Limited company information that is required on adverts

[midsman]

Hello all,

I am hoping to get some clarity on what information is required to be incluced in an advert placed by a limited company.

I understand that on business stationery and websites that details such as company name, number, incorporated where and address etc need to be included and also VAT number if applicable.

My question relates to adverts - namely a written advert in a magazine (in my case it is a small advert placed in a local village magazine). Do you have to include company number, address etc in it? From reading the Companies House website on stationery it reads to me as though you only need to put your company name on an advert / promotional material? and that further information is only needed “on business letters, order forms and websites” where you “must show….” that further information.

Any thoughts greatly appreciated. If it is a requirement then okay, it just means that most of the ad space will be company details which is fair enough if it is a requirement.


Many thanks

Stationery and promotional material​

You must include your company’s name on all company documents, publicity and letters.

On business letters, order forms and websites, you must show:

• the company’s registered number
• its registered office address
• where the company is registered (England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland)
• the fact that it’s a limited company (usually by spelling out the company’s full name including ‘Limited’ or ‘Ltd’)

If you want to include directors’ names, you must list all of them.

If you want to show your company’s share capital (how much the shares were worth when you issued them), you must say how much is ‘paid up’ (owned by shareholders).

 

[BizEnergyDeals]

Hello all,

I am hoping to get some clarity on what information is required to be incluced in an advert placed by a limited company.

I understand that on business stationery and websites that details such as company name, number, incorporated where and address etc need to be included and also VAT number if applicable.

My question relates to adverts - namely a written advert in a magazine (in my case it is a small advert placed in a local village magazine). Do you have to include company number, address etc in it? From reading the Companies House website on stationery it reads to me as though you only need to put your company name on an advert / promotional material? and that further information is only needed “on business letters, order forms and websites” where you “must show….” that further information.

Any thoughts greatly appreciated. If it is a requirement then okay, it just means that most of the ad space will be company details which is fair enough if it is a requirement.


Many thanks

Stationery and promotional material​

You must include your company’s name on all company documents, publicity and letters.

On business letters, order forms and websites, you must show:

• the company’s registered number
• its registered office address
• where the company is registered (England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland)
• the fact that it’s a limited company (usually by spelling out the company’s full name including ‘Limited’ or ‘Ltd’)

If you want to include directors’ names, you must list all of them.

If you want to show your company’s share capital (how much the shares were worth when you issued them), you must say how much is ‘paid up’ (owned by shareholders).

My understanding is that you only need to include your company name in a magazine advert.

This is also the case for Adwords where you need to include company name only.

 

[midsman]

Hello and thank you for your reply. That is my interpretation of it and is consistent with the view of my accountant who got back to me this morning following a delay in responding due to a holiday.

Many thanks

midsman

 

[eteb3]

The rule of thumb is that any document that might realistically form part of a business agreement, or evidence a liability, must have the specified details.

While adverts can form part of a contract, it’s extremely rare. (See Carbolic Smoke Ball case of 1893 for the textbook example )

Websites are specially mentioned as needing the details, too. There’s debate (as I understand it) about whether a social media page counts as a “website”.

 

[midsman]

Yes, websites, letterheads etc are specifically mentioned as something that should have full details on it and I have full details on that. Publicity isn't specifically on that list - just business name. From memory I believe that that case was a boast about what a product could do and a reward for it not doing so? My advert is a simple advert that says I offer xyz services "lawns mowed" " trees cut" etc

 

[Paul Carmen]

This is also the case for Adwords where you need to include company name only.

Google Ads is moving towards a full verification process, where you have to verify your trading details and company/individual trading circumstances. This isn't mandatory in all business areas yet, but will be, they've already restricted certain functionality and features to only verified advertises.

 

[UKSBD]

Google Ads is moving towards a full verification process, where you have to verify your trading details and company/individual trading circumstances. This isn't mandatory in all business areas yet, but will be, they've already restricted certain functionality and features to only verified advertises.

Google also have little concept of how sole traders operate in the UK

I was advised by Google support that if it's not a registered business you should create individual account rather than an organization account.

Set your account type - Google payments center help

To pass identity verification, you must set your account type correctly. You can set a payment profile as an individual or organization. What you need If your account type is “individual”: You mu

support.google.com

It's a good work around for verifying easier, but contradicts other things google say, and I dare say will come back to bite at a later date.

 

[Gecko001]

Google also have little concept of how sole traders operate in the UK

It is not just Google that have little concept of how traders operate in the UK, most media and the general public have little concept of how sole traders operate in the UK.

 

[Newchodge]

It is not just Google that have little concept of how sole traders work in the UK, most media, and the general public have little concept of how sole traders operate in the UK.

While the DWP insist that Directors are self employed!

 

[Paul Carmen]

It's a good work around for verifying easier, but contradicts other things google say, and I dare say will come back to bite at a later date.

It's worse than that, almost all of the Google Ads checks and verifications are Ai driven, so when you have an issue their initial support is also Ai driven...

Google moved their first line human support to India, and laid off thousands of experienced EU/US people. These people know very little and read mainly from support scripts/tools, they know even less about UK trading rules, FCA verification etc.

This means fixing an Ai flagged problem or verification issue, or worse an issue that's in the account that the AI hasn't spotted, is painful and sometimes impossible, unless you have direct human contacts at Google Ads!