There is a pre-set task for renewals: “GB TM Renewals – First 20 years”.
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;
- determine number of classes;
- go to the UKIPO register by clicking on the UKIPO button alongside “Grant/Reg” details and make sure that “Display content without tabs” is selected, and also “Open all” alongside Classes and terms, and then click “Print this trade mark” at the bottom of the page and 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 5100 for our fee, 3370 for the official renewal fee, and (if there is more than one class claimed) 3371 for the additional fees. Once you have entered the charges, you will need to change the 3371 charge (if used) to reflect the number of extra classes. So, for example, if there are 4 classes in the application, there are 3 extra above the base charge, and so you will need to multiply the 3371 charge by 3. Remember that, for UK based clients, you will need to add 20% VAT to our service charge (5100) 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 Trademark 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 “Trademark renewal – 2nd reminder” and set the final reminder task for 1 month before the due date.
- At the final reminder date, send “Trademark 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 “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 “Trademark expired email” and close the file.
- For Legismark trademark 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.
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Last Updated on 1 October 2025 by Keith