tracyh started this topic @ 22:37 on 20/09/2005
Hi
I've been approached by a company who have offices in London, Manchester and Glasgow to become a partner - they say its so that they can use my address for other companies, which I guess keeps their real address secret.
My address is just a bog standard home address that I use for my virtual office, my business name and address is printed on all my stationery.
I think I'm being asked to use my address for other businesses who don't want their name or location identified - is this legal or am I asking for trouble - it's not as if I want folk turning up at my house with their business problems. Am I likely to run into trouble with local authorities for having x number of businesses using my address?
thanks
RE: Mail Forwarding - using my address
James Smith | 21/09/2005 11:26 AM
I think you have to ask the question of why they want to do this. There are literally thousands of virtual office addresses available, so why use yours?
Fundamentally to become a partner of the business (re perhaps you mean a director – partnership implies a share of the profits) will bring with it significant personal responsibilities in terms of ensuring the business is being correctly run. If the business is fraudulent you could end up being jointly and severally liable for everything. It is far from uncommon for a company to find a dupe to pick up the bill while the other directors resign and disappear with all the money. If you are genuinely suspicious of their motives you can file a "money laundering" report with the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) [which is confidential] or contact your trading standards office.
Regards,
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James Smith
Chartered Accountant
www.jamesesmith.co.uk
01235 536 773
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Your indispensable guide to Small Business Bookkeeping, Self-Assessment & VAT
RE: Mail Forwarding - using my address
virtuallysorted | 21/09/2005 04:12 PM
Hi Tracy
We offer Virtual Offices for our clients from our own office base in Glasgow.
I always insist that we have a verified contact address for the client - you don't need to be militant about this, it could be as simple as sending your contract to the address they give you & making sure it reaches them.
The other consideration is whether your client is a registered company - there are laws about publicly displaying the registered company's name outside the premises.
The other thing is to be very clear about to your client that you are simply the Virtual Office. If anyone asks for their contacts you should be allowed to give them out.
I'd be slightly careful about letting them use your home address simply because it could affect your credit rating. I don't have this problem as I work from an office, but I'd be very wary about this. Could you use a virtual office / PO Box yourself?
Caroline
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Caroline Melville
www.VirtuallySorted.com">href="http://www.VirtuallySorted.com">www.VirtuallySorted.com
www.SocietyOfVirtualAssistants.co.uk
RE: RE: Mail Forwarding - using my address
tracyh | 03/10/2005 10:42 PM
I sent them my requirements as per your email and guess what - I haven't heard a thing back.
Good job I did some research.
Thanks for your advice
T
