Setting up a company? Tips to protect your personal information
It's a great time to be setting up a company, with many new business owners taking on the challenge of creating their own company from the comfort of their very own home.
If you're setting up a company from home, think about how much (or how little) information you want to include in the official public records. Your name, address and phone number will be publically available online on Companies House and the Trade Mark register for example, and also on domain name registers too.
This means that criminals might be able to use this information for fraud and identity theft purposes if it's not protected.
What should you do?
Tip: Make use of a Virtual Office
When incorporating your business, it is perfectly legal to protect your home address by using the services of a Virtual Registered Office, Companies House will even advise you during the registration process that it’s an option!
These organisations allow you to register your business at their address. Worried about post? They include a service to forward to email your post to you. Services can typically cost around £50 for a whole year and you can select an address from a whole list of big city, high profile locations, a cost effective solution for immense peace of mind.
Use this new address to:
Register your company
Trade Mark your business logo
Register your website .co.uk domain name (alternatively, choose .com so you don’t have to register at all)
Include it on your website
Include it on your business email signatures
All of the above require a business address as a legal requirement so if you can’t find an alternative to a virtual office you can already see how exposed your home address can be.
If you're just starting out on your own and setting up a company, there's no need to panic about creating a new identity or worrying about fraud. You can take some simple steps to protect yourself from identity theft and keep your personal information safe.
By using a Virtual Registered Office, you'll be able to set up your business without fear of someone stealing your identity, giving you peace of mind to focus on what matters most: Your business.
Disclaimer: Nothing posted on this website is actual legal advice. Always do your own research and get a professional legal and/or financial opinion.