A readymade company, also known as an 'off-the-shelf' company, is one that already exists. A private limited company pre-registered at Companies House that has never traded, but is ready to use immediately.

Once a popular method through which to set up a new company due to the lengthy incorporation process, today there are few advantages to buying a readymade company.

What are the disadvantages of using a readymade Company?

  • It is unlikely that the readymade company will have a name that suits your commercial purposes so you will need to change the company name.
  • Changes to the Registered Office location will be required.
  • Changes in ownership will be required so you will have to change the director(s), secretary and shareholders.
  • Can you guarantee that the company has not previously traded?
  • More costly: the price may depend on when it was incorporated.
  • "In Stock" readymade companies could have been formed several days or several years in the past.
  • You may have to change the Articles of Association, as these may not be suitable for your requirements.
  • All the statutory changes you make will be reflected on the public record.

These are just some of the reasons we do not offer "readymade" companies at Jordans. We want our clients to have the company they need and we work to ensure that the incorporation process is trouble-free. With the support and guidance from our team of UK company formation experts, your brand new company can be perfectly tailored for your business and often takes just minutes when you have all your details to hand.

What are the Advantages of using a new Private Limited Company set up just for you?

  • A clean company incorporated from scratch in 24 hours or less*
  • You can guarantee that a newly formed company has no trading history.
  • You can choose your own company name, within Companies House guidelines.
  • From the outset you can select the Registered Office location where official mail from Companies House and HMRC will be sent.
  • You can provide your own officers (director(s) and secretary) at the time of incorporation.
  • At the time of incorporation you can provide your own shareholder(s) details.
  • You can, if required, provide your own Articles of Association or you can choose Jordans articles that have been custom drafted by our experienced legal professionals.

How we can help

At Jordans, setting up your new company is easy. You can ring our company formations team and provide the details of your company over the phone, or you can place your order online. We're happy to assist you or at companyformation@jordans.co.uk.

*Subject to Companies House timescales. Guaranteed same day service available at additional cost.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.