Estranged Husband and Credit Cards

Ketlib

Hi - my husband and I separated when he moved out of our jointly owned marital home in September 2017, so just under 2 years ago. I removed him from the Electrol Roll etc in January 2018 when I was certain our marriage was over. He has been living ever since at a different address with his new partner.

I am about to start court proceedings for the financial settlement of our divorce.

Anyway, I got home today and there's a letter for him, which I photographed and messaged to him asking him to collect. I've since googled the return address on the envelope and it appears he's taken out a Virgin credit card in his name, but at my address.

Can he do this despite not having lived at the address for 2 years?

Many thanks for your time.

shiny76

Thats really between him and Virgin Money. Although I'm surprised an ER check didn't prevent the application.

There is no real risk to you, the agreement is between the lender and the individual. It won't affect your credit worthiness.

[Deleted User]

What’s the real question here?

Willing2Learn

Hi Ketlib and welcome to the forum

I'm just wondering if you and your ex are financially associated on any of your three credit files. I believe that if you and your ex are linked, then his financial conduct could impact on how you are viewed by potential lenders.

DigForVictory

If you haven't checked your credit score recently, now is a good time to do so. Especially if your finances are still joined, and he might want to conceal some of his finances from you.

All the best with the divorce & make a financial separation part of it as you go, not to get around to.

Terry_Towelling

If you are only just getting the ball rolling with the divorce, you are probably a way off court proceedings.

First off, I will assume you've photographed the envelope rather than opened it and photographed the contents - perhaps you'd care to confirm.

So, given that you've not mentioned receiving any statements from Virgin in his name and assuming it is obvious that the envelope contains a plastic, then I guess it would be reasonable to assume he has taken out a card using his old address rather than just being in receipt of a standard re-issue of an old card he had when living with you. If so, you will also be getting a PIN notification soon.

So, why do your think he would do this, given that you are estranged and he would have to rely on you getting the card/PIN to him - it makes no sense whatsoever and I am struggling to believe it would happen.

Virgin does check the Electoral Register on credit applications and almost certainly would not approve a card account for him at your address - so, again, I am struggling to believe it would happen.

As for the question, 'can he do this?', well, presumably he still owns half the property - so, potentially, I guess he could.

Has he been paying his share of the mortgage since leaving?

Nicholas

Ketlib wrote: »

Anyway, I got home today and there's a letter for him, which I photographed and messaged to him asking him to collect. I've since googled the return address on the envelope and it appears he's taken out a Virgin credit card in his name, but at my address.

Can he do this despite not having lived at the address for 2 years?

Many thanks for your time.

Has he messaged back saying he will collect? If he has not collected it within a couple of weeks I would
(a) redirect it in the post to his new address (if you know it) or
(b) mark it 'not known at this address since 2018' or words to that effect and put it in the post box.

At least with option (b) Virgin will be asking him to update his address which is what presumably you want when they receive it back

Nicholas

Terry_Towelling wrote: »

As for the question, 'can he do this?', well, presumably he still owns half the property - so, potentially, I guess he could.

I'm wondering about the application he filled out. Making a bit of an assumption here, but.... there's usually a bit asking how long you have lived at the property? I don't think there will be a tick option for 'I moved out 2 years ago'.

So Virgin may take a dim view of this if they found out. But as you said, Virgin will probably check the Electoral Roll, so like others, I am wondering what is really going on here.

Terry_Towelling

Nicholas wrote: »

I'm wondering about the application he filled out. Making a bit of an assumption here, but.... there's usually a bit asking how long you have lived at the property? I don't think there will be a tick option for 'I moved out 2 years ago'.

So Virgin may take a dim view of this if they found out. But as you said, Virgin will probably check the Electoral Roll, so like others, I am wondering what is really going on here.

Well, if this thread is above-board, he could just say how long he lived at the property and not be lying.

Virgin's own website suggests they do indeed check the register, so, once again, if this thread is above-board, why would they approve the application?

Let's face it, if this happened to you, would you immediately think of registering with a money-saving website and asking the question, or would you contact Virgin and ask them? I know what I'd do.

jackieblack

Terry_Towelling wrote: »

So, given that you've not mentioned receiving any statements from Virgin in his name and assuming it is obvious that the envelope contains a plastic, then I guess it would be reasonable to assume he has taken out a card using his old address rather than just being in receipt of a standard re-issue of an old card he had when living with you. If so, you will also be getting a PIN notification soon.

Not necessarily. Lots of credit cards and other accounts are ‘paperless’ now and statements are delivered online. It could easily just be a replacement for an expired card he had before leaving.

A couple of years after my ex-husband moved out correspondence obviously containing two cards arrived at my address (former family home). It turned out to be replacement cards for both of us (he was main account holder, I had been additional cardholder and had given him back my card when we split), he ‘just’ hadn’t got around to notifying the issuer of his new address or cancelling me from being additional cardholder (:wall:)