Last Updated on April 24, 2025 by BusinAssist Editorial Team
Every company registered in the United Kingdom must have a registered office address. According to the Companies Act 2006, every registered company, limited or LLP, must have a registered office address in the same jurisdiction as the company registration. If your company is registered in Scotland, your registered office address should be in Scotland.
UK Registered office addresses are available in the public record for transparency purposes; however, people may take advantage of your business address and use it for fraudulent activities. Some people may use your address without knowing it, but others may use it to conduct illegal activities, which will ruin the reputation of your business.
Someone has registered a company at my address in the UK; what do I do? Here is a guide to help you know how to approach this situation and protect your address from unauthorised use.
How would I know if someone has registered a company at my address?
When someone registers their company at your address, it may be hard for you to know at first until you start receiving mail at your company’s registered office address, but with a different company name, you have never heard of.
You may also receive calls from customers asking or complaining about a service or product your company do not offer.
Additionally, you will also start receiving parcels and packages addressed to your business address that you did not order or ask for.
These circumstances will help you know that another company is using your registered office address. To understand this, you can do an address search on the Companies House website with the company name or registration number if you have it. This will help you get information about the company, such as the name of the directors, their status, and other details.
Google Search will also help you find the company, its location, and its contact details. With these details, you can contact the company, and if they do not pick up any calls, you can go to where they are located and confront them. You can also notify Companies House to put the address on default.
Why would someone register a company at my address?
There are many reasons why a company may register at your address; some may do it mistakenly, while others may do it to conduct fraudulent activities.
Tax evasion: Companies may use your registered office address in UK to evade paying taxes. They will operate and hide from His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC) behind your business.
Illegal activities: Companies may use your registered office address to conduct illegal activities such as money laundering, financing of terrorism, corruption, drug trafficking, or even fraud.
Error: Companies may register your address by mistake. While filling out the UK company formation form, the business owner may input incorrect information, but to clarify, you should contact the company to know if they did it intentionally or mistakenly.
What to do when someone registers their company at my address?
Contact the company:
By doing a company or address search, you may come across the company’s contact details, either phone numbers or email addresses, that will help you contact them. You can request that they remove the address from their files, social media platforms, and the Companies House register.
In case the company fails to respond to either your calls or emails, or even if you continue getting their mail and posts at our address, you can use a local council or a lawyer to help you approach the issue.
Notify the police:
If contacting the company and using a local council or a lawyer is not helping, notify the police about the incident. Time is of the essence, so ensure you report the incident as soon as you are aware that someone is using your address and does not want to rectify the situation.
Ensure you have proof that your company address is being misused. Proof can be the mail, parcels, or calls you receive at your company, directed to them. Once you report the incident, you will receive a crime reference number, which you will use when presenting the matter to Companies House, other agencies, or even the insurers.
Report to Trading Standards:
You can report the address misuse to Trading Standards by contacting Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133. You can explain to them how your address is being misused by providing your full address and any details of the company using your address fraudulently. Include their name, contact information, location, and anything useful to help in your report.
You can also include proof, such as the mail and parcels you receive at your address that belong to the other company. These documents will help strengthen your claim, and the issue will be resolved.
Notify Companies House:
You can notify Companies House to remove the address used by the company. You can use the reference number to show that you reported the incident to the police and the proof that you have.
For the removal of the company’s address, you will have to complete Form RPO7 if you have a limited company and Form LLRPO7 if you have a limited liability partnership (LLP). If, in any case, the address is being used by the directors of the company, you will have to fill out Form ADO1 and CHO1.
The proof of address misuse can be attached to these forms when submitting them to Companies House. You should also attach evidence that you have the right to use the address and not the other company. The evidence can be the Certificate of Incorporation or the address sent to you by your service provider if you use a virtual address from a company formation agent.
All these forms can be submitted online on the Companies House website, which is fast and effective. If you choose to submit by post, this may take a long time.
If unauthorised use is detected by Companies House, the address will be corrected, but the address will still be seen under the filing history. If you want the address to be permanently removed, you can obtain a court order, which can be costly for the person whose address is being used.
How to stop someone from registering their company at your address
Choose a legitimate service provider:
If you are using a UK company formation agent to get a UK virtual address or to register your business, ensure you choose a service provider who is legitimate and reliable. Some providers may give you an address that is being used by another business whose registration status is active.
Service providers like BusinAssist offer a unique business address and office number. This makes it unique for your business as it continues its operations. As long as your company registration status is active, the address will only be used by your company.
Monitor our credit:
Unauthorised use of a company’s address may lead to the use of personal information, such as credit information, to commit fraud. Ensure you monitor your credit account reports to ensure that you are the only one who has access to them.
Some services offer credit monitoring services that will alert you once there are fraudulent activities detected with your credit accounts.
Secure your posts:
One way you can know that your company address is being used without your consent is by receiving mail and parcels from another company at your premises or address. This means that the other company has access to your mail and posts, which can be dangerous for sensitive information about your company.
To ensure privacy, you can use a company formation’s mail handling services or set up a mailbox with a lock. Ensure the people who have access to your mailing address are trustworthy.
Conclusion
Someone has registered a company at my address in the UK; what to do? In summary, ensure you inform Companies House, the police, and Trading Standards of the unauthorised use of your company’s address. Always be vigilant to ensure that your company’s address is not misused, whether mistakenly or fraudulently.
UK Company formation agent BusinAssist is secure and reliable to ensure that your address is only used by your company. We keep track of your address, and if we detect any unauthorised use of your address, we will inform you.
For more information on our UK registered office address, contact us at [email protected].
Read Also:
- Registered Office Address in London, UK: A Guide for Your Business Needs
- Updates: Changes in Companies House Requirements for a Registered Office Address
- Can a Virtual Office Address Be Used as a Registered Office Address?
- Northern Ireland: The Strategic Virtual Office Hub for UK and EU Businesses
- Understanding Your Rights: What to Do If Your Employer Doesn’t Issue a P45
- Can HMRC Access Your Bank Account? What Every Taxpayer Should Know
- What is a Tax Office Reference Number and How Can I Find It?
- A Step-by-Step Guide to Resign as a Director of a Limited Company
The BusinAssist Editorial Team has 15+ years of experience writing about small business and company formation in the UK, Canada, and the USA. We simplify complex processes and provide practical insights to help entrepreneurs succeed. Business Assist with BusinAssist – your partner for business success.