WestOne Business Services FAQ - (Frequently Asked Questions)

Company Formations

Question: Do I need to sign anything before the company is formed? Answer: No. As an authorised electronic filer for Companies House, we use an entirely electronic process that avoids the need for forms to be witnessed in the traditional manner. Because of this the return time for formation is greatly reduced most companies are incorporated within 3 hours. (times are subject to Companies House acceptance for the proposed company)

Question: Can I purchase an off the shelf company and change the Directors details and address immediately? Answer: Yes. We hold a number of pre-registered companies that are dormant and waiting to trade. Simply purchase the company through our online system and inform us of any changes required and they can be actioned immediately.

Question: Do you require any information in advance? Answer: Yes, we are registered under the money laundering regulations (2007), which means that you will need to provide some proof of your identity before we can confirm the start of your service.  Acceptable forms are ID are passport/driving licence, plus proof of address such as council tax bill, utility bill, bank/credit card statement. We can accept electronic copies or fax copies of these documents and they are only held for compliance with UK government regulations.

Question: How do I order a company formation? Answer: You can order your company formation online, this is the quickest way of making a submission.  Go to the ‘purchase online’ link on the WestOne website and select the appropriate package.  Once your order has been placed, you will be forwarded a link to the secure online formation section where you will be required to choose the name of your company, registered address etc It is then simply a case of waiting for Companies House to respond to the electronic request.

Question: Can you really form a company within 3 hours? Answer: Yes, provided we have all the information we need to submit your company to Companies House, your company will usually be formed in 3 hours. Sometimes for more complex cases it can take somewhere from 3-24 hours and this is usually where certain criteria required may need further confirmation before Companies House will allow the formation to be completed. We can form your company in the fastest time possible as we are authorised electronic filers for Companies House. Please note, time scale can depend on Companies House processing times and can be slightly longer during busy periods.

Question: How can I find out if the name I have chosen for my company already exists? Answer: Companies House records names of all limited companies and the database can be searched through the WestOne website.  Simply click the ‘click here to search name availability link on the home page.

Question: What if the name I have chosen is already registered? Answer: Companies House states that all company names must be unique and therefore you cannot register a name that already exists.  If the name is already registered as a company, you will have to choose an alternative.  If you would like advice on choosing a name, please contact us.

Question: What is the difference between limited by guarantee and by shares? Answer: Click here to read more about the differences!

Company Secretarial Services

Question: How do I order a company secretarial service? Answer: You can order your company formation online, this is the quickest way of making a submission.  Go to the ‘purchase online’ link on the WestOne website and select the appropriate package.

Question: How will WestOne keep me informed about the obligations for my company? Answer: We will keep you up to date by whichever communication channel suits you.  We can provide email, letter, telephone or text updates concerning the returns being made, together with links to the relevant record on the Companies House website to give you peace of mind.

Question: Do all companies need to have a company secretary? Answer: No, in October 2008, Companies House implemented new regulations that stated a company secretary was no longer a requirement for limited companies. (Please read additional answer below)

Question: Why would I need to order company secretarial services? Answer: Even though the company secretarial role is no longer legally required, the tasks a company secretary would perform still are.  Such tasks include annual submissions and changes to the company all need to be submitted to Companies House within a set timeframe.  By ordering a company secretarial service from WestOne, we can help you ensure these submissions are made on time (and escaping fines from Companies House!).

Virtual Address & Mail Forwarding Service

Question: How do I order mail services? Answer: You can order your mail service either via the WestOne website (go to ‘purchase online’) or by fax/post.  If you wish to purchase over the phone, fax or via email we have a specific form you can download, please contact us for a copy.

Question: Do you require any information in advance? Answer: Yes, we are registered under the money laundering regulations which means that you will need to provide some proof of your identity before we can confirm the start of your service.  Acceptable forms are ID are passport/driving licence, plus proof of address such as council tax bill, utility bill, bank/credit card statement - copies of these can be sent to us electronically via email or fax if required. These are purely held to comply with UK government legislation.

Question: Is there a minimum term for mail services? Answer: Yes, there is a minimum term for mail services of 3 months. (excluding our Scan and Send Service which works on a monthly basis with a set up fee).

Question: What if I don’t want to receive junk mail? Answer: WestOne offers to remove junk mail, such as catalogues, from your forwarding service.  Simply select this option when placing your order.

Question: What if I want to change how often I receive my mail? Answer: Easy, simply contact us and we will make the necessary changes to your account.

Question: Are there any other costs for mail services? Answer: No, the prices advertised as what you pay. We do require a deposit of up to £40.00 to cover postage forwarding charges if applicable.  We ask for a deposit in advance for the applicable postage charges and will contact you when this reaches around £5.00. All mail (excluding parcels) is forwarded at cost for your peace of mind.

Question: Do I need to use the registered office service? Answer: If you have a UK Limited company and want to register the company with Companies House at our City of London address the answer is yes. In addition you may wish to use the address for additional trade related mail and as a full trading presence. If this is the case we ask you take out a Virtual Address mail forwarding package in addition. For further information on registered office and the AD01 change of company address form click here.

Payments

Question: Are my payments secure through your website? Answer: Yes. We use recognised partners Paypal & Google Checkout for handling our purchases so you can be assured that your details are encrypted and protected throughout the process. They are also the fastest methods for processing creditcard payments online.

Question: Do you accept payments via the phone or fax? Answer: Yes. We can accept orders over the phone or fax if you prefer. If you wish to order via fax please call our office and a member of staff will be glad to walk you through the required information.

Finally, here is the link to our useful links page.