When you register your company with Companies House, you’ll need to provide a registered office address. This must be a physical address in the UK where official company documents can be sent, and is publicly listed on the online register. There are some rules on exactly what address can and can’t be used, but in answer to the question ‘Does HMRC accept virtual addresses?’, yes they do.
Companies House recognise that having personal addresses listed on the online register is not ideal for everyone. In fact, they suggest utilising someone else’s address - sometimes an accountant, solicitor. Virtual addresses are a totally legal alternative to using an accountant or solicitor’s address for your business. There’s lots of factors to consider before making your decision on which address to use.
Companies House requirements for addresses
Companies House share some important advice to consider before choosing your business address. Firstly, it’s essential that your address is a physical address in the UK, and in the same country your company is registered in. If you’re thinking about using a virtual address service, make sure they offer physical addresses in the UK. Otherwise, your new company could face being struck off the Companies House register before you’ve even started trading.
Your address must also be considered ‘appropriate’. By this, the government means you have permission to use the address, will be able to access mail delivered and will be notified whenever you receive new post. For those looking at virtual addresses, it is vital they meet these criteria.
What is a company address for?
Aside from the Companies House requirements, you might like to consider how you will be using your company address. Of course, you’ll be using it to receive official Companies House letters, but you might also want to use the address for communicating with customers, accept returns as a seller, or even use it as a full virtual office.
Whichever way you’re going to use it, choosing a provider that allows you to access your mail from wherever you are, whenever you need, is vital. UK Postbox’s platform allows you to do all of this and more.
Cost of virtual business addresses
Watching costs closely is all part of running a business. Your address should be part of that. Prestigious London addresses can cost thousands a month in rent, whereas a virtual London business address could cost as little as £15 per month.
Don’t be fooled by accountants who throw in using their address as part of their accounting services. You may not receive post quickly, may face issues if customers use the address to try and contact you and will not have access to your mail as easily as with a dedicated business address.
UK Postbox’s virtual business addresses have fully transparent pricing with flexible rates. Starting at just £10 per month, you can sign up for a virtual address easily on our website.
How to choose a virtual address
As market leaders in the virtual address world, we know what makes a good one. There are a few factors to consider before signing up.
- Levels of service
You’ll need to be able to access your post whenever and wherever you are. Picking a virtual address service that has an online platform that enables this is essential. Our team work tirelessly to ensure your post is opened, scanned, forwarded and securely stored as quickly as possible. - Professional image
If you’re looking to use your new address publicly, you might want to choose an address that suits your business. As an example, we offer virtual addresses across the UK, including in prestigious locations such as Poole, Dorset and Regent St, London. - Privacy
Your privacy is a priority to your business. UK Postbox’s service keeps this at the forefront of everything we do. We can either scan and send your post through our market leading online platform, or deliver unopened mail directly to your door. - Scalability
Your business should grow, and the service providers you use should grow with you. Our platform can integrate directly to cloud providers like Dropbox, meaning as you build systems and processes, your post will continue to be delivered uninterrupted.
Final thoughts
When you register your business, you must have a registered office address. For some, this will be the business premises or office, but for many a virtual address service will be necessary. Although there are numerous suppliers in the market for this, UK Postbox are market leaders for a reason. From our above industry standard security, to our outstanding customer service, it’s easy to see why our customers are so happy.
If you’re ready to register your new business address, take a look at the options we have available and sign up online.
