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what to call myself?
Ive become recently self employed. Do freelancers call themselves a company name (eg: Fantasy Designs)? Or do you invoice clients as your personal name (eg Joe Bloggs)? At the moment I just invoice people as myself. Do I need to register a name like a limited company would have to do?
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Hartley
Messages count : 22Likes count : 0Registration : 16 July 2009There isn't a central database to register sole trader names in the way Companies House oversee limited companies. So you can either carry on just using your own name or else "Joe Blogs Trading As Cleaner Windows" if you want to associate a more literal name to what you do.
If you do choose a name to trade as it makes sense to check you're not using a name someone else is already using. Firstly so you don't confuse customers, but also in case you're infringeing on someone else's trademarks. Google 'trademark database' as you should find a free online tool to check this and double check business directories and phone books to avoid confusion.
You do need to tell your local tax office you've started trading though, do a search on here for that as lots of others have asked about that.