Changing name by Deed Poll

barbiedoll

If you're going to use your maiden name again, you don't need to have a Deed Poll declaration or anything like that.

When I split from my ex-husband, I wrote to my bank and utilities providers and informed them that I had separated from my husband and would now be know as Miss Barbie. I sent a copy of my birth certificate to prove my maiden name. (This was before the days of the internet so I had to send everything in the post)

The only people who were an absolute pain were Thames Water, who wanted me to send them the originals of my birth certificate, decree nisi and/or absolute, and a copy of my passport/driving license (at the time, I had neither of these), so I didn't bother. I have since remarried (17 years ago) and my water bills are still in my old married name. It drives my now-husband mad!

Tigsteroonie

OP, if you do want to use a company rather than d-i-y, I can recommend: http://www.deedpoll.org.uk/ from personal experience.

maman

OP I can see that if you do something 'official' it might make you feel better but, as others have said, it's really not necessary to spend anything at all. All you need to be careful of is that you're not doing anything that looks like fraud.


So just write to all the 'official' people like your bank, council tax, tax etc. etc and tell them that you are to be known as MissX in future. Trust me, I've done exactly that and it's simple.

TonyMMM

Going from a married name to an earlier birth (maiden) name isn't a name change at all, as the name is already one that you are known by and you have documentation for ( a birth certificate).

No action at all is necessary - just start using the name again and notify anyone who needs to know.

gragory

Ahhh thank you everyone... I thought it was much different than it seems to be from you advice.

Cheers everyone, massive help!

TBagpuss

As others have said, you can simply tell people.
The Passport agency will update your passport if you provide them with your birth certificate , copy decree absolute and a letter confirming tht you will be reverting to your formwe name for all putposes. They may require a copy of the marriage certificate as well.

In my experience, the organisations which tend to be the worst are banks - you may find it easiest to get some other things (at least one utility bill, r your council tax) changed, then simply open a new bank accpunt and close the old one..

If you et it done by a solicitor then £100 - £150 sounds about right - you are paying for the solicitors time and the admin they need to do, th actual process should be very quick. It does have the advantage that they will normally also provide you with half a dozen or so certified copies of your change of name deed so that you have copies to send off to anyone who needs them, rathaer than having to risk losing the original.