Business site details

[TechFox]

My new web site will be ready soon. By law, what details, such as home address, do I need to post on the site for self employed?

[fisicx]

Business name, address, telephone number and email, registration number, VAT number and details of any professional or regulatory bodies you are a member of.

Lots of good info on the businesslink website (http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/layer?r.l1=1073861197&topicId=1073861197&r.l2=1073866263&r.s=m).

[TechFox]

I know I have to declare registration number etc for a Company run site, but what for self employed?

[cjd]

Service providers, whether involved in e-commerce or not, should provide the following minimum information, which must be easily, directly and permanently accessible:

The name of the service provider must be given somewhere easily accessible on the site. This might differ from the trading name and any such difference should be explained – e.g. "XYZ.com is the trading name of XYZ Enterprises Limited."
The email address of the service provider must be given. It is not sufficient to include a 'contact us' form without also providing an email address.
The geographic address of the service provider must be given. A PO Box is unlikely to suffice as a geographic address; but a registered office address would. If the business is a company, the registered office address must be included in any event.
If a company, the company's registration number should also be given.
If a company, the place of registration should be stated (e.g. "XYZ Enterprises Limited is a company registered in England and Wales with company number 1234567") though this is a requirement of the Companies Act as from 31st December 2006, not the E-commerce Directive.
If the business is a member of a trade or professional association, membership details, including any registration number, should be provided.
If the business has a VAT number, it should be stated – even if the website is not being used for e-commerce transactions.
Prices on the website must be clear and unambiguous. Also, state whether prices are inclusive of tax and delivery costs.
Finally, do not forget the Distance Selling Regulations which contain other information requirements for on-line businesses that sell to consumers (B2C, as opposed to B2B, sales). For details of these requirements, see our article, The Distance Selling Regulations - An Overview (http://www.out-law.com/page-430).
http://www.out-law.com/page-431

[Matt1959]

if you are Joe Bloggs t/a xyz (ie non LTD), do you have to have your first and second name there somewhere in addition to the biz name?

[TechFox]

Thank you for that comprehensive list cjd

As I understand it, there is a threshold beneath which I don't have to be VAT ragistered and don't have to charge clients VAT?

Also, as I do not have a registered office address, do I have to disclose my home address?

[fisicx]

You are running a business which means you need to be registered at companies house. The address you register with needs to be on the website.

[TechFox]

I thought you only had to deal with companies house if you were running a company. I'm planning to go self employed.

[Eagle]

I thought you only had to deal with companies house if you were running a company.
Correct.. :)

[The Instructor]

Hi

I'm self employed, not registered though, check out my website, just to give you an idea of the sort of personal info you'd need to put...as a "sole trader" it's best practice to put your address and phone numbers on your website, so you can be contacted, but then I suppose it all depends on what your website is selling/advertising....obviously your business information will be different to mine though.....hope that helps