How do I find out who runs the business (sole trader)

[Dahu371]

We paid an events company some money for a function, but this was then cancelled by them a couple of weeks before it was due to take place. They've promised a refund but two months later it still hasn't arrived. The usual round of "we only pay by cheque" "it's in the post" etc etc.

The company isn't limited (and doesn't show in an Experian search), so I think it must be a sole trader (is that right?). We've dealt with them in their trading name and only know the staff by their first names. If I need to eventually go down the route of getting a CCJ I'll need to find out who it is I'm actually dealing with. Can anyone advise what to do in this situation?

 

[StevensOnln1]

So you have no idea who you actually paid the money to? Does their invoice not say who the proprietor is?

 

[Dahu371]

No the invoice doesn't mention an individual just the trading name. Probably a bit naive in hindsight but we did do a cursory check and these people have organised events that did go ahead in the past.

 

[Energise Accounting]

If you can find out the address of the company it should not be to difficult. otherwise get a friend to phone to pretend they would like to book them and get the required info.

 

[Connexions]

https://companycheck.co.uk

Go there, search the name and in the left change type to none UK ltd. It's late...but think that might help

 

[Dahu371]

Thanks but that website shows no results for UK non-limited. A bit more google detective work does eventually bring up a couple of news articles where it states the name for their CEO, I might try calling and see if he's available. I'd have thought that he would be the owner.

 

[john1989]

Sole trader ... CEO? Some people think very highly of themselves.

 

[OldWelshGuy]

What is on their website? by LAW they must have the names of the owner(s) the legal trading status, and also an address at which documents can be served.

If ti isn't then contact trading standards.

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

You may be able to get some details from this

 

[Dahu371]

What is on their website? by LAW they must have the names of the owner(s) the legal trading status, and also an address at which documents can be served.

If ti isn't then contact trading standards.

It has their trading address and phone number, no individual is named. Same as their invoice.

You may be able to get some details from this

Thanks that tells me that the website was registered in 2006. The address matches the trading address but the registrant is just the company name.

Is there any rule against me naming the company here? I can't see that I've written anything libelous...

 

[john1989]

There's no rule against naming the company, but I wouldn't recommend it.

If you PM me the details, I'd be happy to have a look and see what I can find.

 

[paulears]

I'm a moderator on the Blue-room forum - which deals with all things events and productions. If you let me know the name, I'll make some discrete enquiries with the other mods. Quite possible somebody will know them.

 

[talkinpeace]

FAcebook, Linkedin, Duedil, ...... track them down then write to them, recorded delivery

 

[paulears]

Nothing specific came back from people up that way, but some comments were intriguing!

Companies House shows lots of companies with similar names at the same address, same director, mostly dissolved.
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The name is familiar, but I don’t know why...

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My own enquiries have drawn a blank. Like XXXX, a few people have heard the name somewhere but I'm not aware of anyone having worked with them. The Scottish awards are based in the XXXXX hotel, they have quite a lot of in-house production so it's less likely that external providers will have been hired in.

There is another, rival, Scottish Hair and Beauty Awards. I ended up working at the 2014 event, subbed in by someone else. The event descended into a brawl and made the front page of the Sun later that week. As far as I'm aware that isn't connected to XXXXXX in any way, but it does come up on a lot of Google searches.

At the risk of sounding unduly cynical, I'd imagine that it would be possible to hire a small company to work on your event, stiff them on payment, then continue the cycle with a different company the following year.

Not sure this helps much, but best I could find out.