Registering a company name
Registering a company name
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Discussion

thunderstruck

Original Poster:

8,879 posts

312 months

Tuesday 18th October 2005
quotequote all
I've done a search on the companies house website for the name I want to register (lets say as an example I want to call the business "Smith" ) .

There's already a "Smiths", a "Smiths Creations" and "Smith Software" (which is dissolved).

Are these too close to my name or can I still use "Smith"
becuase there is no exact match?

Ta

EDIT: Sorry mods this is prob better in the Business forum


>> Edited by thunderstruck on Tuesday 18th October 22:24

>> Edited by thunderstruck on Tuesday 18th October 22:24

2 Smokin Barrels

32,031 posts

265 months

Tuesday 18th October 2005
quotequote all
UKBob Ltd rejected on 29/09/05!

2 Smokin Barrels

32,031 posts

265 months

Tuesday 18th October 2005
quotequote all
I guess you submit a request & see if it's rejected.

(Or you make your limited company Goodcompany ltd, and then use a trading style)

You obviously don't want a similar name to a bunch of hoodlums!

Eric Mc

125,713 posts

295 months

Tuesday 18th October 2005
quotequote all
You could use a trade name (separate to the actual company name). The only restriction on trade names would arise if someone objected that your name might cause confusion to potential customers or suppliers. Calling yourself XYZ Ltd trading as Coca Cola would not be advisable, for instance.

srebbe64

13,021 posts

267 months

Tuesday 18th October 2005
quotequote all
You should be alright, providing there's no direct identical. Oddly enough, I registered a new company name today. I always get my accountant (auditor) to do it - because they do all the paperwork. They'll probably invoice me about fifty quid.

tinman0

18,231 posts

270 months

Wednesday 19th October 2005
quotequote all
how about Smithware Ltd?

srebbe64

13,021 posts

267 months

Wednesday 19th October 2005
quotequote all
Thundersmith?

tinman0

18,231 posts

270 months

Wednesday 19th October 2005
quotequote all
srebbe64 said:
You should be alright, providing there's no direct identical. Oddly enough, I registered a new company name today. I always get my accountant (auditor) to do it - because they do all the paperwork. They'll probably invoice me about fifty quid.


i did one on thursday as a vehicle to purchase another company. too long and complex to explain.

however, it was strange to see my original and main company with a reg no of 3.6m from 1998 or so and the new one with 5.59m.

srebbe64

13,021 posts

267 months

Wednesday 19th October 2005
quotequote all
tinman0 said:

srebbe64 said:
You should be alright, providing there's no direct identical. Oddly enough, I registered a new company name today. I always get my accountant (auditor) to do it - because they do all the paperwork. They'll probably invoice me about fifty quid.



i did one on thursday as a vehicle to purchase another company. too long and complex to explain.

however, it was strange to see my original and main company with a reg no of 3.6m from 1998 or so and the new one with 5.59m.


Aah, the proverbial "Newco" - seen many of them over the years!

tinman0

18,231 posts

270 months

Wednesday 19th October 2005
quotequote all
maybe its just me, but there is something very satisfying about having a ltd company that is about to enter its 8th year, especially as so many "fail" within their first 3 years.

don't get me wrong, there have been 7 tough years, and number 8 really will be hard work and probably the hardest of them all, but i still have small sense of satisfaction that despite all the odds in a market that doesn't favour small fish we are still going

srebbe64

13,021 posts

267 months

Wednesday 19th October 2005
quotequote all
Good on ya Tinman. You can't beat being your own master and controlling you own destiny!

ultimasimon

9,646 posts

288 months

Wednesday 19th October 2005
quotequote all
tinman0 said:
maybe its just me, but there is something very satisfying about having a ltd company that is about to enter its 8th year, especially as so many "fail" within their first 3 years.

don't get me wrong, there have been 7 tough years, and number 8 really will be hard work and probably the hardest of them all, but i still have small sense of satisfaction that despite all the odds in a market that doesn't favour small fish we are still going


Very true, statisticaly most Ltd companies are reportedly dissolved within the average three year period. Sadly a lot of those statistics are due to fraudulent directors that close owing lots and hide under their banner of limited fiscal responsibility, then re-open under another name only to do the same again.

Companies House is at last starting to wise up.

Back on topic, I opened Premier Security Ltd, my first company in 95' to trade in security systems. I then found that there already was a Premier Alarms and Cameras that was a Sole Trader, and only down the road to me. I rang the proprietor and asked if he objected to my ltd company name, which he obviously did. I asked him what his client base consisted of and he said it was all commercial. Once I assured him that my market sector was only domestic intruder alarms and cctv he had no problems with it. In fact it was a good ploy as we used to pass work back and forwards between ourselves when it was not our chosen speciality.

thunderstruck

Original Poster:

8,879 posts

312 months

Wednesday 19th October 2005
quotequote all
Thanks for the advice, I'll get in touch with Cos. House