Your company’s registered office address must be in the same part of the UK that the company was incorporated – England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. You cannot change from one jurisdiction to another.

It also must be a physical address and not a PO Box. You can only use a PO Box address if you also provide the full address (including post code) of the physical building.

So where should you choose to register your company office?

In return for the benefits of limited liability, your business must remain open and transparent to the public. This means that when you register your business on the public register you must be prepared for this information, along with your details as a Director to be shared worldwide for free online.

Many businesses use their home or trading addresses, but as this information would then be publicly available, you may choose to register your company at a separate registered office address elsewhere, like your accountants registered address.

With this in mind, we look at the benefit you would receive by using your accountant’s head office as your company’s registered office address.

Advantages of using your Accountant as your Registered Office Address

Using your accountant’s head office as your Limited Company’s registered office address is very common, and there are certain advantages gained by doing so.

The main benefit is that your accountant can manage all routine correspondence that comes in for your company.

HMRC Correspondence

For HMRC, your registered address will be the address to which they send filing notices, reminders, penalties, and so on so it would be quicker and easier for you to let your accountant deal with the communication from HMRC on your behalf to save an interruption to the day to day running of your company.

Also, as specific tax correspondences have expiry dates and completion deadlines, having an accountant intercept these on your behalf helps with getting information and payment notifications on time.

 
Privacy

Another reason for opting to use an accountant’s registered address is to shield your residential address from public view.

Although when setting up a Limited Company, Companies House require details of the Director’s correspondence address, the registered office address is the only address that is made available publicly.  Having your accountant’s address made visible would prevent anyone from knowing where you live by using your company information.

SAIL records can also be kept at your accountant’s address in case a member of the public or a representative of another company or an official agency wishes to inspect your company’s statutory records.

Company Credibility

Another consideration is the image your company will project if it is a home-based business. There is nothing wrong with having a home-based business however, the credibility of an accountant’s office address will show potential customers and suppliers you are serious about your business, and prospects cannot make any pre-judgements about your work or pricing structure based on a Google Street View of your home address.

How much does it cost for a Registered address service at GGM?

At GGM we charge a (tax deductible) fee of just £150 per year to use our Registered Address Service for your Limited Company. 

Our service fee covers all the required changes needed at Companies House, filing of all paperwork, and updating HMRC - as well as ensuring our clients can enjoy the benefits of running a successful business without the hassle of unwanted administration.

We will review all correspondence received from both HMRC and Companies House, saving you from the risk of fines and penalties for failing to file those key statutory documents, and we will also forward all your business mail to you.

Choosing GGM

If you’d like any further information about whether it would be beneficial to your business to use GGM as your Limited Company’s registered address, please contact our team on 01733 247 500 or email us at admin@ggmaccountancy.co.uk