The Charity Commission has said today it will warn 72 charities to file accounts or face a statutory inquiry.

The Commission is currently conducting a class inquiry into “double-defaulting” charities which have not filed financial documents for two or more years. It has already looked at 24 charities, and is now expanding the inquiry.

“The regulator has announced that it is beginning the next phase of the class inquiry imminently, continuing to focus on charities with an income of over £250,000,” a spokeswoman for the Commission said today. “The Commission has begun issuing final warnings to a group of 72 charities warning them that if they fail to submit their accounts by a designated date, they will be in statutory inquiry.”

Eighteen of the 24 charities which have entered the class inquiry in 2013 have now complied with their reporting obligations, the Commission said.

It has published inquiry reports into four of the charities that were already under investigation as a result of double-defaulting on their annual accounts and returns. In all cases it used its statutory powers to obtain bank records and financial information, and to direct trustees to prepare accounts.

These were a social welfare charity, Cymmer Workmens Hall and Institute; two Islamic charities, Jamiat-Ul-Muslemeen Quwat-Ul-Islam Masjed and Markazul Uloom; and a Jewish charity, the Yad Vochessed Association Ltd.

The first said they had been late filing accounts due to illness among the trustees, while the second said they were not aware they were in default. The other charities did not inform the Commission of their reasons for not complying.

Michelle Russell, head of investigations and enforcement at the Commission, said: “Our class inquiry to date has resulted in over £29m of charitable funds now being accounted for in charity accounts posted on the public register of charities. But it is unacceptable that some charities still do not take seriously their accountability to the public and responsibility to comply by submitting annual accounts and returns when required to do so by law. Failure to submit accounts and returns on time reflects badly on the charity and as well as the wider sector.

“We are continuing this year to robustly pursue defaulters and late filers. Defaulting charities and their trustees have been warned; file your outstanding returns and accounts now.”