Business Names

[Woody123]

I have thought of a business name but what is the best way to check if anyone else is using this name in your area?
Also does anyone know of any grants available in the newcastle area if you are starting up self employed
Thanks for the advice
Chris

 

[DevonChris]

Legally it doesn't matter if someone else has the same name- I think!
So if you find someone already has it then they're advertising your company name for free!

 

[brian c]

you cant advertise under the same name as someone in your area so dont talk a load of tosh m8,check the local business directory and make sure you are not stealing someones business name or it might cost you in court

 

[grumpygrouter]

This is quite a complex subject in all honesty. The only LEGAL control of business name in this country is via Companies House and it referres to Ltd Companies or Limited Partnerships. You can not have the same or very similar name as another registered organisation. For sole trades it is a very grey area. No-one can stop two people trading as Smith's Tiling if both persons are called Smith - it would be up to the courts to decide if there was a dispute.

I know of a case in Aberdeen where Macdonalds the burger people tried to stop a plumber using the name Macdonalds (with a similar logo) through the courts and it was thrown out - albeit because he wasn't selling burgers!

The best way to get around this is find a name, create a logo and get at least the logo resgistered as a trademark - possibly the name too if it is unique.

My accounting business is called Balancing Act and I know there are at least 2 other organistaions using the name for the same occupation in this country. I was the first though :tt2: .

Grumpy

 

[tysfoot]

What are you thinking in calling yourself woody, i had a big dilema of what to call myself

 

[TheWrightTiler]

agree mate, names must be unique or else big trouble with lawyers, if your name is mcdonald you cant use it as already trademarked

my surname is wright so used that in title

the wright tiler

piece of cake

 

[Pawelzik]

I wouldn´t use "Woody" as it contains "wood" instead of "tiles". Take your first and surname together with something like "tiles, mosaic, granite" or "tiles and marble" or "tile & design".

 

[myhometiling]

you can advertise under the same name as someone else in your
area if they have not registered it.
the thing to do is pick a name apply to register it if it is rejected
then u know someone is using that name, if it goes through happy days..

i know a guy traded under a name for 15years did not register it had to
change his name because somebody else registered it in there name..

 

[tysfoot]

Im called "New Look Tiling" i know it might conflict with the shop newlook but as im not a shop and a local tradesman ive been told there is no problem, noone else is registered in my area and i like the name
----
just uploaded my logo, hope eveyone likes it

 

[martinw]

i have had this problem before, i was a sole trader/self employed and called the company safety solutions, i had checked all of the yellow pages etc and could not find anything. Afetr 3 years of trading a recvieved a call from a LTD company called safety solutuions and they basically wnet to town on me to the point where i changed the name of the company, there were a huge company compared to me and when i took legal advise they gave me an estimated cost of £8k to battle things through the courts.

In a nutshell, my advice to you would be to go onto the companies house website and use there "webcheck faciltity" you type in the company name you are thinking of and this wil tell you everything that matches that name. At least then you will know if there are any of the bigger companies with the same name. Good Luck mate!!!!! hope you never have to go through what happened to me!

 

[tysfoot]

whats the website called

 

[grumpygrouter]

whats the website called

[DLMURL]http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk[/DLMURL]

Grumpy

 

[DHTiling]

here you go... http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/df26fc8dcc98599b39f702a21a4cf39f/wcframe?name=accessCompanyInfo

 

[tysfoot]

ive found it, done a search and there is nothing for newlook tiling, there are loads of other newlooks for kitchens, alarms, windows etc. so from that i should be ok.

i was worried more about the clothes shop newlook but im sure they have bigger fish to fry.

how much does it cost to register, are your registered with your name

 

[Jimmy Boy]

How much does it cost to register your name ?


I might register New Look Tiling if it's cheap enough .....




















only joking.

Check www.easily.co.uk to see if you can get the domain www.newlooktiling.co.uk only costs a fiver a year to register a domain .co.uk name :cheers2:

Forget that ... I see you already got the domain name .. nice 1