Address Yourself – Website Contact Information and the Law

I’m always surprised to see how many websites omit their company address from their contact page or any other section of their site. Displaying your company’s contact details is crucial for several reasons:

1. Building Trust with Customers: When you’re selling products, services, or any other items, it’s essential for customers to easily reach out to you. A website that showcases its contact details and business location instils a sense of security and trust in potential customers. Such transparency can significantly influence a customer’s decision to make a purchase.
2. Enhancing Local Business Visibility: For those searching for local businesses online, detailed contact information, including a map pinpointing your location, can attract more customers. In today’s fast-paced world, people appreciate easily accessible information, reducing the time they spend searching for a company’s address.
3. Reflecting Professionalism: A website that doesn’t provide contact details may come across as neglectful or unprofessional, potentially deterring customers.

Legal Requirements for Displaying Contact Information

In the UK, there’s more to displaying contact details than just best practice—it’s the law. As per the Companies Act of 2006 (updated in 2007 to include stationery, promotional material and websites), most UK companies are required to disclose their contact details on their website. This means that merely having a contact form isn’t enough. Companies must also display a geographical address that’s easily visible to visitors. Additionally, they should provide their company registration number and, if applicable, their VAT number.

You must include your company’s name on all company documents, publicity and letters.

On business letters, order forms and websites, you must show:

• the company’s registered number
• its registered office address
• where the company is registered (England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland)
• the fact that it’s a limited company (usually by spelling out the company’s full name including ‘Limited’ or ‘Ltd’)

These regulations apply not only to E-commerce businesses but also to companies offering online information, web hosting, commercial advertising, and more. Importantly, these laws pertain to businesses based in the UK, regardless of the location where their website server is hosted.

Related reading:

• Updating your website copyright year