How to separate a supplier's legal name from its trading name
A brand, website domain and company name can all differ. A directory that treats them as interchangeable may attach a real registration to the wrong seller.
What the primary source can establish
The UK Companies House search is the first-party reference for this guide. Companies House offers company search and access to company information and filing images. It does not investigate or endorse any named supplier on Source Ledger. The steps below are our editorial method for making a buyer-facing field more precise.
A field-level check
Record the legal entity exactly as the original register displays it. Put trading names and website names in separate alias fields, each with its own source. Ask the proposed counterparty to explain the relationship in writing when the chain is unclear.
Write down the exact field, the party that supplied the information, the original document or page, the date seen and the scope of the check. If a reviewer took an action, record that action rather than a general “verified” label. Reopen the source when the transaction or underlying document changes.
Where the inference stops
A similar spelling or shared logo is not enough to merge two legal persons. A branch, distributor or unrelated business can use a similar name in a different jurisdiction.
A missing answer is a question to resolve, not permission to substitute a guess. Separate a statement by the supplier from a public record and from a documented human review. No source in this article proves a quality ranking or an existing buyer relationship.
What to record before deciding
Use the legal name for the counterparty field and display aliases only with attribution. Leave ownership or group relationships unresolved until supported by a filing or direct documentation.
This entry describes how to evaluate evidence. It is not a dossier for a real company, an approval decision or a substitute for transaction-specific professional review.
Common question
Should the website name be the directory's legal name?
Only if the original register supports it. Otherwise keep the website name as an attributed trading name.
Related guide
Continue with When contract, invoice and payment names do not match for another field-level check.