What are ‘Off The Shelf’ Companies?
The terms companies ‘off the shelf’, ‘Ready Made shelf companies’, ‘Ready Made companies’, ‘aged shelf companies’, ‘old companies’, ‘vintage companies’ and ‘off the shelf companies’ all mean the same thing. These terms refer to a company or a corporation that has had no previous trading activity.
The Ready Made companies are formed and set aside with the objective to be sold at a later date. During the life on the ‘shelf’, a company for sale is properly maintained, kept up to date, and each year the prescribed paperwork and fees are paid up. All the necessary paper work for ready-made companies is filed with HMRC.
Ready Made UK Companies – Any Reasons to Buy?
People used to buy Ready Made UK Companies some years ago but they are not as popular now. Not so long ago the submission for company registration with Companies House was a paperwork process, taking weeks to register. Buying off the shelf limited companies certainly made sense then to save time. Nowadays Ready Made companies are only used to show the longevity of the business.
What are Ready Made Companies Advantages?
Ready Made companies (Aged Shelf companies) do not have any advantages over new ltd company formations, unless there are strong commercial reasons for doing so. Ready Made companies for sale were created by company formation agents to save time during the formation process and to avoid processing delays at Companies House. As online company formation applications now take on average 3 hours, the demand for Ready Made Companies has significantly decreased. Companies off the shelf are only of interest if there is a need for a longer trading history.
What is the Time Frame to Acquire Ownership a Shelf Company?
As a rule, vintage companies for sale are more expensive. The price for Ready Made Ltd companies includes all the fees paid to maintain the aged shelf company in good standing up to date. The name change for Limited companies off the shelf must also first be approved by the Directors and will be confirmed by a Change of Name Resolution. The processes of making changes to the off the shelf companies only add time and expense to company formation. A name change for companies off the shelf normally takes 2 working days. Unless you have specific reasons, Limited Companies off the shelf do not add any value in terms of time and money. Old companies (companies off the shelf) will not be VAT registered nor will they have a bank account. Ready Made companies UK cannot be initially registered for VAT.
Despite all off the above, shelf companies are still on demand and we have a list of dormant shelf companies (limited by shares and Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs) to choose from below:
| Company | Date Incorporated | Company Number |
|---|---|---|
| SAFENET SOLUTIONS LLP | 31/12/2012 | OC381263 |
| SIMPLY TECHNOLOGIES LTD | 28/12/2012 | 8342353 |
| TRUSTED LINK LIMITED | 28/12/2012 | 8342386 |
| BEYOND REACH LTD | 28/12/2012 | 8342384 |
| LUXURIOUS TRAVEL LTD | 28/12/2012 | 8342451 |
| DATAMAX TECHNOLOGY LTD | 28/12/2012 | 8342499 |
| INNOVATIVE ADVISORS LTD | 28/12/2012 | 8342498 |
| TRANSATLANTIC TRADING LLP | 28/12/2012 | OC381257 |
| GOLDEN PATH ASSOCIATES LLP | 28/12/2012 | OC381258 |
| COMMERCIAL INVESTORS LLP | 28/12/2012 | OC381259 |
| WORLDWIDE GADGETS LIMITED | 18/12/2013 | 8819843 |
| TRUSTING ELEMENTS LIMITED | 18/12/2013 | 8819908 |
| TIMES CHANGE LIMITED | 18/12/2013 | 8819956 |
| ASSURED RESPONSE LIMITED | 18/12/2013 | 8819932 |
| ELEMENTAL SEARCH LIMITED | 18/12/2013 | 8819921 |
| CLOUD STATION LIMITED | 18/12/2013 | 8819917 |
| TECHNICAL TIMES LIMITED | 18/12/2013 | 8819836 |
All of the above shelf companies are ready to be transferred into your ownership. The advantage is that you will have a company registration number straight away. You can also change the company name, if you wish. We can also assist with this. Prices for the above start from £250, please contact us.
Shelf Companies – Things to Consider
The formation process for shelf companies is no different from that of any other normal business incorporation. Before you buy a shelf company consider incorporating a new one today to save money. Demand for shelf companies is decreasing. The formation process for ready-made limited companies or LLPs is no different from that of any other normal business incorporation.
Taking into consideration all of the above, we believe a new company formation is much more efficient and cost effective than the purchase of a shelf company. However as with everything at UK Companies Limited choice is everything, over to you.
