Many small-business owners initially consider using their home address as their company’s registered office address. It seems like the natural choice to keep things simple, but you must consider a few things before making this decision to ensure it is legally permitted and the most suitable choice for you and your business.
The legal requirements
First of all, as the official address of company, your registered office is legally required to be in the same country in which you register your company. So, for a Scottish company, it needs to be an address in Scotland.
Different courts govern each jurisdiction in the UK, so any legal proceedings your company may be involved in must be dealt with by the appropriate court. If your home address is in Scotland, there is nothing to stop you using this address as your registered office.
Your registered office will be used to receive all statutory mail from Companies House and HMRC, and any legal notices for your company. You do not have to work at this address or even visit it – it is simply for receiving company mail.
Privacy and professionalism
When you register your company, the registered office address you provide will be placed on the public register by Companies House. This address is available to everyone. If you use your residential address as your registered office, this information will be available to the public and you could jeopardise the privacy of your home. The idea of clients and suppliers turning up at your door on a Sunday morning when you’re swanning about in your pj’s is not the most appealing prospect.
In addition to this lack of privacy, using your home address may not offer the most professional image for your company. Choosing an alternate address at a reputable, well-known city centre location will give the impression that your company is larger than it is, it will add an element of prestige and give your business a bit of a ‘status’ boost. Who doesn’t want that?
Our Glasgow Registered Office service
Blue Square Offices can offer your company a prominent registered office address in the centre of Glasgow for £39.99 (plus VAT) per year. This service includes the forwarding of all statutory mail to any UK address of your choice. A supplementary annual charge of £15.00 will be applied for mail forwarding to an overseas address. You may also collect any mail in person at any time, should you wish to do so.
