Online business address and mail scanning service
Sell a business address with mail scanning and forwarding to remote firms and sellers, managed mostly online.
- £1k-5k
- Side hustle
- Online
Estimates for a small start in the UK, not guarantees.
Official data
13,756 UK companies in this field, 25% registered in the last 2 years
SIC 82110 “Combined office administrative service activities”. Source: Companies House, November 2026.
What it is
You offer a professional business address plus mail handling: you receive post, scan it, and forward or hold it. Customers sign up and manage everything online. You need a staffed or regularly visited address, such as a small rented office or a desk in a shared space.
Your first three steps
- Find a suitable address, such as a small office or shared space, and check the landlord agrees to you using it for this
- Choose mail-scanning software and a document scanner, and write clear terms covering mail handling, ID checks and what you will not accept
- Build a simple website with clear pricing and promote it to freelancer and online seller communities
Who pays
Online sellers, freelancers, people living abroad, home-based business owners and start-ups that don't want to use a home address publicly.
How it makes money
Monthly or annual subscriptions for the address and mail handling, with extra charges for scanning, parcels, forwarding and holding mail.
Skills that help
- Careful, organised admin
- Customer service by email and phone
- Comfortable with simple software and a website
Watch out for
- Check whether you must register with HMRC for anti-money laundering supervision, and what customer ID checks you need to carry out
- Data protection: you will be opening and scanning other people's post, so check what the UK GDPR requires and whether you need to register with the ICO
- Check your lease or agreement allows mail handling and use of the address for company registrations
- Public liability and suitable cover for lost or damaged mail
- Risk of customers using your address for unlawful activity, so set sensible sign-up checks and terms
Deep research report · UK
Everything you need to start: online business address and mail scanning
Researched with live web search for United Kingdom: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a mail scanning and address service?
Estimated startup costs are typically around £1,000 to £5,000, depending on your address or office arrangement, scanning equipment and website.
How much can a business address and mail service earn?
Estimated monthly revenue is typically around £300 to £2,500, depending on how many customers you sign up and the plans you offer.
What rules should I check before handling other people's mail?
Check whether you must register with HMRC for anti-money laundering supervision and what customer ID checks you need. Also check data protection, since you will open and scan other people's post, whether you need to register with the ICO, and that your lease allows mail handling.
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