Have you ever wondered why you sometimes see very small companies with addresses in the middle of a city centre? Surely they should be saving money working from home rather than spending a fortune on expensive urban property?
Well, the reason you see this, is because these companies have a Virtual Registered Office Address. In this article, we’ll explain what a Virtual Registered Address is, why your business needs one, and how you can get one.
To register a company in England and Wales, you need to register an address in England or Wales. This registered office address is available to the public and is used by Companies House and HMRC when they need to contact you. You also need to put this address on your website and all your stationery.
Registered Office Addresses shouldn’t be confused with your “trading address”, that is the location that you operate your business from. Registered Office Address services such as our only allow you to formally register your business at that address, not to trade to from it.
However, your registered office address doesn’t have to actually be the address you work out of. A company registered address service allows you to register your company at a different, virtual address.
It’s important to note that often a registered office address service can only be used for official correspondence from Companies House and HMRC. If you would like to receive mail from other sources at a virtual address, you need to use a business address service too.
Now you know what a virtual registered office address is, let’s examine why your business needs one.
Remember when you saw the small company with the address in the centre of town. Admit it. You were impressed, weren’t you?
When you run a business, first impressions count. When someone comes across your business for the first time and they see your address, don’t you want them to think you can afford a plush office space in the heart of the city, even if you work from home in the suburbs? Think of the edge it would give you over your competition.
There is also Google to think about. If someone searches for your company online, Google might bring up a map, and a Street View image, of your address. Wouldn’t you prefer that image to show a shiny new office rather than the co-working area you share with 10 other people?
A registered business address service can help you make that glowing first impression.
Your registered office address is publicly available. You have to publish it on your website and it will be on the Companies House website too. If you work from home, especially if you keep inventory in your home, do you really want to display your home address to the world and all the unscrupulous people in it?
For some reason, some people think business owners are excessively rich (as if?!) and may have lots of nice things. They also might think they can find valuable stock that they could sell on elsewhere, should they pay an unwanted visit to your house.
A virtual Registered Office Address keeps your address out of the public domain. Any criminals looking for their next target will think your stock is kept in a securely guarded building, rather than in your garage.
If you run a business based outside of the UK but want to set up a private limited company in England and Wales, you need a registered office address in the UK. You have a choice. You can rent premises in the UK, with all the cost and administration that goes with it. Or, you can use a company registered address service to provide you with a virtual address, with none of the hassle. If you don’t need a physical space in order to trade in the UK, a registered address service means you don’t have to have it.
On the other hand, maybe you run a business in the UK but are looking to move abroad, while still keeping your business running. You can’t keep your company’s limited status if you don’t have a company registered address in the UK. A registered business address service can help you here too, providing you with a virtual address in the UK to keep you on the right side of the law. Bon voyage!
A good virtual registered office address service will offer you the facility to read the mail that is sent to your virtual office, wherever you are. At UK Postbox, with our Advanced Mail Management App, you can read your mail on your desktop computer or mobile device. With our web app, you decide how you want to receive your mail. If you want to scan unopened envelopes so you can choose what to do next, that’s great. If you prefer us to scan only the first page of your letter, just let us know.
We can also arrange to have your mail forwarded to your residential address. It’s easy to use and totally secure.
Considering the numerous benefits you receive with a Registered Office Address service, the price of a virtual registered address is extremely cost-effective. If you’re looking for a cheap registered office address, look no further than UK Postbox. We offer flexible contracts on our registered business address service, you can pay monthly or even pay-as-you-go.
It’s clear that a virtual registered office address service can bring so many benefits to your business. Now, here’s how you can get one.
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