Advantages of using a Director’s service address
Requirements
All Directors must provide a Service Address to Companies House. The Service Address is kept on the public records, so can be viewed by anyone wishing to see it. However, Directors can choose to list a Service Address for public display which is a different address to their residential address. Your residential address will then be kept off the public register it will only be available to law enforcement or licensed credit reference agencies.
The Problem
“I received a number of letters from a major UK high street bank congratulating me on opening a new account with them. One of these letters included a shiny new bank card, another an offer of a generous overdraft provision and another still information about loans I could apply for. As I had never requested a new bank account with this provider, I immediately telephoned them to see if there has been some error on their part. I was put in touch with the bank’s fraud department who advised that the fraudsters had probably obtained my name and address by either going through my post or from my contact details on Companies House. As I am careful to destroy all my personal correspondence I presume it was the details at Companies House that gave this information away.
The fraud team also advised me to contact the credit reference agency they use to verify my credit history. They reacted professionally and quickly and noted that the fraudsters had attempted to set up at least four different bank accounts in my name. Over the next two months, letters from various financial institutions started to arrive at my door. In every case I had to notify both the institution and their credit agency, that I had been a victim of attempted fraud.’’
The Client Said
“I am now using a Director’s service address through Virtual Company Secretary Ltd to remove my residential address from the public records at Companies House in case fraudsters try to strike again”.
Our Approach
We always recommend using a third party provided Registered Office and Director’s service address to ensure you disclose as little personal information as possible on the public Register at Companies House. This is easy to do when using a Directors Service Address package such as the one we offer.