How do I get a PO Box address?

[Baby A]

Hi,

I have just set up a new business, but am working from home for the time being. I obviously dont want to give my personal address out for secruity reasons, also as it doesnt look professional.

Someone mentioned that I can get a PO Box address assigned to my home address? Does anyone know the ins and out?

Thanks
Baby A

[stamford]

Originally Posted by Baby A

Hi,

I have just set up a new business, but am working from home for the time being. I obviously dont want to give my personal address out for secruity reasons, also as it doesnt look professional.

Someone mentioned that I can get a PO Box address assigned to my home address? Does anyone know the ins and out?

Thanks
Baby A

I've run my business from home for 10 plus years using a P O Box Number costs £54 per year and I collect my mail each day from the local sorting office - it costs more if you want them to deliver it to your home. Not sure where you get the form to apply for one try your sorting office or the Royal Mail website. Your P O Box must be from the same delivery office that delivers your home mail ie you can't live in Brighton and have P O Box 50 in Portsmouth. Also forget about any ideas of using it to hide your real address - anyone can request from the Royal Mail the name and address of the person who has the P O Box - quite rightly so in my opinion. I don't know what the set up is with these private companies doing an address service there is one in my town called Mail Boxes etc some sort of franchise operation but I'm quite happy with the service I get from the Royal Mail

[kenshaz]

Originally Posted by stamford

I've run my business from home for 10 plus years using a P O Box Number costs £54 per year and I collect my mail each day from the local sorting office - it costs more if you want them to deliver it to your home. Not sure where you get the form to apply for one try your sorting office or the Royal Mail website. Your P O Box must be from the same delivery office that delivers your home mail ie you can't live in Brighton and have P O Box 50 in Portsmouth. Also forget about any ideas of using it to hide your real address - anyone can request from the Royal Mail the name and address of the person who has the P O Box - quite rightly so in my opinion. I don't know what the set up is with these private companies doing an address service there is one in my town called Mail Boxes etc some sort of franchise operation but I'm quite happy with the service I get from the Royal Mail

Why hide behind a PO box,what are you afraid of,I recently had dealings with a website that had a PO box and a call centre agency for receipt of orders via email,they did not deliver my goods,how do I contact the individual,no telephone address ,just an email

[stamford]

Originally Posted by kenshaz

Why hide behind a PO box,what are you afraid of,I recently had dealings with a website that had a PO box and a call centre agency for receipt of orders via email,they did not deliver my goods,how do I contact the individual,no telephone address ,just an email

Didn't you read this ?

"anyone can request from the Royal Mail the name and address of the person who has the P O Box - quite rightly so in my opinion."

Find out the address, send them a recorded delivery letter threatening small claims court action. If they are a Ltd company you can get their registered office address from Companies House website

[kenshaz]

Thanks,taken in good spirit

[Roxie]

PO box details here:

http://www.postoffice.co.uk/portal/p...diaId=25700675

[Astaroth]

To be perfectly honest I think that a PO Box address looks a lot more unprofessional than a full address that happens to be a residential address. There certainly was a backlash against PO Box address a few years ago where many "MSE" type websites/ magazine articals etc said to avoid any company which is hiding behind a PO Box.

The other consideration is on the ecommerce side of things... I know that any online seller must list a contact address and I have a feeling this cannot be a po box but you would need to check that out with your solicitor.

[ukbill69]

PO box is good for shortening your address. With PO boxes they are great when you give your address out because all you need to give is.

PO BOX 10
London
EC1V 7RB

Insted of spelling to the customer over the phone

123 My Hard To Spell Street Name
The Road Round The Corner
London
EC1V 7UH

It costs £54 to get a PO box per year and delivery of your mail everyday costs an extra £54 per year.

Also just though it is good if you move address, becuase you can direct your mail when you like with one phone call and without hassile.

[stamford]

Originally Posted by Astaroth

To be perfectly honest I think that a PO Box address looks a lot more unprofessional than a full address that happens to be a residential address. There certainly was a backlash against PO Box address a few years ago where many "MSE" type websites/ magazine articals etc said to avoid any company which is hiding behind a PO Box.

The other consideration is on the ecommerce side of things... I know that any online seller must list a contact address and I have a feeling this cannot be a po box but you would need to check that out with your solicitor.

So if you had a choice of sending a £10 cheque for a DVD which one of these operations would you send it to :-

Stevie Scally Sounds, Basement Flat, 59a Bash Street, Toxteth, Liverpool, L5 2PJ

or

Premier Discs Ltd, P.O.Box 2020, Liverpool, L1 3AA

[Astaroth]

This is where being creative with your address comes in... I ran my business from Unit 1L, 106 Annfield Road for 3 years rather than saying First Floor Left Flat, 106 Annfield Road and to the best of my knowledge never had any mail that wasnt delivered to me (which is saying something!!)

If it is a company like Tesco/ RBS/ John Lewis than I would accept sending it to a PO Box, if it was an unknown then I probably would prefer to send it to basement flat to PO Box... at least then I know both "where they live" and that they are being open and honest... I am aware that with a PO Box direct from Royal Mail then you can trace the details of the owner but there are other companies out there that will register it in their name on your behalf and so PO Boxes still stink of secrets to me for unknown brands.

[Caca]

The reason that I would want to *hide* behind a PO Box address is that I want to write to prisoners who other wise receive no mail. Some of the prisoners have committed violent crimes. I wouldn't be happy at the idea that they could simply ask for my address and then come and find where I live.
For this reason I would appreciate TOTAL privacy

[marybishop]

You can request that Royal Mail do not give out your details to Joe Public but you have to have a letter from the police giving the reason why your address has to be kept secret. It will still be given out to statutory bodies.

Limited companies are not allowed to have a PO Box number as their registered address.

[Savvy_Sue]

Originally Posted by Caca

The reason that I would want to *hide* behind a PO Box address is that I want to write to prisoners who other wise receive no mail. Some of the prisoners have committed violent crimes. I wouldn't be happy at the idea that they could simply ask for my address and then come and find where I live.
For this reason I would appreciate TOTAL privacy

But surely you're doing that through an intermediary, perhaps a charity, and they will have means of protecting your privacy? :confused:

[hummy]

rather than getting an actual PO Box address you might want to look into getting a virtual mailbox, which would overcome the issue of the PO Box address as it looks like a proper address. For example, i rent a mailbox at my local Mailboxes Etc shop and i simply incorporate the box no as a unit no...so box 25 become Unit 25, 42 High Street.....etc etc...

Looks like a private address, hides your real address and i just pop into the store (which does also provide 24 hour access) and take my mail from the box when there is any.

I've used it quite a lot and works a treat.

[martyw]

The main problem I found with a Royal Mail PO Box was that it is very much tied to the delivery region of the sorting office. I moved home - a few hundred metres - but it put me over an invisible boundary and when I advised Royal Mail of the change of home address they promptly cancelled my box, and insisted I could only apply for a new one at a different sorting office a couple of miles away! I went to MBE instead.

[GROUCH MONSTER]

Hi

I run a web business and list my home address, but I was advised to get a P.O BOX number, as my website lists stock levels and thieves could see where I lived and exactly how much stock I had at the address!

I have not got one as yet, but I could see their point

[Tea3]

Ages ago I asked Trading Standards to look over my website terms and conditions etc to check I was complying fully legally with DSR etc (paranoid little person I am lol), at the time I did not have a PO box but had mentioned it to Trading Standards that I was thinking of getting one and they said it was a big no-no. Apparently you have to have a full and complete contact address on your website if you are taking money in advance for goods i.e. customers order and pay online or orders and send you a cheque etc, and that a po box was not acceptable as it puts buyers at risk of fraud etc and does not give a geographical address to the buyer.

Found this on another website which may help:
"The address you give on an e-commerce web site doesn't have to be an "official trading address"; it must be "the geographical address of the place of business of the supplier to which the consumer may address any complaints." If you wish to use (e.g.) a mailbox service, this will suffice. PO Boxes as supplied by Royal Mail aren't geographical addresses, but it does not have to be an address you actually trade from, merely one at which you will accept written complaints."

Also on a side note - if you are storing stock at home please check with your insurers that this is ok. Mines said a few years back that even if I did not want the stock insured, the very fact it was in the house meant my insurance was invalid and any claim for any reason could have been rejected. Better safe than sorry.

[harryturner]

instead of using a PO Box for my company, i use a similar, but better service, through Mail Boxes Etc.

your company address could read something like

ABC Company
Suite 123
(Main City Road)
(Major City)
(Postcode)

it's more of a 'proper' address and they operate out of most main cities, so you get a prestigious address for your business. you can have the address as your registered office too.

they sign for parcels and you get 24hr access to your mail. really good and would well recommmend it for a small or bigger businesses wanting a quality address.

[pcfixmanchester]

I personally am always suspicious of PO Boxes, and with Google Earth and Street View I can tell if a business is run from home / a small office or using one of those MailBox type companies. If they using a MailBox type company I will always ring and ask for the real address before risking any money.
Also remember that when you have website your potential customers can see the address used when you purchased your domains.
Just my opinion, but dont forget you cant hide from Google Maps anymore !! ;-)

Cheers

Andy

[bikerchris]

Hi all,

This is handy as I was just about to start up a 'mini' company, what do you think of this?:

I've just created a website that advertises my technical drawing services (New Build, Extensions, etc.) as well as surveying (building and site). I've nearly got the website completed and although I have a contact form, I would like to put a postal address on there too. Because I have no more equipment in my flat than an average home user would (in fact less as I don't have a TV!), I don't think there are security issues.

I also do computer assistance for a small group of customers, I'm doing a website for that too. I don't have 'that' much stock, just cables and really old PC testing towers really.

I just wonder what would look suitable for me (i.e. real address, post office, MBE, etc.), when you consider I go out and do my job, return home to do a bit more and then post it to the client/local authority THEN I get paid? So far as the computer side, I go out and do the job BEFORE i get paid.

All thoughts welcome on either.

I really like Astaroth's idea of say "Unit 1" instead of "Flat 1", although I'm not sure anyone would believe that I did my drawing work in a warehouse!

Cheers,
Chris