Throwing away envelopes- should I destroy name and address?

tryingtobethrifty

Cat501 wrote: »

Really can't see the point myself. Loads of people have their surname and initial on their front door/buzzer or in the phone book, and everyone's name and address is on the electoral roll for anyone to see

I never saw it where we lived before but it seems pretty common here in Scotland (where I live anyway) to have your name on the door whether in flats or houses.

We have a bag that hangs in the house and anything that needs shredded goes there (including names on envelopes). This then got hurled in the attic 'to be shredded'. After we'd gathered 5 yrs worth (I'm not kidding!) we decided we were never going to shred it and bought an incinerator bin from Aldi. They're about £15-20. I know it's not as environmentally friendly but we were never going to shred it and it was just kindling if the house ever went on fire. Now OH just goes out every once in a while with a few bags and it's gone. I'd recommend one if you're too lazy like us!

lostinrates

Torry_Quine wrote: »

I have always had my name on a small name plate and thought it was the norm. when I was in a tenement the name was on the intercom, without it the postman wouldn't have known which buzzer to press.

I don't destroy envelopes with my name and address, seems somewhat excessive to me!

Torry, the postman knows which flat to buzz because the bells have the flat number on them, as the envelope will.:D

Amaretti_2

GreyQueen wrote: »

Amaretti, can see where you're coming from as a private person but have you ever experienced difficulty with getting bank accounts, contract mobiles etc? It's just that your presence on the electoral roll forms the basis of most credit checks so I wonder if you've ever had grief over your choice to stay off it?

A bank person told me that even having a landline as opposed to a mobile only is regarded as a point in your favour for these checks as it makes you seem a more stable person.

No because I had my bank accounts before coming off the electoral register and never had a contract phone, always pay as you go mobiles. As for credit, I'm a saver not a debtor! But if in the future I did want credit it would be no trouble putting my name on the electoral register. You are right about the landline too but they will have to change their rules on that as more and more people are giving up their landlines, I gave up mine years ago.

Torry_Quine

lostinrates wrote: »

Torry, the postman knows which flat to buzz because the bells have the flat number on them, as the envelope will.:D

Not always. Everyone in that tenement block was the same address eg 23 Main Street, we had the intercom put in ourselves as it just had blank buzzers.

For utility purposes it was ground floor left xxxx to differentiate.

GreyQueen

Thanks. And I realised belatedly after posting that I was being darned nosy (sorry ); in my defense I'm working for an LA and I have customers kicking off about not wanting to fill in their registrations and I explain to them about the implications for credit checks etc.

I've even had members of the public ring up to get registered because they've moved and tried to sign on with a utility company for the gas and electricity, and they wouldn't take them as customers until they'd seen that they were on the electoral register.

pigpen

My bin is full of $h!tty nappies.. if some muppet wants to rifle through for my name and address.. I want to watch!! lol

I think everyone is rather paranoid and don't realise the ridiculously low chance of this happening.. with my credit rating noone will get anything!

Cat501

In my close of 6 flats, everyone has a name plate on their door.....

....except me funnily enough - just never got round to it!:) It was the same when I lived in the close next door. I do, however, have my flat letter on the door, everyone who delivers anything always thinks I'm ground floor because of the letter and they all, without fail, comment on the odd layout!

My mum and dad have a name plate, when I used to do a paper round many moons ago I'm pretty sure nearly every house I went to had one....could it be a predominantly Scottish thing??

Got to say I'm with pigpen though....:):)

SpikyHedgehog

I shred the parts of envelopes with our names & address on, & use a permanent marker to scribble out the address on plastic bag envelopes, as it dilutes the ink or something, but it rubs it out.

loracan1

I can see the point of removing names, but the address too? If someone's going through your bin they're going to know the address and anyone else looking through the rubbish is only going to have an address..

LameWolf

I always shred the bit of an envelope with my name and address on; it started when I divorced the XH and I was very paranoid about him finding out where I was living (got the Judge's permission to keep my address off the Court documents). I even used to take a circuitous route home from mediation sessions, in case he tried to follow me!:eek:

I've just carried on the habit, (the shredding, not the circuitous routes):D on the basis of "better to shred when it's not necessary than not shred and have someone get hold of something they shouldn't".:o

Unlike Pigpen I don't have any used nappies to bury personal paperwork in before disposal.:D Actually, Piggers if you do see someone riffling through your bin of nappies, please post a pic.;):rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

ETA Although we are on the ER, we have opted out of having our names on the Edited version, which people/companies can purchase; we are also ex-directory.