A couple who pooled their savings to launch a new letting agency returned from their honeymoon to find a letter threatening them with legal action unless they changed their business name.
Craig Niven, 32, and Emma Viola, 36, launched the fixed-price property agency Clyde Arc Letting in April.
But when the newlyweds returned from their honeymoon on September 18, they were greeted with litigation from Clyde Property, an established property letting and management business that operates across Scotland.
In a cease-and-desist letter seen by the Glasgow Times, lawyers working for Clyde Property allege Craig and Emma named their business Clyde Arc Letting to "pass off" their brand and services as that of Clyde Property to benefit from the existing firm's reputation.
The Glasgow Times gave Clyde Property the opportunity to respond to criticism on two occasions.
A spokesperson for Clyde Property said that the issue is being dealt with by their legal team and as such, they could not comment on individual cases.
Emma said: "I was quite shocked when I read the letter from Clyde Property.
"I thought it was funny because I didn't think there was any merit in what they were saying."
The letter demands that the couple immediately stop using the name or any similar names and carry out a full rebranding which could cost the couple thousands.
Clyde Property asserts in the letter that they take no liability for any incurred costs and plan to claim damages including legal costs from Clyde Arc Letting.
Craig said: "To rebrand would probably cost us a few thousand pounds because we have invested so much time into building the brand and incorporating it into everything that we do, including our website, social media, systems, and app."
The former police officer added: "It's flattering that they think we are a big enough competition to worry about.
"We are not in this business to make enemies with other letting agents, we are just offering a different product.
"It's arrogant to assume they are beholden to that name, and no one else can use the word Clyde in their business name."
The couple said they chose the name Clyde Arc because the Clyde Arc Bridge (or Squinty Bridge) played an important role in their relationship.
Craig and Emma first met when they moved in together as flatmates in a property that faced the bridge.
After falling in love overlooking the riverside, the couple chose to name the business after the view that brought them together, even taking wedding photos in front of the monument.
The couple does not yet know if Clyde Property will take the next step in litigation.
Craig said: "It's stressful and it's distracting from us growing our business to worry about threats from a competitor with deeper pockets. It's intimidating and stressful."
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