When you decide to register a private limited company, you will be required to incorporate with Companies House, the Registrar of Companies in the UK. There are three jurisdictions for UK registered companies – England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. If you form your company in Scotland, you are legally required to have a Scottish registered office at all times. Each jurisdiction is governed by a different court system, so any legal proceedings your company may be involved in must be handled by the relevant court.
You can use your home address, however…
Your Scottish registered office address cannot be a PO Box Number. It must be a physical postal address. You may use your residential address for this purpose, provided it is in Scotland, but it will be placed on the public register. Because of this, many small business owners prefer to use an alternate address, thus protecting the privacy of their home. A suitable alternate address could be your company’s solicitor or accountant, or you may choose a registered office service which is widely available from many third-party companies specialising in address services.
Benefits ofa registered office service
Using a registered office that is not your home address can also add an element of prestige and professionalism to your business image. Many individuals and companies feel more confident dealing with a company that has a distinguished registered address so it can be advantageous to give considerable thought to the address you will use.
Your registered office will be the official address of your company. All statutory mail from Companies House and HMRC will be sent to this address, in addition to any legal notices and any other official correspondence. You are not required to conduct any business from this address, nor do you require visiting the premises.
Our Glasgow Registered Office service
Blue Square Offices can provide you with a prominent city centre registered office in Glasgow for £39.99 (plus VAT) per year. This service includes the forwarding of all mail from HMRC and Companies House to a UK address of your choice. If the forwarding address is overseas, a supplementary annual charge of £15.00 plus VAT will be applied.
