Virtual Business Address?

[beatconnection]

Hi
Looking for some advice. I’m a self employed freelancer and I’ve got a lot of work coming in at the minute so I’m looking into getting a virtual business address in London set up for the purposes of client invoices and correspondence. I just think it will look more professional and mainly I don’t want to share my personal address with loads of different clients.

Has anyone else done this? Is it worthwhile? I’m ideally looking for cheapest options as I don’t envisage having to go to the office much if it all.

Thanks

 

[ctrlbrk]

Hi
Looking for some advice. I’m a self employed freelancer and I’ve got a lot of work coming in at the minute so I’m looking into getting a virtual business address in London set up for the purposes of client invoices and correspondence. I just think it will look more professional and mainly I don’t want to share my personal address with loads of different clients.

Has anyone else done this? Is it worthwhile? I’m ideally looking for cheapest options as I don’t envisage having to go to the office much if it all.

Thanks

A few posts here may help

Virtual Office Address?

Hello all ?? Just a quick thread to see if there's any people out there who are using a virtual office address for their business? If so, how has your experience been with them? Pros and cons? Any recommended companies to use? Thanks in advance ???

www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk

 

[fisicx]

@beatconnection - I've been using my home address for 15+ years and never once had a problem. In fact it's been an advantage as it's got me bank accounts, a loan, trade accounts and so on.

One problem with a virtual address is potential clients check up on these things and as soon as it's obvious you don't actually have an office at that location trust issues arise.

 

[Mark T Jones]

There are a number of threads on this topic with a variety of views, and often some confusion over what a virtual office is/does.

Your post suggests that you are essentially looking for mail forwarding. A PO box will achieve that but you will still have to provide 'A physical address at which documents can be served' for legal purposes.

There are any number of serviced-office providers who will offer an 'address only' facility - you will need independent reviews as to their efficiency/reliability.

If you want a physical presence, then what you really need is a seviced office.

which does come back to why you actually want/need a separate address?

 

[beatconnection]

Hi
Thanks for the responses and for the link to the other thread. I will look into a few different providers. My main reason for looking into this is I’d rather not have my personal address shared with a lot of clients.

Thanks

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

I also have used my home address for many years with no trouble and if you are looking for trouble I would put the cold hose pipe over you
but then !
We have a virtual office in Truro along with a Truro phone number giving us an effective profile in West Cornwall where all you rich people from London have houses and various businesses!
Jeremy Hawke Couriers (Truro)

At junction 27 M5 in Devon we then have storage and a small yard where the landlord runs 20 arctics so a decent size facility

 

[estwig]

@beatconnection - I've been using my home address for 15+ years and never once had a problem. In fact it's been an advantage as it's got me bank accounts, a loan, trade accounts and so on.

One problem with a virtual address is potential clients check up on these things and as soon as it's obvious you don't actually have an office at that location trust issues arise.

I see your 15 years, I raise you to double that with never a problem.

It's an advantage, my clients like to know where I am.

 

[wayzgoose]

I'm always wary when a site says to me "I'm run from home" and then the contact page shows a fancy London address. Been using the home address for over twenty years - never had a problem.

 

[fisicx]

Had a zoom with a chap in the USA. He saw the house and was impressed. During a visit to the UK he came over and after a couple of beers we arranged a deal that is still paying me a monthly stipend. Can’t do that from a virtual office.

 

[imsimplysmith]

I’ve been concerned with the same question, I mean running an MSP we can all work from home, but at the same time I’m not a fan of my home address being all over the web, so I’m considering a serviced office now for that purpose ? I just need to find £300 a month lying around somewhere… ?

 

[japancool]

I’ve been concerned with the same question, I mean running an MSP we can all work from home, but at the same time I’m not a fan of my home address being all over the web, so I’m considering a serviced office now for that purpose ? I just need to find £300 a month lying around somewhere… ?

Why? Just get a virtual address and continue working from home.

 

[Chris Hanson]

We run several local area virtual offices being locksmiths in South Yorkshire for Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham and our real office is located in Sheffield. We are constantly on the guard from local town competitors who say we are not in those towns and cities and have to resend our virtual office location invoices to have them verified. To us, its worth the work to maintain the locations.
If you are a legitimate business then clients will not have a problem using your real address. Trust is gained with tangable evidence of your operation. What you are proposing is to mask your location, the very thing that gives clients trust. If you closed your virtual office, how would your clients get in touch?