Business/Trading name - The Book-keepers Forum (UK)

ProBowlUK · Senior Member

Business/Trading name

ICBUK · Guru

Hi Bob,

No you don't need to register it (although if you do it would stop someone else registering it).

You do need to check on Companies House to make sure it is not already registered, if it is you cannot use it.

You should also do a search on Google or Yellow Pages to make sure no one else is already using it as a trading name in your local area (as trading names don't appear in Companies House, and you cannot use the same trading name as someone else in your area, certain variations to that rule exist).

Companies House offer a free web check (http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/index.shtml middle box).

The ICB have a page with some basic info on requirements for trading names etc here: http://www.bookkeepers.org.uk/Members%20Area/self_employed_members_area/business_name (need to be a member though)

Hope this helps

attilabenko · Guru

Hi James,

welcome back! how was your holiday? there was a post earlier this week about level 3, what sort of jobs are we allowed to do once passed the exam? are we allowed to do final accounts for ltd in all circumstances and are those final accounts only trial balance or extended trial balance or proper accounts? Could you please get us an answer for that as a few people on here was really interested...
maybe we should start a new topic...

Thanks

-- Edited by attilabenko on Tuesday 5th of October 2010 03:13:36 PM

ProBowlUK · Senior Member

Hi

Just had a reply from Companies House
(I was expecting them to take weeks!). biggrin

....

Dear Bob,

Thank you for your email.

Companies House only registers limited companies, we do not register Sole Traders, Business Names or Logos.

The only place you need to register, is with the Inland Revenue for tax purposes.

Yours faithfully,
Kieron Budd
Companies House Contact Centre enquiries@companies-house.gov.uk

attilabenko · Guru

Hi Bob,

They were rather quick answering your enquiry! :)

ICBUK · Guru

Hi Attilia,

Yes holiday was great thanks!

I have told the membership team to put something on the website with regards to what you can/can't do, have just emailed them to see how it is going.

Bob, don't forget if you come up with a great name and don't want anyone else using it you can register it with Companies House for something like £50.

john Boy · Veteran Member

Bob,

before you go registering companies on a whim, ICBUK fails to mention you will have to file (at a minimum) dormant company accounts and an annual return, (with its associated fee of £15,) every year.

ICBUK · Guru

But if it is a good name what is £15 a year?

Last thing you want is to find someone else registering your name.

ProBowlUK · Senior Member

ICBUK wrote:
Bob, don't forget if you come up with a great name and don't want anyone else using it you can register it with Companies House for something like £50.

I think Companies House only deals with limited companies in their different forms.

There is another site to register business names - £88 !
http://www.start.biz/
also ... http://www.uktrademarkregistration.com/

attilabenko · Guru

Hi,

I think you can do opportunistic registration

http://www.ipo.gov.uk/cna.htm

ProBowlUK · Senior Member

attilabenko wrote:
Hi,
I think you can do opportunistic registration

Are you sure you meant that ?

http://www.ipo.gov.uk/pro-t-companynames.htm confuse

Merlion ABS · Senior Member

Just out of curiosity, what sort of name are you thinking of?

All this hassle and worry over something such as ProBowl Bookkeeping which would be personal to you is a bit silly if you cant find any other names similar via searching for it on the web or on the companies register.

If you are looking at something like A1 Bookkeeping or 123 Bookkeeping, then yes this maybe a bit more corporate and most likely already a company with this name so you have to be a bit more careful.

When registering as a sole trader, all you do is put the business name on the CWF1 form (or in the relevant box if you do it on line via the HMRC website)

Im sure there are more than one Smith & Son out there both Ltd and Sole Trader but it does not seem to have caused too much concern to them.

I wouldnt be too concern over all this as long as your not trading next door to someone with the same name in the same business.

Wella · Expert

One simple method of protecting a trading name, is first be sure that it is unique, legal and cannot be easily confused with another similar company.

Then simply send a recorded delivery envelope (does not have to contain anything)addressed to your business. When it arrives put it somewhere safe!!

In the event that some one does try to use your company name, or claims they used it first, you can use the franked, dated envelope as evidence that you had the name first.

Bill

ProBowlUK · Senior Member

Merlion ABS wrote:
Just out of curiosity, what sort of name are you thinking of?

NeedleSharp (My name is Bob Sharp)
Logo is a thread and 2 needles looking vaguely like a dollar sign biggrin

www.NeedleSharp.ProBowlUK.co.uk

-- Edited by ProBowlUK on Thursday 7th of October 2010 03:28:19 PM

kjmcculloch · Guru

Hi Bob,

I personally wouldn't go to the hassle or expense. You'd still be stuck with the bother of legal fees if anyone was to use it.

My advice, take the money you would spend on trying to protect this name and put it into your marketing budget.

Kris

attilabenko · Guru

hi bob,

yes what I meant is what john boy said about having a dormant company just to protect the name and if someone wants the name they have to take it to the tribunal on the grounds of your registration being opportunistic. that would cost them a fair bit of money so unless they are very serious they would not bother. I don't think you can register a company name without having one in some way...

Merlion ABS · Senior Member

I think your pretty safe with that name. googled it and only you came up in linkedin and freeindex.co.uk and this thread popped up too in the top 3 heh heh.

But having looked at your website, i know its early days but you really need to get a google account and register for the google maps profile and also have some one optimise your website for you so it can be found under terms such as "bookkeeper in Berkshire"

not many people browse past page 2 or 3 on google search so you need to get right up there.

best of luck.

ProBowlUK · Senior Member

Merlion ABS wrote:
But having looked at your website, i know its early days but you really need to get a google account and register for the google maps profile

"bookkeeper in Berkshire"

Thanks for the advice.

Don't really want people knocking on my front door.
Will look and see if a generalised address (Reading,RG2) will be accepted.

Have done the Keywords meta tag and it includes "Berkshire" and "Bookkeeper" (among other words).

smile

kjmcculloch · Guru

ProBowlUK wrote:

Don't really want people knocking on my front door.
Will look and see if a generalised address (Reading,RG2) will be accepted.

Hi Bob,

I think this is going to be your problem. Bookkeeping is one of these services that is based on trust. It has to be, you're dealing with other peoples money effectively.

Having a contact form as the only means of communication doesn't foster that trusting relationship. In my opinion, and it is only that, you should have on a website, at very least, a landline number and an address. I think this shows potential clients that you're in it for the long haul, established if you like.

I am delighted to be proven wrong, but these are my views.

Kris

-- Edited by kjmcculloch on Friday 15th of October 2010 10:08:43 AM

attilabenko · Guru

Hi Bob,

I know what you mean, I think you still have to put full address but gives you an option to show address on map or not.
Sometimes I wish people would knock on my front door, people in long queues wanting their books to be done...

kjmcculloch · Guru

Bob,

Just another quick addition. In the form you appear to have spelled organisation with a 'z'.

Kris

ProBowlUK · Senior Member

The form is a script that can be downloaded, then cut-&-pasted into the page.

Hadn't noticed.
Must be US spelling, which is a frustrating part of computer programming.

biggrin

Managed to find the entities in one of the language files.
Changes made.
Thanks again smile

-- Edited by ProBowlUK on Friday 15th of October 2010 10:57:17 PM

kjmcculloch · Guru

Oh I totally understand. I still sometimes try to put colour instead of color in HTML code.

Kris

moxby · Veteran Member

Bob - if you want a hand with some search engine optimisation for your start-up site and helping you on that front, I could probably do a bit for you for free, as search engine rankings are governed by a lot more than your META tag content. Feel free to get in touch - I'd be happy to hlp out a bit on that front so you can get noticed.

BackOfficeGroup · Guru

I do believe that you need to put your full contact details on a web site these days ie name address tel nos etc etc

P

Wella · Expert

BackOfficeGroup wrote:
I do believe that you need to put your full contact details on a web site these days ie name address tel nos etc etc

P

That's what I thought too but there are a lot of websites out there without full details

Bill

ICBUK · Guru

If you are a limited company you must put Registered Number and Address on websites and emails.

BackOfficeGroup · Guru

Bill

bit like computer software licences, lol, you should have one but do you, or where did you get your music on your mp3 player....lol.......

P

kjmcculloch · Guru

Full contact details are only required on Ecommerce websites. Personally I think it is good practice to include full contact details on all business websites for reasons I explained above.

Kris

Wella · Expert

Found this which makes it a bit clearer

http://www.freelanceuk.com/news/3419.shtml

Bill