How to sell UK shares not registered in the United States?

April 28, 2009 3:09 PM

I own some UK stock which is listed on the London Stock exchange. The companies' shares aren't registered in the United States and cannot be sold in the US. I would like to sell a portion of these shares, so I would like to find the name of an English bank and a telephone number for the appropriate person at the bank.
posted by Daddysugar to Work & Money (4 answers total)

If you have a US stockbroker, maybe ask if they have a London affiliate or can recommend someone there? Do you actually hold the stock certificates yourself or are they being held by a bank in London somewhere?
posted by zachlipton at 3:14 PM on April 28, 2009

Second what zachlipton says. Getting a bank account in the UK is difficult, probably impossible if you are not a resident. Any of the larger US brokerages should be able to do this for you. Try Schwab.
posted by cosmac at 6:40 PM on April 28, 2009

How did you purchase the shares? If they're not ADRs, which it sounds like they're not, then your broker would probably have to assist you in selling the shares, likely at a rather steep commission.
posted by xiaolongbao at 8:52 PM on April 28, 2009

You can probably sell them through the UK Registrars. If you tell me which company it is, I can tell you which Registrars deal with them (there are several).
posted by triggerfinger at 10:38 AM on April 29, 2009