The VOF was created a few years ago by Operation Sterling of the Metropolitan Police. The intent was to bring structure and order to the Virtual Office and The Accommodation Address service providers and combat the misuse of such services by fraudsters.
It was decided that the Forum should be under the Serviced Office Industry’s excellent association The Business Centres Association (BCA).
The BCA already had a code of conduct that all members had to sign. In addition to this code, the VOF created a number of training and operational procedures for operators to protect themselves and to prevent fraudster using their services.
All Virtual Office operators are now required to register with HMRC under the Money Laundering Regulation 2007 (MLR2007). In certain boroughs of London, operators are also required to register under the London Local Authority Act 2007 (LLA2007). Service providers who have not subscribed or are abusing the terms of these regulations face large penalties and perhaps more.
Currently the following Government organisations are members of the VOF Panel:
– Operation Sterling (Metropolitan Police)
– City of London Police
– National Crime Agency (NCA)
– The Insolvency Service
– Westminster Trading Standards
– City of London Trading Standards
– National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB)
– Financial Conduct Agency (FCA)
– Business Innovations & Skills (BIS)
In addition to the Government agencies, a number of major providers of VO services complement the panel
– Hold Everything
– Mail Boxes Etc.
– MessageMail
– OfficeFront
– Regus/MWB
– The London Office
– The Virtual Office Group
It was decided that the Forum should be under the Serviced Office Industry’s excellent association The Business Centres Association (BCA).
The BCA already had a code of conduct that all members had to sign. In addition to this code, the VOF created a number of training and operational procedures for operators to protect themselves and to prevent fraudster using their services.
All Virtual Office operators are now required to register with HMRC under the Money Laundering Regulation 2007 (MLR2007). In certain boroughs of London, operators are also required to register under the London Local Authority Act 2007 (LLA2007). Service providers who have not subscribed or are abusing the terms of these regulations face large penalties and perhaps more.
Currently the following Government organisations are members of the VOF Panel:
– Operation Sterling (Metropolitan Police)
– City of London Police
– National Crime Agency (NCA)
– The Insolvency Service
– Westminster Trading Standards
– City of London Trading Standards
– National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB)
– Financial Conduct Agency (FCA)
– Business Innovations & Skills (BIS)
In addition to the Government agencies, a number of major providers of VO services complement the panel
– Hold Everything
– Mail Boxes Etc.
– MessageMail
– OfficeFront
– Regus/MWB
– The London Office
– The Virtual Office Group
