Are you setting up your own company? This may have been a dream of yours for years, and it is finally becoming a reality. Indeed, this will be exciting, and you cannot wait to get all of the official business out of the way. For example, you will have to submit your registered office address. This is necessary for every company to have and where all of your official correspondence will go from HMRC, Companies House and other important organisations.
But, if you are just getting started, you might not have an official office yet. So, can you use your residential address as your company’s office? Let’s take a closer look at the answer and what you need to know.
Can You Use Your Home as Your Company’s Registered Office?
First of all, let’s answer the question straight away. Yes, you can use your residential address as your company’s registered office. This means that all of your official business correspondence will be posted to your home, as well as this address being listed online, such as on Companies House. So, the public is going to be able to view your residential address, and it will be associated with the company.
The real question is whether you want to use your residential address as your company’s registered address. You might feel like you have no other choice if you are running your business from home. But, this is not true. There are options out there, such as having a virtual office. Click on https://w1virtualoffice.com/registered-office-address-london/ if you want to learn more about having a virtual office and what the advantages are of using this as your registered business address.
Why Should You Avoid Using Your Residential Address for Your Business?
Therefore, nothing is stopping you from using your residential address for your company’s office address. This is something that is allowed and will be legal. But, there are some downsides you have to consider. Indeed, you should be cautious about using your residential address for your new company. Let’s take a look at why.
You Will Have No Privacy
When you use your home as the registered office address, everybody will know where you live. It is not just HMRC that can see this address. It is also going to be online on Companies House. Anyone can view this, and they will know where your company is based. Many people do not like this, and they feel like they have no privacy. If you think that this will bother you, it is best to go down a different road. This can give you peace of mind and nobody will know your home.
Always on Public Record
As we have mentioned, it will be public knowledge that your company is registered to a residential address. Indeed, if they know you are the owner of the company, they will also know that this is where your house is. They can look you up on Google Maps and even be able to drive past your home. Something you have to realise is that this information is always going to be on public record. Even if you change this address in the future, it can still be available on the internet. So, once you use your residential address, there is no going back.
Can Appear Unprofessional
You have to think about it from a customer’s point of view. If you see a company with a residential address, how does this look? Many would say this appears unprofessional and it could mean that they do not use your products or services. They do not know how experienced your company is since you do not have an impressive address. So, if you want to ensure you appear professional, you should consider the address people will be able to view. Many people will look you up. So, you want to ensure that the address looks professional and even prestigious.
Mail Can Get Mixed Up
Important mail is going to be sent to your registered office address. Indeed, if you are using your residential address for your business, this means that all of this correspondence will be received there. This could mean that your mail gets mixed up in your personal mail, leading to delays in response, which might end your company in trouble. So, this is another reason why you may not want to use your residential address for business purposes. It can lead to problems later down the line.
