Privacy Package
This is the best option if you are running your business from home or travel a lot. Post is scanned Free.
Ready-To-Trade Company
Free Business Bank Account
Registered Office Service
Digital (PDF) Company Documents
Pack Overview
Our Privacy Pack allows you to establish a company that is ready to start trading and setting up contracts within 1 working day, subject to there being no delays at Companies House. Our address service is included in the pack, which gives an official address for the company and a service address for the directors, shareholders and company secretary (if you have one). Companies House will publish our address as the service address of the officers and shareholders and keep their personal addresses confidential (even though Companies House still requires the personal addresses of the directors). Our address service includes free scanning of official company post. Official (statutory) post includes mail from Companies House, the British Courts and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC). The pack also includes printed certificates of incorporation, share certificates and memorandum, and articles of association. You will also receive PDF files of this documentation along with official minutes of the first director’s meeting and the statutory books combined with the PSC register.
Our privacy package includes free access to a company administration portal, thereby allowing you to easily and efficiently manage your business. We also provide free support through the portal for the lifetime of your company.
Users, Requirements and Suitability
This package is suitable for all new companies that do not have an office from which to trade or directors’ service addresses that they can use for registration with Companies House. It is also ideal for all individuals who want additional privacy for themselves and do not want their personal details to be listed on the Companies House website where anyone can access it.
Pricing and Value for Money
Our Privacy Pack gives new companies everything they need to allow them to start trading, including all of the documentation and official certificates as well as a registered office address, directors’ service addresses and processing of official post to these addresses. Official post will be scanned and uploaded to our secure online document storage system, which you can access 24/7. Upgrades to this service are available to suit your requirements. Given the services and location that we provide, we believe our price is unmatched by any competitors
Upgrade and Extra Services
You can upgrade this pack to include the first years Annual Confirmation Statement Business pack.
Business mail scanning upgrade:
Our address service can also be upgraded so that you can have business post management. Business post includes all non-official post and includes letters from suppliers, customers, banks, etc.
For £66 + VAT per year, your business post can be scanned and stored on your Smart Doc portal. You will receive notifications that you have received post.
Business mail forwarding upgrade:
This service gives you the use of our Central London office as your main address for business correspondence. All the mail we receive will be sent to you using Royal Mail’s 1st Class service. In addition to the annual subscription, we will also charge you a handling fee of 20p per item of post and Royal Mail’s charges. This service does not include the Registered Office Service, which you should buy separately. The Annual Renewal fee for this service is £84+vat.
What’s Included:
- New Ready To Trade Company
- Companies House Filing Fee £50 Paid By Us
- Digital (PDF) Company Documents
- Printed Company Documents - UK delivery only
- Company Administration Portal
- Web Authentication Code
- Free Administration Support
- PSC Register
- Registered Office Service
- Officers & Shareholders Service Address
- HMRC UTR (unique tax reference) Number
Optional Free Services:
- Free Referrals To Business Banking
- Merchant Account Referral
- Free Referral To a Payroll Bureau
- Non Status Bank Account
- Accountant Referral With Free Initial Consultation
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a registered office a legal requirement?
The Companies Act (governing the conduct and obligations of companies) states that a company must always have a registered office to which all official communications and notices may be addressed. The address must be a physical address in the same jurisdiction that the company is registered.
There are four jurisdictions; England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. When you place your order, you will be asked to state the location of your registered office. So if you are using our London address, your company will be in the jurisdiction of England and Wales. It is perfectly acceptable to use your home address as your registered office. However, a company's registered office is displayed on the website of Companies House and is therefore public knowledge. This means a loss of privacy (if you are using your home address) as the website at Companies House is monitored by many agencies, advertisers and data management companies. It also gives your clients easy access to your address.
How do I open my bank account?
If you select to be referred to one of our banking partners, your information will be sent to them directly. We ask you to confirm that you are happy for us to send your details during the ordering process. Once the bank receives your information and contact details, they will contact you to complete your application and to carry out the usual ID checks.
Do I need to supply proof of ID to order a registered office?
Not necessarily. We are regulated and obliged to verify the ID and address of all our customers and our customers' shareholders and officers where they meet pre-defined criteria. However most of our customers are not affected by the verification process because it is automated and conducted electronically, with a 90% success rate. The information you supply on the order form is usually sufficient.
If the automated verification system fails:
If customers are not cleared by the automated electronic verification, we use the SmartSearch platform to complete our ID checks. We will send you an invitation by email asking for any additional information we require and any documents that we may need. You will be given a choice to upload the documents and information directly to the SmartSearch mobile app or send it to us. Overseas customers who are not easily verifiable may be asked for an additional fee to meet the enhanced fee levied by Sart Search.
How much does it cost if I buy Registered Office Service separately?
The basic price is £39+vat per year but there are upgrades to the basic service which are set out on page.
There is also a charge for using our address as a service address for the directors of the company. This is £10 per year, which we believe is the best price in London. If you upgrade but continue to use the scanned post service, prices are fixed, and you can budget your expenditure.
What information is required to set up a company?
To register your new company, you must provide the following information.
- The name of the company. You may use our company name checker to see whether your business name is available.
- Your company's address, which can be your home or trading address. If you do not already have one or you wish to keep your home address private, do not worry - most of our company formation packages include a registered office address service.
- Personal information about directors, shareholders and PSCs of your company, such as a residential address, date of birth and nationality.
For further information please read our article What information is required to set up a company?
Our business partners
We partner with some of the best banking organisations to help your company get off to the right start
Including 12 months of FREE business banking.
Including 30 months of FREE business banking.
Online application. Account open in minutes.
No credit check required. Simple online application.
Online application. With in-built budgeting.
A business banking and accounting solution.
We are rated Excellent in our service
Rated 4.7 out of 5.0 by our customers
Been with Smart Formation for approx. 3.5 years, it was a seamless service. No longer require their service as I have dissolved my business but would definitely use them again and recommend their services to others. (1 March 2024)
Chill with me
Quick, efficient and affordable. Customer service was very attentive and helpful, quick to answer any questions. Thank you! (12 February 2024)
Mrs Arias
It was a very good experience dealing with the Smart Formation team. They help throughout the process very well. (23 January 2024)
Mr. Waqar Zaman
Abbie O’Neill, has been amazing and very efficient setting up my LTD company. Excellent customer service. (30 January 2024)
Scott
Not a first time client . Once again they did it perfectly (7 Jun 2022)
Mr Mirco Riccardo Romito
