Providing identification

Primrose

Utility bills can be useless sometimes for ID for setting up joint accounts as several of the utility providers will not set up an account in more than one name. Can't understand why not, because in the event of somebody defaulting on paying a bill they would have an alternative person to chase to get their money !

autopetfeeder

Just came across this thread and really feel for the guy with "two addresses". My problem is similar - I have "two names".

Explanation: I was born with the double barreled surname farmers-smith (not real of course but needed for explanation). So my birth certificate and later my passport and driving licence all bear the name "Farmers-Smith".

However, my mother enrolled me into school all those years ago, with the name "Farmers". This meant my National Insurance number card was issued as Farmers as were my education certificates, bank accounts and virutally everything else. All my life its been a somewhat of a pain but just not quite enough for me to change everything to one name or the other.

Anyway, I have found that if you ring your utlity company and request a change of name in the account, there is normally no problem and it requires no evidence to do so. I wonder why then, these utility bills are regarded as good evidence of identiy from financial services providers? On a similar theme, why is a mobile phone bill not regarded as highly as a utility bill? Seems nuts to me....

dunstonh

I wonder why then, these utility bills are regarded as good evidence of identiy from financial services providers?

They are not proof of identity. They are used as proof of address.

On a similar theme, why is a mobile phone bill not regarded as highly as a utility bill? Seems nuts to me....

Because mobile phones are not as secure a source of personal data. a friend could move their billing to your house without actually living there. Whereas utility bills are linked to the house and if you use a correspondence address, it shows the billing address.

dwileflunker

dunstonh wrote: »

Providers dont need to see ID if the application was taken through an IFA. Its the IFA that has to see it. The IFA just sends the company a certificate to say we have verified the ID.

So the answer is, if you want to money launder, get yourself a dodgy IFA (and I bet there are plenty about - for a small fee). Problem solved.

savetilibleed

Primrose wrote: »

Utility bills can be useless sometimes for ID for setting up joint accounts as several of the utility providers will not set up an account in more than one name. Can't understand why not, because in the event of somebody defaulting on paying a bill they would have an alternative person to chase to get their money !

I have that problem. All our utility bills are in my wife's name, because it was her place first. She tried to get our bills changed to both names when we got married and they wouldn't apart from BT, now in both names (but useless as we went paperless too)!

I've had to send bank statements and an entitlement to benefit letter for ID. Hate that! I couldn't even use my passport as that is away getting renewed. I don't have a driving licence. I don't really need a passport but I decided it was worth renewing for ID.

juicyjude

I also have a problem in that all utility bills are in my husbands name and I would be very reluctant to send original passport/driving licence/birth cert and current account statements through the post. Have just opened A & L account and B & B and both have been successfully validated electronically (I hope)

Broadback

I wish there was a standardisation of documents required. Sending driving licences or passports by post is a no no, with interests rates so low paying for certified copies is not worthwhile, so unless it is a local branch job it becomes very difficult. It seems to me that you only get on the electronic data base if you have and use a credit card.

rb10

Broadback wrote: »

It seems to me that you only get on the electronic data base if you have and use a credit card.

The electronic verification system now used by many banks that checks with credit reference agencies does not just check for credit cards. It checks for any credit product (mortgages etc), current accounts, being on the electoral roll, having a landline telephone bill in your name, ...

dunstonh

So the answer is, if you want to money launder, get yourself a dodgy IFA (and I bet there are plenty about - for a small fee). Problem solved.

small fee vs 15 years in prison. I doubt it. The penalties for those involved are significant. Even if its only because you missed it, you can still end up in the clanger.

Broadback

rb10 wrote: »

The electronic verification system now used by many banks that checks with credit reference agencies does not just check for credit cards. It checks for any credit product (mortgages etc), current accounts, being on the electoral roll, having a landline telephone bill in your name, ...

The only one of these that my wife does not have is a CC, yet she is not on the electronic verification system. whereas I am, and all I have is a CC current account and on the electoral roll. Why, at the very least, cannot one apply to get registered, and solve the problem forever?