There is a pre-set task for design renewals: “GB Design Renewals”.
The following steps are required:
If the Client (direct client or associate) is someone we have not communicated with for some time, we need to check whether they are still active;
- For an individual, there is not much we can do to check;
- For a UK Limited Company, a Companies House search will show if the company is still active; if it is not, refer to the fee-earner. A Google search may also give some clues.
- For an overseas attorney, a Google search will indicate whether they are still in business and the company website may be able to show whether the last individual we dealt with is still with the firm. If they are not, we may need to create a new generic contact based on the general contact e-mail address shown on the website;
- go to the UKIPO register by clicking on the UKIPO button alongside “Grant/Reg” details (you’ll need to copy and paste the number, because the link doesn’t work properly) and then right-click on the page and select Print, then print to pdf. Save this on your desktop;
- If the client is an associate, check to see what currency we used when we last billed them and make sure that the “Working in” currency setting on the Charges tab is set correctly;
- In the Charges tab, click “Add from Charge Sheet” and in the empty box above “Description” type renewal and then click Filter. This focuses down on the relevant entries. Choose 6040 for our fee, 3670 to 3673 for the official renewal fee, according to which renewal it is. Remember that, for UK based clients, you will need to add 20% VAT to our service charge (6040) to get the correct total to quote in the reminder e-mail;
- Mark the charges as “non-chargeable” until we have instructions to proceed – this will avoid inflating the unbilled charges reports;
- It will probably be necessary to generate the reminder manually from the Design Renewal Reminder template, using the “Associate” version if the instructing client is not the same as the owner of the registration. You will then need to add the total cost as calculated above and to attach the pdf generated from the Register;
- Once you have sent the reminder, set the task for the 2nd reminder for 3 months before the due date.
- At the 2nd reminder date (assuming no instructions have been received), send “Design renewal – 2nd reminder” and set the final reminder task for 1 month before the due date.
- At the final reminder date, send “Design Renewal – Final Reminder” and set the task to the expiry date.
- After expiry (the normal term, not the extended term), check to see whether the client has renewed the mark without telling us.
- If they have, send “Design – removing Loven as Representative” e-mail, and then if no reply is received within two weeks, write to the IPO removing us as address for service and close file.
- If the renewal fee has not been paid, send the “Design not renewed email” and close the file.
- For Legismark design cases, there is no need to send individual reminders; these are Brexit cases and it is unlikely that they will be renewed, so the monthly report will suffice. When we reach the final renewal date, check online to see whether the fee has been paid.
- If the fee has been paid, invoice Legismark with the agreed fee for remaining address for service and update the file accordingly.
- If the fee has not been paid, simply close the file.
Last Updated on 2 October 2025 by Keith