Trading address (vs) registered address question?

[antwest1986]

Hello,

New to the forum, i'm in the middle of setting up a internet based business,

Me and my partner live a fair way from each other and we are trying to keep our home addresses completely out of the limelight, the reason being we both don't own our homes (both rented)

So my question is :

Is it possible to have a trading address different from where we actually trading, i mean paying for a virtual office so that we have a virtual office which would be our trading address and then a seperate registered office, without the need to give our personal home address (reason being we don't own them)


Trading address : EC1
Registered address W1

is this possible?

Are we able to register for VAT for the trading address with the virtual office?

by the way we would be trading as a LTD

Obviously if or when asked by the proper authorites we'd supply our home addresses, if they need to visit or anything in that nature.

Thanks

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

Yes that's fine - lots of businesses do the same.

Good luck with the new venture

 

[antwest1986]

Yes that's fine - lots of businesses do the same.

Good luck with the new venture

Great, thanks at least that's sorted now!

 

[Dawg]

OutLaw, the Pinsent Mason legal site says:

Company information that must be supplied under the E-Commerce Regulations

The E-Commerce Regulations require that all commercial web sites make the following information directly and permanently available to consumers via the website:

• the company's name, postal address (and registered office address if this is different) and email address;
• the company's registration number;
• any Trade or Professional Association memberships;
• the company's VAT number.

All of this applies regardless of whether the site sells on-line. In addition, any commercial communication – that is any email or even SMS text message – used in providing an "Information Society Service" must display this information.

This suggests that the trading address must be given. Further, under the Distance Selling Regs it says:

Information that should be set out in the terms and conditions

The terms and conditions should:

• make it clear who is selling the product, together with the geographical and email address;

Which again suggests the trading rather than the registered address. I believe, but haven't a reference to, that the European Court has said that the trading address must be shown, (as must a full email address, not hidden by an image or code.)