Dummies business question

[DimPrawn]

AFAIK you can't protect a trading name.

I registered my trading name with the Inland Revenue using a form called VAT99 or something.

[PropertyCrashUK]

Thanks guys - so do you have to register that trading name anywhere?

i.e. my ltd company name is registered at companies hosue and no one can use it. How do I stop someone trading under a trading name I choose?

[DimPrawn]

Can a business trade under another name. For example 'industrialpipes.inc' also trading as 'fix it now plumbers'? If so, how would invoices work? To whom would cheques be payable?

Yes you can use a trading name. eg. plumber and fitters could be a trading name of 123 Jump limited.

If you have a business bank account under 123 Jump ltd, you would need to inform your bank of the trading name so that people can write cheques to Plumber and Fitters.

On any invoices, letters you should put "Plumbers and Fitters is a trading name of 123 Jump limited"

[Lockhouse]

Myco has a "trading name". I just made one up when I found a decent domain name. I put the ltd co name in small print on the bottom of invoices with the address details, VAT number etc. When you set up a company bank account you usually need to specify all the different names that you are going to pay in cheques under so that's not a problem. You could invoice as either but I tend to use the trading name as it's snappier. IANAL etc.

[PropertyCrashUK]

Can a business trade under another name. For example 'industrialpipes.inc' also trading as 'fix it now plumbers'? If so, how would invoices work? To whom would cheques be payable?