[geefree]

Hi all

When you first started out did you all do a search of business names before naming your business?

At the moment its simply G.S. WINDOW CLEANING SERVICES...and thats on my leaflets for now.

but i will be changing it to something with a little more impact whilst i am still newish..

i may get replies telling me to stay as i am..


but i have a couple of good ideas in mind , one of which i thought of only to find someone had used it, hundreds of miles away from me, where do i stand? and how do i search more thoroughly, and if i am not a limited company and someone , say, hundreds of miles away , is ,  then is it still classed as the same etc.

tricky.

gary.

[supernova77]

Gazza,

You can be a sole trader or partnership with the same name as another company, but you cannot have exactly the same name as another ltd company if you setup as a ltd company.

I started out as A.H. Window Cleaning, and then within a couple of months of starting changed to Southern Cleaning Services... I chose this name because then in the future I can expand into other cleaning areas and my name doesn't need to change.

Andy

[mgba_78]

There are certain rules but none really to worry about, unless the guy down the street has the same name and you could be possibly using this to you advantage.
Best bet to have a read of this (CLICKY CLICKY) will make a bit more sense and you wont get conflicting info, which always happens on here  

Andy

[geefree]

thanks for the usefull info, again.   

[Alistair@AWC]

Gazza,

I wouldnt worry about it!!

For instance if somebody else hundreds of miles away had set up as G.S. WINDOW CLEANING SERVICES LTD there wouldnt be any problem in you naming yourself G.S. WINDOW CLEANING SERVICES (WAKEFIELD) LTD, if you look on companies house website you'll see many variations of the same names.

And the idea of changing your name I think is a good one because im going to be doing exactly the same thing, it came about because after having my uniforms, business cards and literature made I thought of a much better name so because im new to this industry ive decided to stick with the original for now and make any mistakes in this name then change once Im quite well established.

Regards

Alistair

[reah]

Alistair
if you build a business using a name and become known for your good work under that name would it not be better to carry on with that name.
Reah

[Trevor Knight]

The only time it would ever become a problem is if you use the name to your advantage.

i.e. If you were to trade for instance as Office Cleaning Services (South) Limited then OCS Limited may well take you to court for trading under and benefiting by their name. You would then be into the realms of proving why you chose that name and your reasons would have to stack up otherwise a court could rule you change it.

generally I wouldn't be too worried, have a look on companies house and see what is available to you.

Best wishes,

Trev

[drew86]

Gazza I put the same question to my buisness link advisor and he said I should register my buisness name {GleamGlaze} as a ltd company but leave it as a non tradeing company for tax purposes.
He said that there would be a cost involved but not very much but it does then protect your name.
Drew.

[tatman]

I'd keep the same name if you've picked up a lot of customers under that name. Names stick in peoples heads a familar name means alot. Why change? Whats in a name do a good job you get work its as easy as that,