Yes. A competitor trademark search is one of the easiest bits of market research you can do, because the UK register is public. The IPO lets you search trademarks by owner, so you can type in a competitor’s company name and see what they’ve filed, for what and when. New applications appear on GOV.UK as soon as they’re filed, and the EU, US and international registers can be searched by applicant too, for example through TMview. Keeping watch after that is what our trademark monitoring service is for.
What does a competitor trademark search tell you?
More than most people expect: a product name before launch, a move into a new class of goods, a push into a new country. The flip side is that not everything is filed in the name you’d expect. Some celebrities and large organisations file through a separate company so the register doesn’t give the game away, and I’m seeing more IP held in corporate trusts, sometimes overseas, where the real owner isn’t public. An owner search only finds what’s filed under that name.
What’s the danger in only looking once?
You find out too late. Once an application is accepted, there’s a two-month window, extendable to three, to oppose it. Miss that and a challenge takes longer and costs more. Competitors don’t file on your timetable.
How does The Trademark Helpline keep watch?
Our monitoring, from £14 a month, checks new UK filings, Companies House, domain registrations and social media against your marks and tells you what’s worth acting on. It won’t stop a competitor filing, and it can’t see behind a proxy. It flags what matters while there’s still time to oppose, and we’re building Watchlists so clients can follow the businesses that matter to them.
What does that give you?
Early warning instead of a surprise, and time to act. If a competitor’s filing does clash with yours, our trademark opposition service can challenge it while the window’s still open. Start with our free trademark search, or if you’d like me to show you how to read a competitor’s filings, book a free call or ring 0161 833 5400.
Related questions
- Someone in another country is using my brand. Can I stop them?
- Can someone steal my business name?
- Someone is already using my business name. What can I do?
This answer is for information purposes only and does not constitute trademark advice or guidance. Last reviewed 25 September 2026. First shared as a LinkedIn post.
