When issuing proceedings against a company, which name should be used for service?

When issuing proceedings against a company, which name should be used for service?

• A. The registered name of the company
• B. The trading name of the company
• C. The director's name
• D. The headquarters name

Answer: (A)

The key point is that the defendant must be identified as its legal entity. A company is a separate legal person, and its legal identity is the registered name recorded at Companies House. For service of proceedings, you must address and serve on that legal entity, usually at its registered office. Using a trading name is risky because it’s just branding and may not bind the correct defendant, so service could be challenged as defective. Likewise, a director’s name is an individual, not the company, and the headquarters name isn’t the legal identifier of the defendant. So the proper approach is to use the registered name of the company for service.

The key point is that the defendant must be identified as its legal entity. A company is a separate legal person, and its legal identity is the registered name recorded at Companies House. For service of proceedings, you must address and serve on that legal entity, usually at its registered office. Using a trading name is risky because it’s just branding and may not bind the correct defendant, so service could be challenged as defective. Likewise, a director’s name is an individual, not the company, and the headquarters name isn’t the legal identifier of the defendant. So the proper approach is to use the registered name of the company for service.