Limited Companies in Northern Ireland

Any limited company within the U.K. needs to have an official registered office address. The director of the company also needs to provide a directors service address. These are provided to Companies House during the incorporation process. But what is a Registered Company Address or Virtual Office Address?

If you are starting a business in Northern Ireland we can provide a registered company office address in Belfast. 

This all might seem a little confusing. Luckily, we have put together a guide explaining why your business needs a registered office and a directors service address. 

Do I need a Registered Company Address or Virtual Office Address?

If you set up a Limited Company in NI you will need a Registered Company Address. A registered office is another term for the official address of a company. This address is your company’s head office.  It will be accessible via public records. It also provides governmental bodies, such as Companies House or HMRC with an official address for posting legal notices out to your business. A virtual office address can be used by Limited companies and by small business eg sole traders

Can I use my home address for a registered office? 

If you’re under a landlord tenancy, it may be illegal to use your rental address. You may need to have the landlord’s permission. The local authority may also prevent you from using your home address as a registered office. 

Furthermore, your registered office is also made public via public records. Using your home address can risk personal privacy. It can open you up to junk mail and foster unwanted contact. You can avoid business creditors and lenders visiting your home by using a commercial address for registering your office.

Do I need to use a U.K. address for my registered office?

In short, yes. It is a legal requirement to use a U.K. based address for your registered office address. Consequently the registered office must be located in the same part of the U.K. where the company has been established, e.g.) If your business is based in Scotland, it must use a Scottish (commercial or residence) address. 

Registered office address service

At Lets Letterbox, we are one of the few companies to offer a registered office address service in Belfast. Our service also allows you to update HMRC records with your new address. Most importantly, this service allows you to receive official statutory mail at our office address.

Our Belfast address  provides you with a much sought after location in the centre of Belfast. You can use a central Belfast postcode at our much cheaper rate, compared to city centre office rental prices. Show off your BT5 address, with prices beginning at just £190 per annum.  

What is a directors service address? 

Company Directors must provide a service address for receiving government correspondence. The Companies House requires a directors service address in the initial setting up of a business and other governmental bodies such as HMRC, the courts CSA, or the Insolvency Service need it for legal communications.  

Moreover, the directors service address may be commercial or residential. However it is accessible via public records, so many opt for the commercial option like ours. If a new director is appointed or a new person is given significant control, the directors service address must be updated. 

Who needs a director’s service address? 

Any person who is a director of a company, that is based within the U.K., needs to provide a director’s service address to Companies House. Secretaries, CEOs or shareholders do not need to provide a director’s service address. 

Can I use my home address for a directors service address? 

It is legally acceptable to use your home address for a directors service address, however this too comes with its own complications. 

Similar to a company’s registered office address, the directors service address is also made public. This can lead to copious amounts of junk mail arriving at your door and unwanted visitors. Your creditors and lenders could try to approach you at your home. 

It can also be costly if you decide to remove or suppress your directors service address from public records, starting at £50 per displayed document. 

A commercial directors service address will ensure your safety, privacy and professional image. It will also help establish boundaries between your work and personal life and enhance your company’s credibility. 

Do I need to use a U.K. address for my directors service address? 

It is not a legal requirement for a directors service address to be based within the U.K. Unlike a registered office address, that must be based in part of the U.K. where the company was established, a directors based service address can be located anywhere around the world. 

What can I use for a directors service address? 

A directors service address does not have to be associated with your company in any way. You also don’t need to visit the location or work there, it just needs to be a physical address where governmental correspondence can be delivered. 

Some options you could use for a directors service address include: 

• Private residence (although this has inherent privacy concerns).
• Your company’s registered office or trading address.
• Your accountants office.
• A professional mailing service that lets you rent a directors service address. eg Lets Letterbox

Choosing a directors service address is an important decision. Importantly it has to be somewhere that you can trust to receive mail and government correspondence. You need to ensure that your directors service address provides privacy protection with a professional front. 

Mailbox alternatives

There are a wide range of mailbox alternatives available that you can use for your directors service address. Many professional mailbox services like us at Lets Letterbox, offer mailbox services to make your companies business correspondence more efficient and convenient. 

Check out our range of virtual and physical mailbox alternatives and find one that suits your business needs and personal interests.  

Mailbox rental 

Our mailbox rental solution lets you rent a physical mailbox in the much desired and sought after location of central Belfast. This service is ideal for those who are able to call into our branch and collect their mail in person. Additionally, customers using the service don’t have to pay extortionate postal charges for large packages and mail.

Virtual mailbox

At Lets Letterbox, we provide customers with the option to rent a virtual mailbox for their company correspondence. This address can also be used to register limited companies with Companies House (NI). 

Each virtual address has a different unit or apartment number ,creating unique addresses for customers.

Mailbox forwarding & Mail Scanning

As well as forwarding your mail to your nominated postal address, we can send your mail by scan and email.

This service provides such a convenient service. It ensures that you receive company correspondence without having to travel long distances to collect it. The mail forwarding service is also useful for freelancers, small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Together with postal mail forwarding, our mail scanning service is very useful for clients who live overseas. These clients don’t want to wait long periods of time for their mail to arrive or pay for costly oversea postal charges. This confidential, secure and efficient service is perfect for those who travel frequently or live far away. 

Who else can use this service?

We provide mailbox alternatives for a wide range of clients. Currently, the new NI register requires all landlords who rent properties within the private residential sector in NI to provide a NI residential correspondence address. 

Our professional mailbox services allow landlords to provide an NI address for correspondence. It is especially convenient if they don’t live in Northern Ireland or if they simply want to keep their business and personal life separated. 

We also provide mailbox solutions for personal individual customers.  A customers may be going through a divorce for example.  In this instance they want their mail to be delivered securely and safely to a physical address  that isn’t their home. Whatever your mailing requirements, we can help you find a solution that’s right for you. 

Why choose Lets Letterbox for Your Registered Company Address or Virtual Office Address?

Lets Letterbox provides the customer with a Registered Company Address or Virtual Office Address.

We provide

• A Professional service
• A Confidential service
• Secure and safe mail forwarding options
• A Central Belfast Location

Privacy services

Finally, our major advantage of using a commercial address for company correspondence is the peace of mind that your personal details are protected. We at Lets Letterbox, provide a safe location that you can use for your director service address needs. 

You do not have to disclose your home address or use another personal residence for your director service address. We provide professional mailbox services so you can avoid junk mail arriving at your doorstep and unwanted business visitors such as lenders and creditors visiting your home.  

Get in contact with Lets Letterbox today and take advantage of our Belfast registered office address and our directors services address options. Give your business that professional and credible image at a much cheaper cost.