Business address - options

start

Does anyone know how to get a business address for an online sales company without owning a home?
Have seen places where you can rent an address and a mailbox to use costing over £40 a month but don't know if this is a good option.
So need business address to get a vat number (meant UTR number!) that can be used to open a business bank account and to make Amazon and Ebay accounts to start selling and receiving the payments into a business account.
This is the plan but am stuck on how to do this all legally from the start and not sure who to ask so will try here hoping someone has gotten around the problem of no address before and can help?
Also basic help on opening a bank account and maybe pointers as to which bank to use for a new start up?
I assume a borrowing a few thousand is out of reach for a new start up so will not even bother affecting a credit score and asking.
Sole trader seems like the most obvious way of doing this rather than limited company.
Please help if you can.

Comms69

Why do you need a company, for such a small business?


Just be self employed?

phill99

You don't need a VAT number to open a business bank account.

start

Want to make Amazon and Ebay business pages but need a business address to make them with, and to make a bank account, and to have a returns address which it asks for when making an account. For mainly selling on Amazon, many different things.

HatAndScarf

start wrote: »

Does anyone know how to get a business address for an online sales company without owning a home?....

Use the address you currently reside at, especially as it only seems you requitre it with the intention to:
a) open a business bank account
b) register for VAT
c) create Amazon and Ebay accounts

HatAndScarf

start wrote: »

Want to make Amazon and Ebay business pages but need a business address to make them with, and to make a bank account, and to have a returns address which it asks for when making an account. For mainly selling on Amazon, many different things.

Where do you plan to run this business from?

Savvy_Sue

HatAndScarf wrote: »

Use the address you currently reside at, especially as it only seems you requitre it with the intention to:
a) open a business bank account
b) register for VAT
c) create Amazon and Ebay accounts

HatAndScarf wrote: »

Where do you plan to run this business from?

there may be two issues: one is that if the OP is in rented accommodation, their tenancy agreement may well say that they cannot run a business from home. If you're with a social landlord, they will sometimes give permission despite that, as long as there is no possibility of the business in question damaging the 'quiet enjoyment' of the neighbours - and having frequent or multiple deliveries may well be seen to do just that.

But the other reason I'm anticipating is that the OP is unwilling to give their home address for returns etc, lest angry customers come hammering on the door.

But yes, the obvious address to use is the one from which the business is actually being conducted! And if the OP anticipates that VAT registration will be necessary, then I'd say separate business premises would be a Very Good Idea, or the volume of deliveries etc may well annoy the neighbours.

start

Yes a combination of not having a long term address and not wanting to put someone else's home as a company address as this would not be an option.
Also having not done this before and knowing nobody who has registered or owns a business, it is a little hard to understand all at once and will take a few days to work out.
The virtual office address seems like a sensible option.
Now to find out if this would be ok to make the bank account, register the company for VAT and make an Amazon seller account and make use of their prime delivery programme.

HatAndScarf

start wrote: »

Yes a combination of not having a long term address and not wanting to put someone else's home as a company address as this would not be an option.

You say you don't want to put someone else's address (and with that I agree), so put your own address.
Why would that not be an option???

start wrote: »

Also having not done this before and knowing nobody who has registered or owns a business, it is a little hard to understand all at once and will take a few days to work out.
The virtual office address seems like a sensible option.

If that is your opinion, fine
But in my opinion it is not a sensible solution.
If you opt for using a [STRIKE]fake[/STRIKE] virtual address, count me out as a possible customer.
If you've something to hide, or hide from, I think there will be quite a few in joining me who will not wish to place their custom with you.

start wrote: »

Now to find out if this would be ok to make the bank account, register the company for VAT and make an Amazon seller account and make use of their prime delivery programme.

I doubt any of these will be too happy with a [STRIKE]fake[/STRIKE] virtual address either.
They will want to know where they can contact you.


e.g. when you apply for VAT registration, they will ask you for your business address, that is, the principal place where most of the day to day running of the business is carried out. (hence part of the reason why I asked you where you were planning on running the business from)
The use of, for example, someone else's address (e.g. an accountant), a PO Box or a 'care of'' address are not acceptable, and if HMRC become aware of this, your application will not be accepted.
Also, as the applicant, they(HMRC) will want to know your home address, and your previous home address if you are moving about regularly.

It's not good to lie to HMRC

smallbusiness123

I can see why you don't want to use your home address - I think it's fair enough. Lots of people have good reasons not to want their home address associated with their company.
When I set up my company, I used an address from Rapid Formations.
I really regret it now and wish I had not done so.
I used them to set up my company and then took one of their addresses for my registered address.
When I decided to move to another, much cheaper service, Rapid Formations actually posted my home address on the Companies House website. This was despite the fact that I'd already updated my registered address on there myself.
The only notification I got was a single line at the bottom of a marketing email asking me to renew my cancelled service, so I missed it.
I'm now faced with a bill of £110 to get the addresses removed and any privacy I needed has been lost as the process takes a long time.
I would avoid using Rapid Formations or similar services if you need your personal address to stay private.

Savvy_Sue

Let me get this clear OP. You want to sell things. Therefore you HAVE to have somewhere for deliveries to be made to, and you HAVE to be ready to receive returns, and you HAVE to have somewhere to prepare packages for sending out.

If you don't have a home address you can use for this, your only option, as I see it, is to rent business premises you can work from. But that's a risky strategy so early in your business plan.