Address Reporting

michael1983l

Can you request your bank not to place your address information on your credit file?

Also same goes for electoral role, can you request that you address information is not shared on public databases?

Tixy

If your bank reports your account to the credit reference agencies then they have a duty to keep the address details for the account with the CRA up to date (i.e. to record any new address you give them).

On the electoral roll you can opt out of the edited register (which is the public information).
You cannot opt out of your credit file being updated with the electoral roll information, which in turns automatically is shown on the credit reference databases (although they are not public databases, the public cannot access or search your credit files).

michael1983l

So in a word, if I do not want people to know my whereabouts, I cannot be on the electoral role or have my current address registered with my bank?

I think thats what I understood.

Thanks for the info.

Tixy

Depends what you mean by 'people'.

If you mean the general public as in Fred Bloggs on the street or your old chemistry teacher then yes you can be on the electoral roll and have a bank account that reports to the CRAs and they will have no way of accessing that information.

If you mean financial institutions that you have previously given permission to search the CRAs (including debt collectors who have bought bad debts that you owe) then they will be able to find that info if you are on the electoral roll and/or if your bank account reports to the CRAs.

tinkerbell28

michael1983l wrote: »

So in a word, if I do not want people to know my whereabouts, I cannot be on the electoral role or have my current address registered with my bank?

I think thats what I understood.

Thanks for the info.

You're required by law to give the electoral information correctly, if you hide and you lie, then you're breaking the law and will end up in more trouble than you are now, if it's debts. Don't forget you will get a council and rates bill. So they'll know. Then of course some gas/electric companies report to credit files anyway.

Secondly the bank thing doesn't work. As the current occupier of a previous address will start contacting your bank. Especially if it's because of debt so you've left lots behind. As they get the grief, so they'll do all they can to get it noted, that debt has been "dumped" at an address. A GAIN marker goes on the crfs and the hunt begins. They'll also disable your bank account until you've updated your address.

I had people like this at my last address. It all caught up with them eventually. They tried those tactics.

michael1983l

I am pretty certain it is not a legal requirement to be on the electoral role so why would i be getting myself into trouble there. As for the bank acount i will just close it if it comes to it. But as its all email alerts and statements there will be no correspondance to return as such.

Tixy

It is actually a legal requirement that the electoral roll annual canvas is completed in full for a property (and returned) and there is the potential for a fine of up to £1000 (although this is rarely used).
http://ico.org.uk/for_the_public/topic_specific_guides/electoral_register
Certainly there are plenty of people who do not register but that does not change the fact that the law requires them to do so.

Is it debt collectors you are hoping to avoid?

One potential issue of trying to go offgrid for several years to avoid debt is that your creditors may obtain CCJs against you without you being aware of them or could even in the extreme apply to make you bankrupt without you having a chance to defend against that.

tinkerbell28

michael1983l wrote: »

I am pretty certain it is not a legal requirement to be on the electoral role so why would i be getting myself into trouble there. As for the bank acount i will just close it if it comes to it. But as its all email alerts and statements there will be no correspondance to return as such.

It is a legal requirement to fill out the canvass accurately.

The problem is with the bank. Is they start writing to your address. As soon as one of your creditors puts a GAIN marker on your account. To see if you're still there or not as it's an active account. They start fishing when they review your files.

So eventually your bank will be wanting current address details.

If you can manage without an account for wages/benefits and are prepared to break the law with the electoral role deceleration. Then knock yourself out. Unfortunately the people who lived at last address, tried it and they got caught a couple of years down the line.