Virtual offices: worth it, but pick carefully Yes, they can be worth it for online businesses — mainly for privacy (keeping your home address off Companies House),credibility, and reliable mail handling. For a Ltd company, your
registered office address is public, so a virtual office can be a sensible cost if you don’t want your home address searchable. Just remember you still need somewhere you can actually access post promptly, because HMRC and Companies House letters can be time-sensitive.
Big watch-out: banks and payment providers. Many will accept a virtual office for the registered office, but may still want a real trading address and proof of where directors live. Some “mailbox style” addresses get flagged in onboarding. Ask the provider upfront if their address is commonly accepted for business bank accounts, Stripe, Amazon, Google Business Profile etc.
Also check the compliance basics:
- Can they scan and email same day, and what’s the cutoff time?
- Do they handle signed-for and courier deliveries?
- How quickly can you collect post, and are there fees per item?
- Do they accept HMRC/Companies House mail and serve as registered office properly?
- Contract terms: minimum period, exit fees, and address change fees.
VAT can be a gotcha: if you register for VAT (threshold is
£90,000 taxable turnover in a 12-month rolling period),HMRC may ask for evidence of your business “place” and activity. A virtual office is usually fine, but keep solid records (contracts, invoices, website, supplier/customer info). If you’re in a regulated sector or applying for finance, get your accountant to sense-check the setup.
If you share what you sell and whether you’re Ltd or sole trader, I can suggest a sensible address setup and what to tell the bank/HMRC.
