Company Registered office at home - legal?

Company Registered office at home - legal?

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Our client who is an orthopedic surgeon has received a letter from council that "it is illegal to run medical business from home address" as someone (more likely his neighbour) has complained to council that surgeon is providing medical services to patients from home without council's permission. While this is not the case as home address is used as registered office address for "limited company" and all the activities are provided from a nearby hospital. If any of you has come across such a letter before, how did you assist your client as advisors? secondly ......... is it really illegal to provide home address as your business address without informing council especially when no such activity is carried out at home except receiving posts?

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By chatman
16th Nov 2011 22:59

Is any reply needed?

If they are not making any threats, is any response needed at all?  As far as I know, it is not illegal to use your home address as your company registered office address, without informing the council. Lots of people do it.

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By CaroSuz
16th Nov 2011 23:27

Planning or business rates

Perhaps the reference in the letter is to planning consent for change of use (if that had been the case) and/or classification for business rates? If the only activity is administrative then neither might apply.

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By George Attazder
17th Nov 2011 11:00

There are a variety of premises that must be registered...

... with a local authority.  Particularly those where there are specific health and safety/public health risks.  This is so that it can be ensured that the premises can be monitored/inspected by an appropriate competent authority.

It does seem entirely reasonable that surgeons shouldn't be permitted to cut people open just anywhere.

Might it not be possible to respond setting out the facts, explaining that the GMC would have more than a little to say if your client really was operating on his patients on his dining room table, and that the council officials involved should exercise a litlle perspicacity.

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