We run 2 seperate businesses I.e. although they are both in the hosting sector, one is targetted at hosts themselves, one at retail customers.

I'm based in the UK and we have a limited company registered that looks after both businesses. Is it legally required to quote our registration number on our sites and if not, do you see any pros or cons to doing so?

I see it as a pro, shows some level of seriousness about the business, i.e. its legal, we've gone to the effort of setting up the business properly and are paying the corresponding taxes..

Any thoughts?

{edit} Sorry I had 2 windows open.. can someone move this to Running a hosting business?{edit} apologies..

I don't think there is a legal requirement to show your co. number on a website.

There is a legal requirement to show it and your full company name on your company letterheads. Maybe that is where this idea came from.

Putting it on the websites somewhere is generally a good idea. Just ads a little credibility. VAT registration number (when you get one) might also help. Serious business customers may want these numbers to run a credit check on you.

Andrew

Its more of an image thing to display that number on your website, quite a few 'big' businesses do it. However, I think you DO have to display that number on the invoices you send out, etc. We are converting from a sole trader into a limited company in January.

Where I'm at there is no legal requirement to show you full company name and Company Registration Number.

On our site we have our full company name but no Company Registration Number.
we have the company registration number on our letterheads, name cards and invoices.

Thanks for the comments (although I'll be smiling a lot more, and probably posting a lot less when we are required to register for VAT).

I think we'll add it to the site, if only to indicate that we are serious about our business and willing to go the extra mile.

Ill be putting our registration up when it comes through. :)

ok, you're a uk company, so your registered @ companies house [for the non-uk readers, youare *NOT* a company in the uk unless you are regsitered with CH and comply with the Companies Act] , so you're subject to the rules/laws of the CA85 etc

this says you *must* put your regsitered office, registration number and place of regsitration on ALL documents whihc includes those produced electronically - i.e. websites
peopel are entitled to turn up at that address and see your records, company register, etc

you are also in the EU, and company or otherwise , you are subject to the distance selling laws which state that you *must * clearly indictae your true location and provide accurate contact information. Simply put you have to show on your site an address that they can post stuff to, and a number they *can* contact someone on. Fax, v-mail, im details are good too, but cant be at the expense of the address & phone no

if you're trading as separate entities although the same company, you shoudl state that its the company trading as (t/a will do) as well, and if it were us we'd keep separate accounts for them both too.

2 things ...

1] Good contact information, even if you're a "firm" not a company will make the clients trust you more and gives them a way of contacting you when needed. It has suprised me how many ppl come back after a year and say something like "nearly bought a domain from you but went for x and want to move it can you help, looked at a,b and c and you're the only one who we coudl catually call" because we provided a phone no on the site

2] surely your accountant/business advisor shoudl have told you all this ;)

Interestingly enough our business advisor only told us about paper based material, there was no indication that the registration number should be on our site.

Thanks for all the info, it appears we arent getting the best advice

from
http://ws4.companieshouse.gov.uk/notes/gbf1.html

Publication of company name and details to be shown on company stationery

Under the Companies Act 1985 your company must state its name (as it appears in its memorandum of association) in certain places and on its business stationery. Your company must also give certain information on all its business letters and order forms.

1. Where must the company name be displayed?

Every company must paint or affix its name on the outside of every office or place in which its business is carried on - even if it is a director's home. The name must be kept painted or affixed and it must be both conspicuous and legible.

2. On which documents must the company name be shown?

The company must state its name, in legible lettering, on the following:

all the company's business letters;


all its notices and other official publications;


all bills of exchange, promissory notes, endorsements, cheques and orders for money or goods purporting to besigned by, or on behalf of, the company;


all its bills of parcels, invoices, receipts and letters of credit.
3. Must the company show any other details?

Yes. On all its business letters and order forms the company must show in legible lettering:

Its place of registration and its registered number. The place of registration must be one of the following, as appropriate:
For companies registered
in England and Wales: For companies registered
in Scotland:


Registered in Cardiff Registered in Scotland
Registered in England and Wales Registered in Edinburgh
Registered in England
Registered in London
Registered in Wales


The address of the registered office. If a business letter or order form mentions more than one address, it is recommended that you state which is the registered office address.
4. Must directors' names be shown?

A company does not have to state the directors' names on its business letters but, if it chooses to do so it must state the names of all its directors. In other words a company cannot be selective about which directors' names it shows - it must show all of them or none of them.

5. Must anything else be shown?

Certain categories of company must also state the following additional information on their business letters and order forms:

For an investment company (as defined by section 266 of the Companies Act 1985), that it is such a company.


For a company exempt from using the word 'limited' in its name, the fact that it is a limited company.
For a company with share capital, it is not necessary to state the share capital on stationery but, if the company chooses to do so, it must state its paid-up share capital, not its authorised capital.

Other regulations such as distance selling rules will also apply.

Andrew