Registering Additional Companies with Similar Names
In addition to registering a company name which matches that of a sole trader or partnership exactly, individuals may sometimes incorporate businesses using several names which are similar to that of their entity.
This is carried out with the view of securing the company names and as a means of stopping others who may want to register them.
An example follows: A business with the name “Broadband UK” is considered. As well as registering the company in the name of “Broadband UK limited”, the owners may also choose to incorporate Broadband Europe limited, Broadband England ltd and Broadband London ltd.
It should be noted that the rules governing the use of a name similar to an existing company would apply in this case. These guidelines are not only applicable to independent persons setting up a company but also to the same person forming several companies.
Covering all possible combinations and permutations which may surround one particular name could well prove to be expensive. At some stage a cost verses benefit analysis would need to be completed to evaluate the advantage of registering one more company name.
Costs to Register Additional Companies
The costs involved to register additional companies include not only the initial outlay for the company formation fees. On-going expenses of maintaining the registered office, statutory books and records, annual return filing fees and the yearly preparation of accounts for each company would be incurred.
When choosing to register companies for their name, it is probably that they will be held by the registrant for several years. The threat of someone else deciding to incorporate a company with that specific or a similar name is unlikely to decrease over time (and may actually increase if the business becomes successful and well-known).
The costs of compliance for each registered company would probability be payable in to perpetuity.
