Using a Limited company name as a sole trader

LoveDurian

[I'm not sure which section to place this post]
I'm starting a business. Because it's new I've been advised that it's not worth being a limited company until I've crossed a certain tax threshold (I believe a gross income of around £52k). However, someone suggested to me that I should still register my company name with Companies House so that the Limited name is not taken by someone else in the meantime. But can i register a limited company but not trade as a limited company (dormant) but still use the same name in my sole trader business?

oldbikebloke

yes you can, read this 
https://www.thecompanywarehouse.co.uk/sole-trader-business-names

but having said that, you must never use a trading name that ends in the words Ltd or Limited as then you are passing yourself off as the company, for example, you can't be Dorian trading as trading name Ltd

jonesMUFCforever

Why would it matter if someone else takes the name? Just get a similar one.
Setting up a Ltd Company will cost you - what for??

Pennywise

jonesMUFCforever said:

Why would it matter if someone else takes the name? Just get a similar one.
Setting up a Ltd Company will cost you - what for??

£12 to form it and £13 per year for the annual confirmation statement filing.  Very cheap for the comfort of knowing your trading name is protected should you wish to convert to a limited company later.

pelirocco

Its a very solid  idea ,lots of ltd companies will set up other ltd companies  and have them lay dorment for the same  reason 

nick74

It is quite common. I used to have a client who had about 15 dormant companies, all to protect various trading names which he didn't want anyone else to get their hands on. In his case most of them were such odd/obscure names that I often wondered why anyone would ever have bothered. It seemed to give him some comfort though! 

LoveDurian

Thanks all. Very helpful :-) 

unholyangel

Bear in mind OP's question was whether he can use the name of the limited company as a sole trader - the answer to that question is no. If you use the limited company name to trade then you are trading as the limited company.