# UK Address Problem-Please Help



## Kate1

Hi everyone, 
I hope you can help me out. 

For legitimate reasons I need a UK address to which certain official and important correspondence, for example credit card statements, can be sent. However, my situation is that I spend over half the year in England, and the rest of the time I am in Spain where I stay with my parents, who live here permanently in a property they own, and whose address I generally use for correspondence. 

The reason why I generally use my parents address is that when in England I stay with a friend who moves around a lot and who often lives in shared multiple-occupied accommodation having no reliable and secure postal address, especially in the context of someone like me who is away much of the time. The transient nature of my lifestyle makes it impractical to set up mail redirection arrangements with the Post Office, and I have no friends or family in the UK whose address I could “conveniently” use. Neither is it easy to set up new arrangements with other UK organisations because I have difficulty in proving an established UK address. 

In conclusion therefore, does anyone have any suggestions about how to establish a UK postal address which would be accepted by organisations with whom I would like to retain my UK links and a UK address (such as my bank), but which organisations are not willing to recognise my more reliable/secure parent’s Spanish postal address?


----------



## jojo

Kate1 said:


> Hi everyone,
> I hope you can help me out.
> 
> For legitimate reasons I need a UK address to which certain official and important correspondence, for example credit card statements, can be sent. However, my situation is that I spend over half the year in England, and the rest of the time I am in Spain where I stay with my parents, who live here permanently in a property they own, and whose address I generally use for correspondence.
> 
> The reason why I generally use my parents address is that when in England I stay with a friend who moves around a lot and who often lives in shared multiple-occupied accommodation having no reliable and secure postal address, especially in the context of someone like me who is away much of the time. The transient nature of my lifestyle makes it impractical to set up mail redirection arrangements with the Post Office, and I have no friends or family in the UK whose address I could “conveniently” use. Neither is it easy to set up new arrangements with other UK organisations because I have difficulty in proving an established UK address.
> 
> In conclusion therefore, does anyone have any suggestions about how to establish a UK postal address which would be accepted by organisations with whom I would like to retain my UK links and a UK address (such as my bank), but which organisations are not willing to recognise my more reliable/secure parent’s Spanish postal address?



If you havent got an English address then I guess you have to tell those bodies who are asking for one that you no longer have one - which, from what you say is the truth of the matter! The only other alternative to establish a UK address, other than using friends or relatives is to rent a place and use that???? I cant think of anything else other than renting a PO Box????

Jo xxx


----------



## xicoalc

I found that with UK banks, credit cards, and even Inland revenue they all accepted my Spanish address and were all perfectly happy to send communication there, whilst allowing me to retain the facilities I had with them.

Having said that, there are a number of "virtual address" services that I know people use. One is called Scanmypost. They are particularly good, my friend uses them and they receive his post, scan it and email him. He can then log in and view his post and choose if it is forwarded or shreaded, or he can print it. There are also many that just operate a mail forwarding service, some from private addresses. I know my friend who uses scanmypost has all his bank statements sent there because he travels all around Spain with work.

Hope this helps!


----------



## donz

yes I also have UK credit cards for example and have amended them to be Spanish address. The only people that were a bit funny were my bank who is First Direct but then they are a strange bunch anyway with normal things


----------



## xicoalc

donz said:


> yes I also have UK credit cards for example and have amended them to be Spanish address. The only people that were a bit funny were my bank who is First Direct but then they are a strange bunch anyway with normal things


the problem with banks is that sometimes you get the girl or boy on the phone who has never come accross people moving... so instead of checking, they answer with their intial instinct!

Ask for manager and usually its no problem... these days, certainly within the EU most institutions are happy for you to take your accounts anywhere!


----------



## bristolbrett

We use a mail forwarding service. There are lots of them around. PM me if you want me to send you details.


----------



## JoCatalunya

Kate1 said:


> Hi everyone,
> I hope you can help me out.
> 
> For legitimate reasons I need a UK address to which certain official and important correspondence, for example credit card statements, can be sent. However, my situation is that I spend over half the year in England, and the rest of the time I am in Spain where I stay with my parents, who live here permanently in a property they own, and whose address I generally use for correspondence.
> 
> The reason why I generally use my parents address is that when in England I stay with a friend who moves around a lot and who often lives in shared multiple-occupied accommodation having no reliable and secure postal address, especially in the context of someone like me who is away much of the time. The transient nature of my lifestyle makes it impractical to set up mail redirection arrangements with the Post Office, and I have no friends or family in the UK whose address I could “conveniently” use. Neither is it easy to set up new arrangements with other UK organisations because I have difficulty in proving an established UK address.
> 
> In conclusion therefore, does anyone have any suggestions about how to establish a UK postal address which would be accepted by organisations with whom I would like to retain my UK links and a UK address (such as my bank), but which organisations are not willing to recognise my more reliable/secure parent’s Spanish postal address?


Most banks, Barclays, HSBC, RBS etc etc recognise Spanish addresses, so I would enquire with them about setting up your parents home address as being the one they correspond with. 
With regards driving licence, ah, now there you are stuffed. The only alternative you have is to change over to a Spanish one I have found, otherwise, as has been mentioned before, rent a place yourself for a short while, do all your business whilst at the address and get yourself a redirection when you leave.


----------



## JoCatalunya

steve_in_spain said:


> the problem with banks is that sometimes you get the girl or boy on the phone who has never come accross people moving... so instead of checking, they answer with their intial instinct!
> 
> Ask for manager and usually its no problem... these days, certainly within the EU most institutions are happy for you to take your accounts anywhere!


Pah First Direct, what a bunch of no hopers they are. When I worked for one of the leading banks we had no end of trouble with them so I sympathise with you.


----------



## xicoalc

JoCatalunya said:


> Most banks, Barclays, HSBC, RBS etc etc recognise Spanish addresses, so I would enquire with them about setting up your parents home address as being the one they correspond with.
> With regards driving licence, ah, now there you are stuffed. The only alternative you have is to change over to a Spanish one I have found, otherwise, as has been mentioned before, rent a place yourself for a short while, do all your business whilst at the address and get yourself a redirection when you leave.


Agreed about DVLA but check out this one

UK Mailing Address

I know 2 people who used this one and registered their licence to it. They use residential addresses and from what I heard they are really very nice people to deal with.


----------



## JoCatalunya

steve_in_spain said:


> Agreed about DVLA but check out this one
> 
> UK Mailing Address
> 
> I know 2 people who used this one and registered their licence to it. They use residential addresses and from what I heard they are really very nice people to deal with.


Very interesting. :eyebrows:


----------



## Alcalaina

JoCatalunya said:


> With regards driving licence, ah, now there you are stuffed. The only alternative you have is to change over to a Spanish one I have found, otherwise, as has been mentioned before, rent a place yourself for a short while, do all your business whilst at the address and get yourself a redirection when you leave.


But if the OP is in the UK more than half the year, why would she want a Spanish licence?


----------



## xicoalc

Alcalaina said:


> But if the OP is in the UK more than half the year, why would she want a Spanish licence?


I agree... in fact... if your in the uk more than half the year you wouldnt get residencia or Padron anyway would you as your just a tourist? Therefore meaning spanish licence is a no no? Or am i being thick?


----------



## JoCatalunya

Alcalaina said:


> But if the OP is in the UK more than half the year, why would she want a Spanish licence?


If the OP needed to replace a driving licence she/he would have to have a UK address. From what I gather he/she lives with a friend when in the UK who moves around a lot. Everytime you move house you are obliged by law to change the address on your licence.


----------



## zilly

On their website DVLA say they check the electoral roll now to ensure that an applicant for license renewal etc actually do live at the UK address given to stop people using dodgy addresses !


----------



## xicoalc

zilly said:


> On their website DVLA say they check the electoral roll now to ensure that an applicant for license renewal etc actually do live at the UK address given to stop people using dodgy addresses !


How does that work... when 16 year olds apply for provisional to ride a moped... no elec roll!

I really dont think they do, even if they say they do!

Actually, when I came to Spain at first I sued my mums address and I asked if this is ok and they told me its not a problem providing its an address where they can write to you or someone can pass on communication


----------



## Stravinsky

zilly said:


> On their website DVLA say they check the electoral roll now to ensure that an applicant for license renewal etc actually do live at the UK address given to stop people using dodgy addresses !


Well they dont
I can tell you that for sure


----------



## xicoalc

Stravinsky said:


> Well they dont
> I can tell you that for sure


agreed... and re the original quote.. actually, a legitimate forwarding address is not a "dodgy" address, its a legitimate contact address for someon who may be on travels etc!


----------



## Stravinsky

steve_in_spain said:


> agreed... and re the original quote.. actually, a legitimate forwarding address is not a "dodgy" address, its a legitimate contact address for someon who may be on travels etc!


Yes I'm not quite sure why some have said that it's wrong to do this. In reality you are actually being more honest than if you leave it registered to an address that you no longer live at.

At least you are changing it to an address that the authorities can contact you at, whereas if you leave it at the address you used to live at years ago, they have no way of contacting you.


----------

