Product Information

If you are a small business owner and operator, especially if you are what some people call a solopreneur (where you are the sole owner and sole employee of the company), then you are bound to have a lot on your plate every day. Time is always of importance; there are not enough days in the week for everything you have planned. To spend even a lunch or a few hours in the evening with friends and family becomes increasingly difficult and the idea of having the time to sort out the taxes of the company is something like a pipe dream (or even nightmare for many of us!) Technology is something that can be given to small business accounting as a fresh concept.However, the sheer volume of numbers and percentages is not in the interests of your professional life, even with the support of computer software and smartphone applications that can be used. All you can find yourself surrounded by is often unclear instructions and the sense of being overwhelmed by all the efforts it takes.

Going Solo

For some people, small business accounting, can take a long time to adjust to. It may take technology or expert advice from friends or family, or previous experience in this field in general, but some entrepreneurs have managed to make it work more than others. Is this is a good thing? This is a difficult question, as the time these small business owners spend on record keeping, accounting and tax filing can very well be used for the expansion of business networks and personal growth.

Hire an accountant

Whether your business is ready or not, you might consider hiring a professional small business accountant. It frees up more time for the important and urgent issues – after all, you are an owner who has to work! But at the same time, hiring a full time in-house accountant can also be a serious drain on your budget. Are you ready? Do you really need someone to be there forever, even when there is little or no work for them to do?

Workforce

Perhaps the logical answer for effective growth and stability comes from outsourcing your small business accounting. Now, this used to be too difficult to design and was an arena filled with doubt and stigma. However, it is the way that more and more business owners choose nowadays when considering the needs of its accounting.An accountant using outside resources will not be used for the time when there is little or no accountability to speak of- at the same time, they will be priceless when the tax issue permits, or needs modifications or other complex structures. Knowing that your accounting matters are in the hands of an expert, you can finally focus on doing what you love, which is to work towards greater prosperity and the growth of your company. Your small business accounting and fact-based decisions will help you achieve your goals faster.Your Virtual Office London help many small businesses get up and running, from virtual office &mail forwarding address, too accounting and banking services and introductions. What ever the need we can help your business, get in touch with us today to see what we can do for you and your company.

Some companies have been inactive since the day they were formed. Many companies, however, will actively pursue activities for a while, but not the trade side - at least for a period. These businesses may be eligible to become dormant. This is a status where the responsibilities of the current company presentation will be reduced. To become inactive, there are first some things that the company will have to do. First, however, it is worth thinking if it's right to make your company dormant.You should also be sure that the best option is not only to dissolve the company. If you are sure that you will not trade again in the future, there is usually little benefit in keeping the company in existence. While latency can greatly reduce the effort and cost involved in maintaining the business, there will still be some time and expenses required.

What should I do for my business to become dormant?

• Pay outstanding bills and cancel others. These prospective business contracts may, for example, include the rental of buildings and equipment, insurance, utilities, telephone and Internet services used previously.
• Reconciling the amounts received as a result of the customers. All payments to be made to customers to deliver products and services.
• Pay the VAT due to HMRC and (usually) cancel the VAT registration of the company.
• Reconcile wages owed to employees and close the scheme company payroll.

While sifting through all documents and data can be time consuming, it is important to, because if you choose to continue paying for utilities or insurance, the company is still active in the eyes of HMRC, so be careful what you choose to delete or shred.

How do I tell HMRC my company is now inactive?

To confirm with HMRC, you should contact your Local Tax Office, indicating the date on which the company has been, or will be, inactive.HMRC then go to their head office with a "Notice to a provider of Declaration." This refers to the duration of activity immediately before the company became dormant. You must complete and file the return and pay any tax due.HMRC will normally confirm in writing within three weeks. From the date your company is dormant, HMRC stop treating your business as active - this means that you will not receive a lot of correspondence from them and in most cases, you will not need to, until the re-trading of the company (if you choose to) begins.

Do you need to inform Companies House?

You do not have to tell Companies House that your business is inactive until it is time to establish your accounts to them. Remember, the full accounts for the period must be presented as usual.For the first full year for which the company is inactive, you need to present the simplified accounts within 9 months of the accounting reference date. This can greatly reduce the administration and preservation of the company and is the reason many people make their business inactive.On a continuous basis, dormant companies must remain a number of other Companies House filing requirements, including:

• The annual return, which differs from the accounts, but must still be submitted.
• When a new director or secretary of the company was appointed or terminated an appropriate form needs to be sent off.
• The changes in the registered office of the Company or, if available, a SAIL address should be submitted on the form.

What if the dormant company will be active again?

Most dormant companies will become active again at some point in their lives. If your company is (for example, starting with trade), then you must notify actively within three months. The easiest way is to contact HMRC and inform them that the company is now active. There is also an online registration service of HMRCYour Virtual Office London are leaders in company formation and professional services since 1971.

When setting up a company with family or friends, it is easy to assume that in the future nothing can go wrong. We hope that in the future nothing can go wrong. However, family members and friends fall out, and if the worst should happen, you may end up with nothing.Therefore, you should focus on the business of the company in order to protect your own investment and consider the introduction of a shareholders agreement.As you might expect from an agreement between the shareholders of the company, it`s important to establish a reasonable relationship between the shareholders for its purpose, to help protect the investments of the company's shareholders.

The agreement will be:

• Sort out the rights and duties of shareholders.
• Control the company's shares.
• Describe how the company operates.
• Protect minority shareholders of the Company.

Without the agreement, minority shareholders (less than 50% of shares) will not have much control or say on how the company is run. There are laws that provide limited protection of minority shareholders, but it can be expensive to implement and would not achieve the desired compensation.A majority shareholder who wants to sell their shares may come up against a minority shareholder who doesn't agree. Therefore, the majority shareholder can force minority shareholders to sell their shares, known as a ‘drag along`. This is an important arrangement, but of course, the sales price and other fees for all shareholders, including minority shareholders, have to be fair.It is always a good idea to put together a shareholder agreement as early as possible, usually close to the formation of the company to avoid confusion. For everyone on board to have a shared understanding can really make all the difference further down the line.Your Virtual Office London are experienced company formation agents. We have been forming companies for over 40 years and have a vast amount of industry experience when it comes to the more intricate parts of limited companies and the best way to run them. A shareholders agreement is a very important document and we are able to help assist in the formation of a company and the creation of such mentioned agreements.

Public liability insurance is crucial for business owners who own or rent retail space to have. This is because customers, suppliers or other people, including members of the public will frequently visit your premise and it is especially important if you or your employees have direct contact with them while on the job.If they are injured or if the property is damaged as a result of your business activities, then claims can be made, even if passers-by are affected.Public liability claims against your business can be made by members of the public as a result of a range of accidents in a variety of places such as:

• Your business premises;
• If you operate your business from your home;
• A customer's home or their place of work;
• An off-site event or activity organised by your business.

If the insurance for your business is found to be responsible, to which members of the public claim compensation for any damage, injury or death, then you will be covered for certain aspects of your business. These include:

• Loss of earnings;
• Correcting any damaged or broken goods;
• Their medical fees for injuries;
• Your legal costs.

This more than any claim by you or your business will need to pay the total amount payable by the insurer under the policy, and will be limited to a set amount.Public liability insurance for your employees, such as any death, injury or loss does not cover your business. The premises however, are covered by employers' liability insurance.

Examples of public liability claims that may arise:

Trips, slips and falls are the most common claims for compensation, but such claims may have to factor in other events too. The public liability claims against your business can be witnessed in events from the following examples:

• A customer in your store trips over a box, which causes injury and they are left lying on the floor;
• Your employee causes injury to a customer by spilling a drink on them;
• Someone slips on a handrail and falls down some stairs;
• Trips from repairs being carried out, such as exposed piping, carpentry work etc.
• Trip hazards from tiles coming off the floor;
• Tiles from the roof being unstable and causing injury;
• Your electrics are wired incorrectly and they cause a fire in a customer's home;
• A customer suffers from food poisoning after eating at your restaurant.

If you are starting a business Your Virtual Office London can help you get off on the right footing. We provide professional business services to small and start up businesses, our services include mail forwarding, virtual office, telephone answering, company formations and accountancy services. We aim to provide a wide range of diversified services which are vital to most small businesses. Your Virtual Office London have been providing important corporate services for over 40 years and are leaders in the business support industry. If you are interested in finding out more about our services please do get in touch with us today.

One concern when you have your own business is how to get credibility and prestige, especially when you're starting. This is because there is much emphasis on the importance of positioning yourself as an expert, to stand out from the others and especially to create credibility online, which always costs more.More than anything, you should not have any limiting beliefs when you've just started. I`m not enough of an expert, I have to be this or do that, I cannot compete with the competition, etc. These are typical negative thoughts that block you and will not let you advance in your profession. Worse, they do not allow you to help others as well as you could.So how do you get that credibility, how do you feel more sure of yourself and offer your services with confidence?

You can get credibility with the four key factors

1: Experience

If you're going to spend on a particular area, your own experience gives you a lot of credibility and helps you to help others going through the same situation. For example, people seek out help from others in their field, thus gaining experience every time.The same goes for those who want a business promoting online services. Your personal history is key to giving you credibility. Another example of a credible path is that of becoming a coach. This is an experience that attracts many people who want to do the same thing, gain knowledge in a field and then pass it on to others. This is a perfect example of how to use your own experience and history to be credible, without the need to invent anything.When you form a strong emphasis on coaching, you do not necessarily need plenty more knowledge or experience than your customers. It is built upon self belief and when it comes to positioning yourself, a person can identify and be interested with your career, meaning they will trust you.

2: Training

Training gives you credibility and builds trust for the simple reason that you learn specific skills that can help your customers. Training is important whenever you have a clear goal and you can use it to increase your credibility. Just do not you fall into the common mistake of talking about yourself and your titles too much, because your customers care about what you can do for them, not how many masters you have.

3: Specialisations

The more you like to specialise in something, the easier it will be to excel, stand out, position yourself and charge more for your services. Being specialised in a topic or a specific group makes people prefer you immediately. Who doesn't want someone skilled in the area they`re interested in?For example, if you are a scientist and want a coach, what catches your eye - a coach for everyone or one who specialises in science? In a world over-saturated with information, expertise is power.

4: Evidence

This is probably the most important point of all, on which all the others hinge on. If you have evidence of customers you have helped and achieved their goals, then this gives you instant credibility. Of course, there are always people who think you can invent testimonials and so it is recommended to have full names, photos, etc. Having helped others who were in the same situation is the final proof that you are a good professional.And how do you get testimonials? First, don`t squander the opportunity to take a testimonial every time. But mostly, by simply being a good professional, because the important thing is that you are good at what you do. It is the real key to everything.Your Virtual Office London can help boost your businesses presence, we provide a wide range of services that are aimed to help improve your companies bottom line. Our professional services have been developed over many years and they offer a cost effective way of ensuring a professioanl commercial image for clients and customer alike. Our virtual office services consist of mail forwarding address, registered office address, and call answering. If you would like to discuss any of the points raised in this article please do contct our expert team today.

1Rebel gym startup raises £1.5 million via Crowdcube. The boutique gym, 1Rebel, found 304 investors from Crowdcube who pledged £1.5 million for the new launch of the gym at Shoreditch. The pitch was very popular and was oversubscribed with a whopping £1,559,370 worth of investment.The pitch reached its target of £1.15 million within 11 days of it first appearing on the crowd funding site Crowdcube. The opportunity eventually attracted 304 investors with a stake of 34.03% in the company.The company was founded by James Balfour and Giles Dean, both have worked on the well-known Fitness First brand.1Rebel is a gym that is contract free which allows members pay for and book classes online, providing a pay as you go service.The first gym is expected to open in Shoreditch later this year.

Your Virtual Office London

We have helped many start-ups become successful brands, many of our successful clients have not needed investment in order to progress into larger businesses. Our services are designed to be affordable, Your Virtual Office London understand that keeping overheads down to a minimum is important in the early stages of a new start up.Your Virtual office London have designed products to help improve the image of your company, our mail forwarding service address is a prime example of how our virtual office services can boost your companies commercial presence without having to drastically increase spending.A registered office address in London is another great way to boost your corporate image within your market sector; the registered office can help your company appear larger by showing clients that your address is one in a prominent area within the heart of London.For many of our customers they have also found our telephone answering service beneficial to their progression. You can read more on our telephone answering services here.

Here are the three important stages of starting a new business:

Business Purpose

One of the initial steps to creating a new business is the business purpose. The owner should write a bit about the dream they have, for example maybe they want to start a business selling clothing for children from newborn to eight, etc. They should further describe here all they want for their business.

Type of Business

The second point to develop is the type of business, where there is added more detailed information about the business, including:

• The name you want to use
• The products or services that you offer
• The experience and knowledge you have regarding this type of business
• The trends of the industry in general
• Opportunities and threats for these businesses

Some of these issues can be answered for yourself and others should be investigated, perhaps through the Internet, library or media, chambers of commerce, associations and publications, preferably related to your type of business or industry. Once investigated and analysed, these points should give a good idea of the overall situation of your business within the economic, social and political environment.

Initial Idea

Every business plan is built around an idea that arises from the detection of a business opportunity. The emergence of the idea to start a business varies depending on the circumstances of each person / people. There are many factors that can lead a person to favour a particular business. In general, the factors that determine the choice of the idea are:Repeating others' experiences – this reflects new businesses, which frequently occurs in times of economic expansion.New business opportunities in freshly supplied markets, creating new or high growth rate.Technical knowledge about markets, sectors or businesses.An entrepreneur who has been employee or officer of another business that seeks independence.When an innovative product becomes known that is estimated to generate a successful market.When it comes to business or activities of low complexity that allow any person to become self-employed in such an activity.

How can Your Virtual Office London help?

Your Virtual Office London are leading experts in company formation and virtual office services. Small businesses and new start ups can greatly benefit from a virtual office service, our service enables a start up to appear more established through use of a prestigious mail forwarding address, a telephone answering service and a registered office address. Using these services can really help maximise your new business potential for succeeding, it is a well known fact that many businesses fail in the first year. Our service is designed to give your business the best possible chance of survival.Your Virtual Office London can also assist in forming a company, if you have started a business you may have become a sole trader however there may be tax advantages of becoming a Limited Company. If you would like to discuss this or any other points raised in the informative article please do get in touch with our expert team. We are always happy to help no matter how small or complex the question.

Here we have listed the two key areas of a new start up business:

Location of your Business

If you think putting a retail business or service where your customers have to come to your premises, then this point of location becomes paramount and you should ask questions like:

• What businesses to rent will be close?
• What is the pedestrian and automobile traffic like?
• Is there enough parking?
• Are there are any restrictions or incentive by the city for that area?
• What future developments are expected in that place?
• What about competition in that place?

An important point to emphasise, is that before you sign any contract to purchase or rent a room, you should check with local authorities in that city if there are any restrictions for your business in that specific location. Sometimes, even if you are acquiring an existing business with all equipment installed and running, when they ask for your business license, it is denied, as the city has changed its development plans and no longer wants that kind of business there. So it is very important to research first to avoid problems in the future.

Your business competition

As mentioned in the previous part, competition can be a source of information to determine the size of the market. You should study it and follow it closely, because it will serve you to know your strengths and weaknesses relative to the competition. This will help win a competitive advantage that differentiates you from them and plan your promotions and advertising.How can you go about investigating the competition to learn from them though? There are several techniques that can be employed: You may review their ads on TV, radio, newspapers, flyers, directories, the Internet, etc. You can go about their business and talk to their employees. You can also ask their customers or send someone to buy or purchase their services; and sometimes, through chambers of commerce, associations or journals you can get information.After this analysis, you should have enough information to know where they are located, size of their business, product lines or services, prices, number of employees , marketing media they use and get an idea of how much they invest in advertising and promotions, and know who their key suppliers are, etc. This will help your own business hugely in the long run.

Why use Your Virtual Office London?

Your Virtual Office London can help your new start up business. We provide a wide range of services aimed at supporting new start up companies. One service we provide is very popular, our mail forwarding service in London is an excellent way of obtaining a prestigious London image without having to use too much precious capital on actual physical property.

When you incorporate a company for the first time many different addresses are required by Companies House, many of our customers do come to us for clarification. In this article we describe the differences between the registered office address, directors service address, and shareholders address.

What is a registered office address?

The registered office address is a legal requirement from companies house. The address is used by Companies House and HMRC to send official statutory post and documents. The address appears on public record, anyone can search and find this address. The address for many new companies is usually the home residential address as they company has not yet started trading in a commercial property.

What is our registered office address service?

Our service allows you to register an official business address in a prestigious central London location, based in the heart of finance and business district. This will be your companies registered office address. Of course this has many benefits when compared to using your registered office address. One is that the address is private, you do not have to disclose your residential address. Many people prefer to keep their home address of public record for obvious reasons, one mainly is that is prevents unwanted callers turning up un announced when you least expect them.

What is a director`s service address?

The director`s service address is the official address of the director. Again similar to the registered office it`s the address is used by HMRC and Companies House to send official statutory post and documents. Again similar to the registered office, the address is on public record and is searchable. Unlike the registered office address the address can be an address situated in any country across the globe. The address can be the same as the registered office address; however it must not be a PO Box address.

What is our director service address?

Our director`s service address allows you to use our prominent London address in City Road as the director`s service address. Using our address service can help protect your residential address, again like the registered office service, removing your home address from public records can prevent unwanted callers and junk mail. It also helps you look more professional, creating a corporate image that can help increase your businesses profitability.

What is the shareholders correspondence address?

A shareholder is legally required to provide a correspondence address for each of the shareholders, each shareholders address will appear on the public record. The address can be the same as the registered office address and it doesn`t have to be the residential address of the shareholder.You will need to provide a correspondence address for each of the first shareholders (often called subscribers) in a newly formed company. For each shareholder correspondence address, it`s worth noting that:

Why choose Your Virtual Office London?

Your Virtual Office London have been providing professional business services for over 30 years. From company formation to supplementary services such as the mentioned address services, we really do understand the need of the modern business. Enhancing your business image whilst retaining privacy is key to the modern business owner, we have developed packages at an affordable price which is obtainable on any level of earnings. If you would like to discuss your businesses circumstances we will be able to help provide a tailored solution, we have an experienced expert team ready to take your call.

In this article, we explain who can act as a company secretary and how one can be appointed or removed and the typical duties performed by the secretary.

Who can be a Limited Company secretary?

There are not many people who cant act as your company secretary in a private Limited Company. There are a few restrictions; the company secretary must not be an undischarged bankrupt unless the court has given leave. Also the companies auditor is not allow to perform the role of secretary. A partnership, company and of course an individual are allowed to perform the role of company secretary.

What is the process of adding or removing a company secretary?

The adding of an appointment of a company secretary or the removal of a secretary will be governed by the Companies Articles of Association. It would be decided by the board of directors of the company, that they wish to add or remove the appointment. The Companies Act 2006 doesn't provide details of how the process should be handled.

What are the main duties of a company secretary?

The duties of a company secretary can vary, there are no right or wrong duties however typically the duties are as follows:1. The company secretary would normally provide the service of Filing annual returns.2. Preparing and maintaining the statutory records.3. Arranging meetings for shareholders and directors, maintaining minutes of meetings.4. Maintaining correct company details with companies house, updating when changes happen.5. Legal compliance6. Holding and safe keeping of company documents7. Maintaining a registered office address

Why use Your Virtual Office London to form your company?

Your Virtual Office London are company formation experts. We have been forming companies for over 30 years, we have a huge amount of experience and we are always happy to share this with our clients. It is important to understand the supplementary services we provide our company formation clients, services such as registered office address, mail forwarding, virtual office and business accounting. Incorporating a company can be a daunting process and our team are specially trained in guiding small businesses through the minefield of forming and starting a new company.