How do you register your company?

etriplem · 25-01-2008, 07:33 PM

Hi guys I have a few questions. I hope someone can help clear these up for me.

1) How do you register your company? If someone can point me in the right direction please, I am based in London UK.

2) If I buy from abroad e.g Hong Kong, am I able to claim back my VAT?

Thanks

greedyboy · 25-01-2008, 07:48 PM

1) You don't have to register your company as such unless you want to trade as a limited company.

2) You can only claim VAT back if you register for VAT. If you do this you have to charge VAT on all your domestic sales.

**consultant** · 25-01-2008, 08:23 PM

you also have to be charged VAT, before you can claim it back!

Obvious statement, I know, but not everything carries VAT

WelshWonder · 04-02-2008, 10:29 PM

If I could piggy back the thread...

I have been looking at distributors/wholesalers of computer components (as I have a good knowledge of them) and have found most (at least leading) distributors require a VAT certificate/number and also a copy of certificate of incorporation etc.

How easy is it to become incorporated? What stipulants/requirements are there on being a incorporated company?

What costs? How is it done?

Many thanks,

Gareth

**consultant** · 04-02-2008, 11:34 PM

Registering a company can be done in a couple hours. VAT can be a few weeks, couple months - I am on 14 months with one company!!!!!

**Trimed** · 04-02-2008, 11:52 PM

I have used www.duport.co.uk to register companies in the past - they have provided a very good service - they have quite a few ready made companies that can be useful as they are older.

I have also used www.incorporateonline.co.uk - they also provide a good service.

VAT registration seems to take ages these days - especially the Wolverhampton office - they were sending out a letter saying that they take 12 weeks minimum to reply to a VAT application - the VAT application form is available on the HMRC website and is quite straightforward.

greedyboy · 04-02-2008, 11:57 PM

The last of my businesses has just registered for VAT. I have been trying to keep my personal business under the threshold for months as it is in my personal name and handy for small deals. But small deals become bigger deals and more frequent. So now everything will just go under one banner and the VAT man will be nice and happy (as if!).

Took around 3 months (as expected). Back in the early 90's you could get your certificate in 2 weeks!