Registered office services

[sid999]

Hi,

I am currently looking into registering/reserving a company name and was thinking of using a "registered office service" to use as both the registered and service address for the company therefore allowing me to hide my home address.

Can anyone recommend any service?

I've found a company called "smallfirmsservices.com" and they are the cheapest I've found so far and was wondering if anyone else has used them.

Thanks

James

 

[Moneyman]

find a local one as it is expensive to resend items. Look for serviced offices. They normally do it and you can always hire a room for the day if you need an office.

 

[FirstClassVirtualOffice]

Are you looking for a local service (ie has a local address)?

PS I'd say they were quite expensive as well if you want more than just a registered address. Mail forwarding is extra. You usually find what starts out looking cheap ends up being quite expensive when you reach the final total due and payable for the year.

 

[10032012]

find a local one as it is expensive to resend items. Look for serviced offices. They normally do it and you can always hire a room for the day if you need an office.

+1 - some services will allow you to come collect post... as a rule of thumb, most these services look to invoice you cost of postage plus 20% - it can quickly mount up. A local one would allow you to come collect any post.

This said as you are registering one as dormant the only post you will likely get is companies house and HMRC which will be no more than say 5 items. Oh, and loads of marketing mail from time to time, could be as many as 20 items.

Most places only operate a registered office service under a "virtual office" solution. Avoid them, they are very expensive - especially that you wont be using the receptionist services or needing a phone number yet.

What is your budget? Do you have any location requirements?

 

[FirstClassVirtualOffice]

We only charge postage as per royal mail costs and generally we send mail out every Friday as one package, but some want it sending daily as and when it comes in, but it needn't be expensive if you get it sent through just once a week.

If you get a lot of mail through the week, especially mail you are wanting to view straight away, the cheaper option is to use a mail scanning service like what we offer, so you get your mail sent daily by email, but get the actual documents sent through once a week. Look for a company that, like us, can spot private & confidential mail you may not want opening and scanning, such as bank statements, PIN numbers, etc, and will ask you first whether or not you want that mail opening and scanning, or just sending on to you unopened. I guess what i'm saying is, try to find a service that can supply an element of personal service towards you, rather than a blanket approach.

 

[sid999]

The best one I've found so far charges £40pa that will allow me to use their address as a registered and service address and will process mail from companies house and HMRC.

As the company will be dormant for a while, then location isn't really an issue because I only expect CH and HMRC mail. I don't yet know what the company managing the address will do/charge with marketing mail, etc. I'll have to give them a call an find out.

Budget wise I am looking to keep costs small as I won't be trading just yet. In terms of cost the £40pa along with the cost of filing annual accounts, etc, online seems to be reasonable for keeping the company dormant until trading starts.

 

[FirstClassVirtualOffice]

Just to add, the only junk mail that we ever get for any client after company formation, is just one from a marketing company trying to flog you domain names etc, (its always the same company) and one from the Institute of Directors.

We rarely deal with junk mail apart from those two and if we do get the odd magazine or whatever sent through that we think they may not want, we email and ask first. So we'll say "we received a magazine from Global Institute of Farming (made that up) would you like it sending on or binning?"

They then decide whether to have it sent to them or not. End of the day, we make nothing off the postage credit they provide us with, so it's in our interest to make the virtual office address service cost overall, as least as possible.

 

[FirstClassVirtualOffice]

The best one I've found so far charges £40pa that will allow me to use their address as a registered and service address and will process mail from companies house and HMRC.

As the company will be dormant for a while, then location isn't really an issue because I only expect CH and HMRC mail. I don't yet know what the company managing the address will do/charge with marketing mail, etc. I'll have to give them a call an find out.

Budget wise I am looking to keep costs small as I won't be trading just yet. In terms of cost the £40pa along with the cost of filing annual accounts, etc, online seems to be reasonable for keeping the company dormant until trading starts.

If that is all you need, then just go with that.

Just check how much mail forwarding is included in that cost to make sure that it will include for unlimited mail coming from CH and HMRC.

Even a dormant company will still receive the annual return request from Companies House (CH) as well as any reminders. Then if you sign up for online service, there is the mail containing the authorisation code, plus any other letters pertaining to any further communications with CH over any other matter that may arise. Plus associated mail initially from HMRC but if not trading, that will be minimal anyway. Plus there may be vat to add.

Filing the annual account is dead easy to do yourself online with CH and £14 online. The company you use will typically charge you more for this of course. If you want to keep your home address private, ask if it can also be used for the directors service address and if there is an extra charge for that too.

 

[10032012]

The best one I've found so far charges £40pa that will allow me to use their address as a registered and service address and will process mail from companies house and HMRC.

As the company will be dormant for a while, then location isn't really an issue because I only expect CH and HMRC mail. I don't yet know what the company managing the address will do/charge with marketing mail, etc. I'll have to give them a call an find out.

Budget wise I am looking to keep costs small as I won't be trading just yet. In terms of cost the £40pa along with the cost of filing annual accounts, etc, online seems to be reasonable for keeping the company dormant until trading starts.

£40?! Go for it! (PM me their link... its looking really reasonable!)

 

[sid999]

The web address is "smallfirmsservices.com" and the £40 is for using their address as the registered address. I have emailed them asking about using it also as the service address and what charges they use for forwarding on mail not from Companies House and HMRC.

 

[Jet Virtual]

Hi Sid were you still looking for help in finding a virtual office and registered office address?

 

[sid999]

I am still looking at the moment. Trying to find a service that provides a registered office and mail forwarding for a decent price.

 

[FirstClassVirtualOffice]

I thought you were going for the £40 one?

 

[CherylDavis]

I am a tiny company and I don't get much junk mail. My home address is the business address. I've been going in some form since sept 2011.

I use webfiling too. Can't recommend anyone though, I did consider it but to be honest, I have no problems using my own address. I get far more rubbish from Royal Mail!