Who do I sue if the seller is a sole trader?
For an England and Wales claim, name the sole trader’s full personal name, where known, followed by ‘trading as’ and the shop name. Check their usual or last known home address or principal place of business for service. Resolve identity or address doubts before filing. Discuss your sourcing records with Cambridge China Bridge.
Confirm who sold you the goods
A sole trader is an individual, not an organisation. Start by confirming that the person operating the shop was your contracting seller. Goods coming from China does not identify the defendant. Our guide to seller and agent roles explains how to establish who sold you the goods.
This guide concerns naming and addressing a defendant in England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have different processes. For complaint letters, evidence and choosing the court route, use our UK seller dispute guide.
Find the proprietor behind the shop name
Check the invoice, order acknowledgement, supply terms and correspondence for the proprietor’s personal name. Government guidance says sole traders must include their own name and business name, if they have one, on official paperwork such as invoices and letters.
Ask the seller to confirm in writing the full name of the person who sold you the goods, their trading name and their current residential or principal business address. Compare the answer with your purchase records. Treat a payment recipient or customer-service contact as a lead to check, rather than assuming they are the proprietor.
Put the personal name and trading name together
The official claim-form notes say to enter the individual’s full unabbreviated name where known, their title and their full trading name. The format is ‘Mr. John Smith trading as Smith’s Groceries’. Replace those example details with the seller’s confirmed details and the shop name used for your order.
If using Money Claim Online, select the individual defendant option. Its guidance says to put the surname followed by ‘trading as’ and the trading name in the surname field, with the forename or title in the relevant fields. If the proprietor’s name remains unknown, ask a solicitor how to proceed using the records you have; do not invent a name.
Check the address before using it for service
For a business proprietor, the official claim-form notes identify the usual or last known residence or principal place of business as the service address. Money Claim Online requires a full address in England or Wales, including the postcode. Check the address against the route you intend to use.
Do not assume a parcel return address, fulfilment warehouse or mailbox is the proprietor’s principal place of business. Ask what connection the proprietor has with it; our UK warehouse seller checks help with that distinction. If post is returned or you learn that the trader has moved, record your enquiries and ask a solicitor to check service before relying on the old address.
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Keep a record of your identity checks
Keep the documents connecting the proprietor, shop name and order together. Save the seller’s written confirmation, dated copies of relevant website pages and the evidence supporting your chosen address. Flag conflicting names or addresses for review before submitting the claim.
Compare the defendant details in your draft with the original purchase documents and complaint correspondence. Ask for advice if a later invoice names a different business. For organising the underlying goods dispute, follow the linked dispute guide. Cambridge China Bridge can help organise sourcing and inspection records from work it handled.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sue a sole trader using just the shop name?
The claim-form notes say to include the proprietor’s full name where known, their title and trading name. If you only know the shop name, ask a solicitor how to proceed without guessing the proprietor’s identity.
How do I find the sole trader’s real name?
Check invoices, order acknowledgements, terms and letters. Ask the seller to confirm the proprietor’s full name and trading name in writing, then compare that answer with your purchase records.
Can I use the seller’s warehouse address?
Check whether it is the proprietor’s principal place of business. A warehouse used for dispatch or returns needs further investigation before you choose it for service.
What if the sole trader has moved?
Keep returned post and evidence of the move. Make enquiries about the current address and ask a solicitor to check service before relying on the old address.