[James Styles]

Hi guys I was looking to change my company name, I’m a sole trader, I was looking on hmrc website & can’t seem to find where you can change the name of your business, anyone done this before?

[NWH]

Ask someone that’s run up huge debts they’ll be able to tell you what you need to do 🤣🤣

[Stoots]

Why do you need to tell HMRC if you are a sole trader ?  You are the business regardless of if you had 10 names.

[James Styles]

Why do you need to tell HMRC if you are a sole trader ?  You are the business regardless of if you had 10 names.

When I registered my as a sole trader I remember filling in name of business when I did it online, I just wanted to change it.
Like you have your business name on your leaflets, shirt, van etc. Don’t you have to let hmrc know if you want to change it?
Maybe I’m being a air head then, I thought you’d need to let hmrc know lol.

[NWH]

Why would you want to change the name that sounds strange to me m8,last time I was aware that someone did that in this job they’d upset a lot of people in the area they work.

[Smudger]

As a sole trader you can "trade As" - so if you don't like the name then just alter it - as long as your accounts you submit show all transactions under each title

being limited is different....

( note: this is what I remember from several years ago - hopefully its still applies )

Darran

[dd]

There is a section on your tax return which asks you if you have changed your business name, so just fill in your new name on your next return.

As has already been said, it does not matter unless you are a limited company.

[Richard Groves]

I'm wanting to change my business name too. It's only because I've thought of a better name that suits the area I've moved to a couple of years ago and will help attract new work closer to where I now live.

From memory when I've previously filled in my online SA tax return I've always had to type in my trading name, even if it hasn't changed from the year before. Maybe that's all you have to do 

[Richard Groves]

There is a section on your tax return which asks you if you have changed your business name, so just fill in your new name on your next return.

As has already been said, it does not matter unless you are a limited company.

Thank you !
You've just answered  that for me whilst I was typing my above reply. 👍😉

[James Styles]

Why would you want to change the name that sounds strange to me m8,last time I was aware that someone did that in this job they’d upset a lot of people in the area they work.

Haha no I’ve not upset anyone or anything just thought of a better name then the one I picked 👍

[Spruce]

Obviously you wouldn't pick the same or very similar name to someone also working your area even if he is a sole trader.
That wouldn't go down well.

[Klean07]

Changing your business name is definitely a no no in my opinion. Your name is your brand that you have taken two years to build etc!
The only companies that I know of that have changed their names are ones I see on Rogue Traders etc.

[NWH]

Changing your business name is definitely a no no in my opinion. Your name is your brand that you have taken two years to build etc!
The only companies that I know of that have changed their names are ones I see on Rogue Traders etc.

Exactly alarm bells would ring with me if I saw the same bloke under a different name,seen it loads of times over the years with builders,had a bloke in the past copy my van wrap it fooled  a few people to begin with until they realised his van was half the size of mine 🤣

[Richard Groves]

I disagree. What if you're branding was rubbish to begin with. And you've come up with a better idea that's going to aid the push for more business opportunities and strengthen your branding ? I don't have a website as yet or even had any signwriting the last 5 years. Surely it depends on your circumstances and reasons. If you're a sole trader and not vat registered but have a long term plan that the name change will facilitate then it's a good idea.

[NWH]

Nothing wrong with changing branding bit different to changing your name though eh,it looks dodgy no matter how it looks to you.
I know of about 4-5 builders and they’ve all changed names because they went either bust or took deposits and ran,one guy said I need 20k to finish the last job or I won’t be able to complete yours can I have a larger deposit she agreed,he took the money on the Friday on the Tuesday his company folded,lovely bloke.
As I say I wouldn’t change names but wraps and signage is whatever takes your fancy nothing wrong with changing that,it wouldn’t sit right with me as a customer.

[Viktor]

Nothing wrong with changing branding bit different to changing your name though eh,it looks dodgy no matter how it looks to you.
I know of about 4-5 builders and they’ve all changed names because they went either bust or took deposits and ran,one guy said I need 20k to finish the last job or I won’t be able to complete yours can I have a larger deposit she agreed,he took the money on the Friday on the Tuesday his company folded,lovely bloke.
As I say I wouldn’t change names but wraps and signage is whatever takes your fancy nothing wrong with changing that,it wouldn’t sit right with me as a customer.

You don't seem to have any useful information to write on any posts.
He did not even ask opinion about it. But actually asked how to do it legally.

You don't know about someone and just drag some negative dirt on them. If it sounds dodgy for you, it's more like your problem and limited world.

He may be doing a whole campaign of rebranding - notifying each and every customer with new branded letter about a change. Adding some improvement on service with a new branding. You just don't know.... Why have your sh**ty assumptions?

[NWH]

Get real and look at the world without those tinted glasses on if you start changing company names etc it looks dodgy end of,think what you like if I saw that happening it would get me thinking and I wouldn’t be on my own in that opinion either.

[Richard Groves]

The whole "rogue trader" analogy doesn't really cross over to window cleaning as a reason IMO. A window cleaning round is a service and repeat custom not ££££'s on a dodgy extension or new roof. There's no hiding a bad reputation or rogue service in a name change, you wouldn't have a business , unless you were planning to ditch all your existing customers and start again from scratch.

[Richard Groves]

Get real and look at the world without those tinted glasses on if you start changing company names etc it looks dodgy end of,think what you like if I saw that happening it would get me thinking and I wouldn’t be on my own in that opinion either.

It took me years before I finally bought a snickers after they changed the name from marathon.

[KS Cleaning]

Nothing wrong with changing branding bit different to changing your name though eh,it looks dodgy no matter how it looks to you.
I know of about 4-5 builders and they’ve all changed names because they went either bust or took deposits and ran,one guy said I need 20k to finish the last job or I won’t be able to complete yours can I have a larger deposit she agreed,he took the money on the Friday on the Tuesday his company folded,lovely bloke.
As I say I wouldn’t change names but wraps and signage is whatever takes your fancy nothing wrong with changing that,it wouldn’t sit right with me as a customer.

There’s a big difference between a builder changing business name and a window cleaner changing business name tho!
The OP isn’t fully established yet so if he’s not happy with the business name, now is the time to change it.