Family opening bank accounts at my address

DarkConvict

Hi,

I know that someone else having bank accounts at your address won't affect your credit file or your own bank accounts. I.e. Previously property owners still registered there, old tenants from renting etc.

However, when I was helping my mom with her bank accounts today in the branch, they did a search on our surname and postcode to find her accounts. Her accounts were listed but there was another entry for my brother. He has not lived at nor visited this property, so won't have any paperwork in his name for this address.

I would like to ask, how is it possible to open up a bank account at an address you do not live at, and is there anyway to notify the bank about this, to get the address of that account changed. We spoke to the branch about it, and there answer was only the account holder can change the address, but the fact the account is registered to my moms address concerns her. This is due to a big financial falling out several years ago.

I've told her not to be concerned as it won't have any affect, but she is still concerned about it. Any advise on what to say to her, or do?

Naf

I'm sorry to say that you no longer need to provide any proof of your address to open any account, nor to change your address; only proof of your identity. As everything that you need to access the account is posted this is considered secure enough; you would not receive these things if you had no access to the property, and the fact that you do receive them is proof enough that it is an address you can be reached at/through. If the only discrepancy on a credit check was that an address did not match, this is unlikely, on its own, to cause a decline in the application process (for a bank account at least). Therefore its an easy thing to open accounts in relatives addresses. Students have the option to use their parents' address, own home or uni address, people who go away travelling frequently update addresses back to parents'/relatives' houses.

I think it might be worth obtaining copies of her credit report, as he might now show up as someone linked to her on there which you would have to get corrected.

As far as notifying the bank; they'd want him to change the address himself, and would require proof of ID for security and data protection. If they have sufficient security then you should simply return all correspondence as 'not at this address'; that ought to register a block on the account as to the address being incorrect and stop further post.

Something I don't know as much about; I don't know if there's any possibility he could have got himself on the electoral role at the address? Might be worth checking as I know little about how that element works, I suspect he wouldn't be able to, but not certain.

DarkConvict

Hi,

Thanks for the advice. Last time i checked she was not linked to myself or my brother. I will see if I have any free credit trials left otherwise ill get the £2 report.

We have received no letters for the account in my brothers name. The first we knew of it today is when i spotted it on the assistants screen at the bank today.

stclair

DarkConvict wrote: »

Hi,

Thanks for the advice. Last time i checked she was not linked to myself or my brother. I will see if I have any free credit trials left otherwise ill get the £2 report.

We have received no letters for the account in my brothers name. The first we knew of it today is when i spotted it on the assistants screen at the bank today.

If there is no correspondance going to the address from the bank that would give me the impression the account is closed or was not in fact ever opened.

chambta

Naf wrote: »

I'm sorry to say that you no longer need to provide any proof of your address to open any account, nor to change your address; only proof of your identity. As everything that you need to access the account is posted this is considered secure enough; you would not receive these things if you had no access to the property, and the fact that you do receive them is proof enough that it is an address you can be reached at/through. If the only discrepancy on a credit check was that an address did not match, this is unlikely, on its own, to cause a decline in the application process (for a bank account at least). Therefore its an easy thing to open accounts in relatives addresses. Students have the option to use their parents' address, own home or uni address, people who go away travelling frequently update addresses back to parents'/relatives' houses.

I think it might be worth obtaining copies of her credit report, as he might now show up as someone linked to her on there which you would have to get corrected.

As far as notifying the bank; they'd want him to change the address himself, and would require proof of ID for security and data protection. If they have sufficient security then you should simply return all correspondence as 'not at this address'; that ought to register a block on the account as to the address being incorrect and stop further post.

Something I don't know as much about; I don't know if there's any possibility he could have got himself on the electoral role at the address? Might be worth checking as I know little about how that element works, I suspect he wouldn't be able to, but not certain.

Really?

The bank I work for certainly do.

Naf

Not at the one I do. A Passport is sufficient ID for any account opening. If you want to use your Driving License then we'd have to set it up in the address listed on it; with your Passport its just whatever address you give us. I know for a fact that Lloyds TSB also work on the same principle as my wife only needed her EU ID card to open a current account.

DarkConvict

I couldn't tell if the account is open or closed, it was only the screen listing people with matching surnames and postcodes. We have only been living here a short time so assume the account(s) are open.

oxenryd

I'm more concerned by the fact the bank has broken the data protection act, there is no way they should have told you/or showed you their computer screen showing an account in your brother's name.This is private to him (though I do understand the concern expressed by yourself and your mum).

Who else are they showing this private info to?

DarkConvict

The screen was on display to me and they had no reason to assume that matching our postcode and surname would display anything but mine and my moms account. It was after all only meant to be our details. They for obvious reasons wouldn't go into the details of my brothers account(s) because he wasn't with us.