News

Unofficial payment requests | 1 December 2010

Increasingly clients receive unsolicited mail from organisations submitting what appears to be an invoice and requesting payment for inclusion on what seems to be an official register. These organisations are not official bodies and the registers they run have no legal effect; there is no requirement to pay their fees. The official bodies which publish and register intellectual property rights do so automatically and will not contact you direct for any payment.

These unsolicited approaches are often prompted by publication of your intellectual property right on an official register, such as that run by the European Patent Office, UK Intellectual Property Office, International Bureau of WIPO and Community Trade mark Office. Similarly you may receive unsolicited renewal reminders inviting you to sign and return a document and pay a fee in order to renew. If you are ever unsure about a payment request, then please do not hesitate to contact us.