AnswersCourt, and what comes after
How do I find the right company name and number to sue?
The short answer
Sue the registered name. Look the company up free on Companies House2, then put its full registered name, with Limited or Ltd, exactly as shown4 on the claim. A logo or website name isn't the debtor, but a limited company must show its registered number on its website and business letters3, so the number is usually in the footer you already have.
England and Wales only. WolfX is software, not a law firm.
What you can add
A £4,800 invoice, sued in the wrong name
Say a studio's £4,800 invoice was due on 31 July 2026. On Monday 12 October 2026, 73 days late, it issues a claim in the brand's name. Interest9 is £4,800 × 11.75% ÷ 365 × 73 days = £112.80. With the £70 fixed sum10 the claim is £4,982.80, so the fee is £205. The brand isn't the company, so it starts again on Monday 2 November 2026, 94 days late. Interest is now £145.25, the claim is £5,015.25, and the fee is £455.
Done right the first time, the fee is £205.00. The claim passed £5,000.00 on 24 October, day 85, so the wait itself cost money. The Companies House check costs nothing and takes ten minutes.
The road ahead
Five steps. All free.
Step 1: Check who actually ordered
Read the signed order, quote or contract, and the email that accepted it. Which company placed the order, and who was your invoice addressed to?
If it isn't clear, ask: "Please confirm the full registered name and company number of the business that placed order 2291."
Step 3: Match it to your paperwork
The one to sue is the company that placed the order, not another that shares a word with it. If your order names a previous name, it's the same company: a change of name doesn't affect its obligations6, and proceedings can be started against the new name.
Step 4: Read the status line
If it says dissolved, in liquidation or in administration, the road changes before you pay a fee. What those words mean comes first.
Step 5: Copy the name, number and address
Copy the registered name with its suffix exactly as shown, then the company number and the registered office. The law lets you leave papers at, or post them to, the registered office5, so it is the safest address for the claim.
The letter
This page is about reading a public record, so there is nothing to send. The one line you may need is quoted in step 1.
When not to bother
When it isn't worth it
- Sole trader or firm. Name the person 'trading as' the business4, or the firm '(a Firm)'. A sole trader gets 30 days to reply11.
- The status says dissolved, in liquidation or in administration. A dissolved company is usually no one to sue, and the other two change the route. Read what each means first.
- The company is registered in Scotland or Northern Ireland. The register says where, and the courts and forms differ. This page covers England and Wales only.
- Wrong name already issued. Apply to amend it7 rather than start again: £126 by consent, £321 on notice8.
- You're tempted to sue the director instead. That is a different claim with its own tests, not a way round an unclear name. See claiming from a director.
The Wolf's note
The court serves a name, not a logo. The register shows the name it will recognise, and reading it takes ten minutes. Copy it letter for letter, suffix included, and the fee is spent once.
Mr. Wolf · the AI inside WolfX
What comes next
Your next move
How do I take a company to court for an unpaid invoice?
Send a letter before action, then claim online.
7 min read · Letter included
Before you chase
What do "dormant", "dissolved", "in liquidation" and "proposal to strike off" mean on Companies House?
Only dissolved means a company has gone.
4 min read
Can I claim against a sole trader the same way as against a company?
Yes, mostly. Same court, interest and fee, but a sole trader gets a fuller Letter of Claim and 30 days to reply, where a company gets 14.
6 min read · Letter included
Don't want to do this yourself?
The Wolf does every step for you. He works out the sums, writes the letters and keeps track of every date. Nothing goes without your yes.