I have various intermediate share certificates and notices but cannot locate the original "Sid" version for British Gas.

It now looks (with thanks here for the help so far) as though I'm looking at the following:

1) Contact Equiniti to establish ownership of the devolved shares for Shell, Centrica and National Grid.

2) Negotiate with them for payment of the unclaimed dividends without being robbed blind.

Fingers crossed for tomorrow!

LindaTerry

I have shares held in a Halifax share dealing account and today for the first time I tried to sell them. I thought i'd done my homework and I had been following the sell price for a couple of days.  I telephone with a view to selling 4000 shares at the quoted price of £12.50 then when I agreed to trade the price offered was £12.12 at this point I pulled out. This afternoon I phoned again the quoted price was £12.60 which is what I had seen on the LSE site and HL so I was confident at getting near this price. however, when I said i'd trade the price was £12.12. both times I was told that it the difference is due to the time but as I was watching the live price on line at no time did it drop to £12.12 at anytime today.. if I completed this trade I would loose a significant sum. What can I do?