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In the heat of the moment · Joined: 22 May 2015 Posts: 393 Location: Italy

Hi all,

I've been using my parents' UK address for the last 11 years, and they recently moved. I now have no proof of my address at their new house, and it's causing some issues. What way, when I go back in the summer, can I gain some documentation which says I'm registered there?

According to my parents, they've received nothing addressed to me at their new address. My bank has blocked my account because the correspondence to my old address was returned back to them. The only other correspondence I'd expect to receive is junk mail. I have no utility, council, government or other bills outstanding or expected.

Although I've been working overseas for over a decade this is the first time I've had any issues in regard to where any post or documentation should go to in the UK. I envisage my returning to the UK for a few short weeks this summer and not being able to establish myself at their/my new address, and need to know the best way to expedite this issue in the shortest time possible. I know many teachers here have been away a lot longer than I have, so I hope some of you will have been faced with this issue before and have solved it successfully.

Thanks for reading my very frustrated post. Any suggestions will be very welcomed.

suphanburi · Joined: 20 Mar 2014 Posts: 916

Order some stuff and have it delivered to you at your parents address:
uni transcripts, cheap stuff from amazon, etc.

When you go home you can go to your bank and do an update (in person).
Your passport is sufficient ID for most things.

Hod · Joined: 28 Apr 2003 Posts: 1613 Location: Home

You need to contact your bank now to change your address. They won't require any proof of the new address. It's important to keep that bank account as opening a new one now in the UK requires a ridiculous amount of ID and paperwork, much of which you wouldn't have, e.g. utility bills.

If you're not registered as an overseas voter, you can do this if you were registered within the last 15 years, might be a good idea even if you're not intending to vote. You might as well also update your driving licence address.

For most things, the above should suffice. If you were planning on getting a loan, for example, you might start needing all that other paperwork.

Teacher in Rome · Joined: 09 Jul 2003 Posts: 1286

It should be easy enough to give your bank your Saudi address (if more or less permanent / otherwise your parents' new address) - or even, to go paperless so that they don't need to send you statements. If you have online banking you can change your address over the phone. Or at least, this is what I did with NatWest. The first step should be to unblock your account.

Hod's right about opening a new bank account. It is hell if you have no utility bills. It took me 9 months to open a new bank account from abroad, hours on the phone and an eventual intervention from my accountant. (NatWest again - despite the fact that I have had an account with them for the last, oh, 30 odd years.)

AV15 · Joined: 27 Feb 2017 Posts: 51

Don't tell your bank you're living abroad, much less give them a Saudi address. They'll likely close your account immediately since you're no longer a UK resident.

Order something off Amazon as has already been said. Or get on the electoral register at your parents new address, HMRC should then send you aconfirmation of this, and you can use that letter to 'prove' to your bank you live there.

Hod · Joined: 28 Apr 2003 Posts: 1613 Location: Home

HMRC won't do much unless you contact them directly. Before you move abroad, you should fill in a form P85 telling HMRC. After that, they won't bother you ever unless you become a UK resident again.

A couple of people mentioned ordering from Amazon. I'm not sure how this helps.

Teacher in Rome · Joined: 09 Jul 2003 Posts: 1286

AV15 · Joined: 27 Feb 2017 Posts: 51

Teacher in Rome · Joined: 09 Jul 2003 Posts: 1286

HLJHLJ · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 1218 Location: Ecuador

If you tell the local council you are living there, they will send a council tax bill showing you as resident. That counts as proof of address in most cases. I was able to use it to update the address on my driving licence, so then I had 2 proof of address. I had to go into the bank to change my address with them.

In the heat of the moment · Joined: 22 May 2015 Posts: 393 Location: Italy

Thanks for the answers, folks. The bank would change my address to a Saudi one (but not send out a new card as this area is "high risk"), but I have no proof of address here. No official address either as it's a massive compound.

According to the website I can change it in person with sufficient ID only; a passport, driving licence and my bank card. I wouldn't need proof of a UK address apparently, according to the website. I can't change it online or by phone as the bank put a stop on my account because... well, no one would tell me but it's probably because they got some post returned.

Also the mobile number they have is a very old one, and they'll only change my mobile number by sending a text message to my old one. Catch 22.

Or I can ask for a card to be sent to a branch, I expect when I turn up with sufficient ID the account will be unfrozen. I'll need a new card because their procedure when post is returned is to send a new card to the address and cancel the old one Rolling Eyes

One day my UK card just stopped working and I had to contact them to find out why.

I'll keep the account running and don't want/need to apply for finance or any new accounts; a banking and a saving account are all I need.

Again thanks for the help. I've got a local credit card now so might have some items sent from Amazon anyway, and will try to get my driving licence address changed too.