If an organisation owns website but another owns the name at Companies House, who legally has the name rights?

[Nick]

If an organisation name, lets say 'Fred Bloggs Holdings Colne Ltd' is registered at Companies House, does that registered owner have the legal right to prevent another organisation operating using that name as a website eg. http://www.facebook.com/fredbloggsholdingscolneltd?

In this instance, the website and FB page have already been running for at least 2 years and the organisation is not yet registered with Companies House. Would the existing website/FB page owner be given priority or the owner of the Ltd name at Companies House?

Furthermore, if it is in favour of the Companies House owner does that company then have the right to petition for ownership of the website and FB page?

[Ian]

The website name can be anything and may not even be a business. I could make a website sony.co.uk or sony.net and if that website is free then I can use it so long as i do not try and act in a business manner that is in any way similar to Sony Japan, Sony Europe, Sony US or such like.

But this is not very likely as businesses buy up all available .com or .co.uk or .net URLs. to prevent this from happening.

If the website wants to conduct business in a premises then it has to be called (whatever.co.uk) or whatever post dot. It can't form a business without the dot in the business name nor can it register the business without the (dot whatever).

However a sole trader that does not need to be registered as a business can still use the title in website name of a business in operating but in all his/her communications the (whatever.whatever) must be stated in full.