How to find out who owns a company

Andyl66

Hello,
I recently purchased a car, then had problems with it, the people who sold it to me are not answering my calls or my letters, I now want to take them to a small claims court, but my problem is this.

The company is not listed on Companies House so I guess that they are a Sole Trader.

The court paperwork says:

"A sole trader is an individual and not an organisation. To enter a sole trader as a defendant, select ‘Individual’. In the ‘Surname’ box type their surname followed by either ‘T/A’ or ‘trading as’ and then their trading alias (you will also need to provide their forename / title in the relevant fields). "


Have tried Trading Standards but they say they cant help, tried CAB, but they had no idea, tired the Land Registry, but two names listed at the address, so still don't know if one or either of the names actually owns the company.

How do you find out who actually owns a company to take them to court?

Strider590

Ask around nearby (to the company) homes and businesses. Someone will know something.

arcon5

You got any paperwork?
You visited them in person?

Andyl66

They are new to the location, yes have a sales invoice, but does not give the name of who owns the company

AdrianC

Andyl66 wrote: »

The company is not listed on Companies House so I guess that they are a Sole Trader.

How do you find out who actually owns a company to take them to court?

It doesn't sound like there IS any company for anybody to own, so you bought the car from an individual - whether they used a trading name or not - and that's the person you need to be dealing with.

PlutoinCapricorn

Sole Traders may avoid forming companies because they do not want anyone to be able to find their details easily. However, they may need to advertise and give some information e.g. contact details out.

If you have been dealing with a Sole Trader, there is no company to be owned.

InsideInsurance

A company is a legal entity in its own right and is owned by its shareholders. If you have an issue with a company 99% of the time you issue against the company itself but in rare occasions it can be against an individual employee of the company.

A sole trader is not a company. There is no separate legal entity and thus there are no owners. The person at the top of the tree is also the legal entity you are contracting with etc.

All legal entities, natural or incorporated, are free to use trading names/ styles but all official documents like contracts should correctly identify the legal entity thats contracting. They can still have their big logo all over the place but somewhere it should state something like Bob Smith trading as (t/a) Cheap Cheap Cars. With the exception of some regulated industries like insurance there is no obligation to register your trading styles.


What do you have? What is the trading name and where are they based? Do you have an invoice or contract? Whats on it? Is there any other names/ brands? Any VAT registration number or such?

DoaM

Do they have a website?

jimjames

Andyl66 wrote: »

They are new to the location, yes have a sales invoice, but does not give the name of who owns the company

Can't you use the name on the sales invoice?

macman

So you bought the car from a individual but at no time used his name? What name is give on the bill of sale or receipt?
What name is given on the V5C as the previous registered keeper? It could have been Mr X's own vehicle for all you know.
Suggestion-why not get a friend to enquire about buying another vehicle from them and obtain a name that way?

Andyl66

HI,
Thanks for the replies.
I think that the title of the thread I used may have been incorrect and misleading.
After reading the replies, you are right, I don't believe there is a company, more likely and individual who just uses a trading name, and it is this individual that I need to find.
I have a sales invoice from them which lists a trading name, but not the name of any individual.
I have called them and visited them, but they will not tell me, tried using a friend to do the same but they had no luck in finding out either.

The name they are using is Noelt Car Sales and their web site is easy to find but I am not allowed to post is as a new user. They are based at 140-142 Holbrook Lane Coventry CV6 4BN

The address they have on the sales invoice is slightly different to that on the web site, the one on the sales invoice is 149 Roland Avenue Coventry CV6 4HS

Is there a way of finding the individual who uses this trading name, it needs to be correct as I need to use it on Court paperwork, and anything that is incorrect will be rejected by the Courts..

Thanks very much