A few practical checks before you pick any “virtual office” A London address can be handy, but the key is whether it works for
Companies House,
HMRC, and your bank — not just marketing. If you’re considering IBC (or any provider),I’d sanity-check a few things before paying.
- Registered office vs trading address: confirm the package lets you use it as your registered office (for a Ltd) and/or a service address for directors. Some deals are “mail forwarding only” and won’t cover the official bits.
- HMRC post handling: ask how they handle HMRC letters (scan? forward? turnaround times?). Missing a brown envelope is how people get penalties.
- Bank/KYC acceptance: many banks and payment providers want proof of a “real” operating address. A virtual office is fine for Companies House, but you may still need a home address or leased space for banking checks.
- Mail process and fees: get the price list for forwarding, scanning, storage limits, and special delivery. Cheap monthly fees can be offset by per-item charges.
- Compliance: if they offer director services or company formations, check their AML ID checks are properly done and that you’ll get a clear contract.
If you share whether you’re a
Ltd company or sole trader, and whether you need it for
registered office, director address, or just post, people can point you to the right type of package (and what you should expect to pay).
