Business websites

I have noticed during my time of searching and tying to contact small companies that many are breaking UK law with their websites. It is a requirement under UK law that all business websites have a contact address. An Email address is not sufficient there must be a normal mail address where people can send mail be it signed for or normal mail.

According to the Companies Act, January 1, 2007, and Business Names Act 1985 a UK company should list its physical and registered office addresses. For sole traders and partnerships what is required is an address (P.O Box not allowed) in the UK under the business name where any documentation relating to the business can be served.

Thus, it is not acceptable just to include a contact form on your site but must also incorporate a geographical address somewhere easily visible to your viewers, as well as the inclusion of company registration number, and if registered, VAT number.

To clarify, these laws cover not only Ecommerce businesses buying and selling online, but also companies offering online information, web-hosting, and commercial advertising, to name but a few. These laws relate to businesses located in the U.K, not the location of the website server.

Just a bit of advice and not aimed at any one person

Rob

I don't put my address on nor will I.

To be honest I don't need my site, it serves no real purpose but to give clients to look at should they be bothered too.

My local Trading Standard had no problem with it, once I explained we search for absent fathers, that often make various threats towards us, once located, we specialize in the searches the C.S.A. couldn't/wouldn't trace.

The small point I would like to raise is, in my view.. article 8 of the Human Rights act overturns the company act along with the D.P.A.

Could be wrong of course but that's how i see it!

Article 8 gives the right to a private and personal life however part two of the article allows national governments to negate this part.

2. There shall be no interference by a public authority with the exercise of this right except such as is in accordance with the law and is necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security, public safety or the economic well-being of the country, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.

I would therefore suggest although I cant find any test case to date that prevention or disorder of a crime would allow article 8 to be dispensed with. Article 8 in my opinion actually backs up the DPA. The DPA gives us a right to have our information kept private which is what Article 8 would also suggest. To be fair Article 8 is probably the owrst written part of the ECHR and is flouted daily by most govermental departments and one the courts seem to not take into account unless specifically used by a defendent. It is also one that as of yet never succeded in the family court (something I have tried twice and failed with)

I'm not a solicitor just a respectable local businessman

I have rights under article 8, I have rights under data protection and I guess rights under all sorts of laws, I have expressed my views to Trading Standards on it, I have gone through why that is, they are happy enough that my tax registration and information commissionaire registration numbers are on my website and my address isn't.

I don't know about you lot but, the best thing to do is get Trading Standards onside, although they can not endorse any business, you can be on their system and take full advantage of them.. like for instance, if a heir wants to check you out etc.. works a treat for me, I was chatting to Dan from Trading Standards local to me a couple of weeks ago, he said "We get loads of calls asking about you" I thought "I bet you do" lol.. I put there details in every letter sent out. I pay the second highest council tax in the country for a third rate service, so therefore I want my monies worth in other practical ways.