Sole Traders

[agent_44]

I find it a bit annoying that as a Sole Trader I can't register or protect my business name! I have been told by companies house that unless I am prepared to become a ltd company (which I am not, lol!) that anyone can legally use and register my business name. Annoying :N:

[bustagasket]

typical bureaucracy

[Jayne]

Yeah, I was told that when I set up as a sole trader as well. The surprising thing is to google your prospective business name and see how many people are using it already! I have made sure (as sure as I can) that there is noone out there using the name who is in a similar line of business (jewellery, gifts, metalwork etc) and that it isn't already a Ltd company, so that hopefully should I want to register in the future it will be okay and to make sure that I'm not treading on anyone else's toes!
I did almost spend £65 registering the name with a business name register........but realised in the nick of time that it was a bit of a sham [-X
I guess the retail community in this country has evolved from a face-to-face town/city scenario where every town had a 'Smiths' and a 'Jones' (and no one could confuse them with other business' of similar names because it only related to a bricks & mortar shop); to one global village where as a result of mail order & the net everyone knows about everyone! Not enough business names to go around!!
J x

[agent_44]

I've been told that apparently a Sole Trader could actually register their name with companies house, I wish this was the case now!

Yeah I have done all the checks etc, although failed to spot an american jewellery company with practically the same name, just the american spelling of jewellery, but it was too late by the time I realised, d'oh!

[Lindyloo]

Does that not make an argument for using your own name to market your own designer jewellery?

[agent_44]

Probably, but I didn't want to for mine somehow it sounds like a gobful when you say it in that context, I really wouldn't liek to use it fo rmy jewellery!

[ben b]

I think im right in saying you can patent your brand, and make it copyright, which is not the same as registering it as a company, but is a patent. Then no one could use it as a company name, i think?

[freeride]

When choosing a company name register the best domains and keep hold of them. Do some research on preferred domains.

That way if someone does take the same name you can make some money out of it by selling the names back.

If they don't cough up you should get some income of their marketing when people type the wrong site name in.

[Lisa Quinn]

This may sound odd, but why not just become a limited company? There are many tax breaks for companies and being able to carry forward losses to the next tax year is a huge bonus for start up businesses? Of course the best method of trading should always be judged on a case by case basis, but limited companies are not difficult to set up and can save you lots of dosh when the circumstances are right.

[Carl Martin]

Does that not make an argument for using your own name to market your own designer jewellery?

Very true and one of the reasons I di when I started . On the subject of sole trader - I've gone down the route of having a Limited Company, I'm also VAT registered for that matter.

[kymbi]

This may sound odd, but why not just become a limited company? ... limited companies are not difficult to set up and can save you lots of dosh when the circumstances are right.

Limited companies involve a lot more paperwork than sole traders, with the annual returns, statutory accounts and corporation tax. I'm a sole trader but my DH has a limited company and I'm the company secretary doing all the paperwork...I must have pulled a short straw along the line somewhere!