Is business name registration enforced?

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newtothis

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According to the CRO: "Registration of a business name is obligatory if any individual or partnership or any body corporate carries on business under a name other than their own true names". The question is if this is enforced, and if so by whom?

Some background: I'm trying to find out who is behind a retail outlet that has recently opened. The name they are trading under is not registered, either as a business name or a company name. It's proving remarkably difficult to find out who is behind them: for example, they have a Web site with a domain registered, but the only contact information available for that is a gmail email address and a mobile phone number. The address is an incomplete version of their trading address.

Any ideas on how they might be tracked down?
 
Thanks. I checked their Web site, and found a complaint form which includes the statement "issues relating to the Registration of Business Names Act 1963 - please contact the Companies Registration Office (CRO)", so I guess that's my next port of call.

It's proved remarkable difficult to track down who's behind this particular operation, so I think it's quite deliberate: it's something of mystery why, though.
 
Have you tried in the shop itself ? Did they apply for any planning-permissions anytime recently? How are they paying commercial rates?
 
Newbie-employee said:
Have you tried in the shop itself ? Did they apply for any planning-permissions anytime recently? How are they paying commercial rates?
Click to expand...

No, not yet. No recent planning applications or leases. How would how they pay commercial rates be of use in finding out?
 
I think District Court Rule 39 allows you to obtain an order directing the person who is controlling/managing the business to provide the contact details for the owner. I'm not sure of the specifics and not sure if you could get something similar issued/served by the Small Claims Court but it might be worth asking them.

Also, I've a vague memory of reading somewhere on the Dept of Enterprise website that their Company Law Policy dept. was responsible for enforcement of the Business Names act. I'm not sure how you'd contact them though.
 
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