Shurgard won't rent to me as driving licence and passport out of date. Any good alternatives?

molerat

terry8591 said:

user1977 said:

terry8591 said:

user1977 said:

Might be quicker/simpler just to renew one of the IDs? Driving licence should be cheaper (assuming you don't have medical reasons preventing you from driving).

Thanks, but I've only got just over two weeks before the bailiffs literally throw me on the street.

Straightforward renewals can be very quick, last time I got a driving licence it came pretty much by return.

I actually tried renewing the licence a few years ago, but couldn't do it online without a passport! I know there's a way to do it in person, but not sure whether the ID requirements are different for that. I'll do a web search.

Paper form in the post - no other photo ID required just birth cert and one other paper ID plus photo signed by professional person - returned in around a week.

terry8591

Hi Molerat, thanks but it would be cutting it a bit fine, given I'm frantically trying to find somewhere to live and it might take longer than a week to get back to me. I don't really know many professionals who would sign it, and trying to get a doctor to do it might take a long time to see them.

Emmia

terry8591 said:

Hi Molerat, thanks but it would be cutting it a bit fine, given I'm frantically trying to find somewhere to live and it might take longer than a week to get back to me. I don't really know many professionals who would sign it, and trying to get a doctor to do it might take a long time to see them.

A doctor is in any case unable to sign a passport photo, unless you know them personally i.e. as a friend.

user1977

molerat said:

terry8591 said:

user1977 said:

terry8591 said:

user1977 said:

Might be quicker/simpler just to renew one of the IDs? Driving licence should be cheaper (assuming you don't have medical reasons preventing you from driving).

Thanks, but I've only got just over two weeks before the bailiffs literally throw me on the street.

Straightforward renewals can be very quick, last time I got a driving licence it came pretty much by return.

I actually tried renewing the licence a few years ago, but couldn't do it online without a passport! I know there's a way to do it in person, but not sure whether the ID requirements are different for that. I'll do a web search.

Paper form in the post - no other photo ID required just birth cert and one other paper ID plus photo signed by professional person - returned in around a week.

Don't think you need the photo re-certified if you're still recognisable from the previous photo? (admittedly that may be arguable!)

FlorayG

OP, if you're expecting to be moving eventually into a much smaller place then why do you even want storage? There's no point in storing stuff forever because you don't have room for it. One of my older friends did this when she downsized, paid for a storage unit for years then died with all the stuff still in it. Obviously you don't want to get rid of everything, but do think carefully about what you really NEED to keep

terry8591

FlorayG said:

OP, if you're expecting to be moving eventually into a much smaller place then why do you even want storage? There's no point in storing stuff forever because you don't have room for it. One of my older friends did this when she downsized, paid for a storage unit for years then died with all the stuff still in it. Obviously you don't want to get rid of everything, but do think carefully about what you really NEED to keep

I can't just throw it all out in the next couple of weeks. I'd say I want to keep about a third of the stuff. Another third is collectible, or has a bit of ebay value and the rest will be thrown or given away. I'd like to do it gradually to get the most money. I've already sold some items, but it will take months and I'm not in the right frame of mind doing it all now that I'm on the verge of homelessness.

Herzlos

Have you tried other storage or removal companies? Or know of anyone who's got a garage or spare room you can fill for a while?

Though obviously the more you can sell/donate/dump before that point the better. For the valuable stuff it may be worth seeing if you can get someone to sell it on consignment; they'll take a cut but will take posession of it until it sells, and getting anything for it is going to be better than having the landlord dump it.

The council have an obligation to house you when you become homeless, though no obligation to house your stuff.

I'd also contact Shelter immediately if you haven't already.

sheramber

All you can do is phone round local storage units and ask what ID they will accep. 

HobgoblinBT

Some places accept a letter from U.K. gov as an alternative id eg a letter confirming your state pension that you may have received within the last few weeks.

Jude57

terry8591 said:

Hi Molerat, thanks but it would be cutting it a bit fine, given I'm frantically trying to find somewhere to live and it might take longer than a week to get back to me. I don't really know many professionals who would sign it, and trying to get a doctor to do it might take a long time to see them.

I presume (and it may not be the case for you) that you've waited until the bailiff comes to evict you so that you can present yourself as homeless at your local Council. I'm also presuming you're a single person as you don't say 'we' in your posts so that's what I'm basing my comments on.

As a single person over State Pension age being legally evicted, the Council have a duty to adequately house you but 'adequate' should be read as 'bare minimum'. Unfortunately, a London Borough is very unlikely to have a one bedroom or bedsit (all you'd be entitled to) property sitting vacant just when you need it. You're most likely to be offered Bed & Breakfast accommodation and it's possible that not only won't it be in your home Borough, but it might be in a different part of the country where demand is lower than London and the South East.

Under the circumstances, I'd ask if you've looked at Housing Associations who offer homes specifically to older people? Such properties tend to have shorter waiting lists for obvious reasons and if you're not fussy about exactly where you live, some Housing Associations let you apply for property anywhere where they operate. You don't need to have a local connection and don't have to prove need in the same way as for Council accommodation. You wouldn't need a deposit, can claim Local Housing Allowance (if eligible) and the tenancy is about as secure as you'd find these days. Searching online for 'over 60's housing to rent [location]' will show local organisations but there are some which are nationwide such as Anchor housing.

You'll probably need to have photo ID for any housing applications though, so I agree with others that you should get that sorted out now and a Driving Licence is the cheaper option. For what it's worth, I recently renewed my Driving Licence at my nearest main Post Office (not all offer this service). All I required was my old photocard Licence and a household bill, in my case Council Tax. My photograph was taken there (be warned, those photos are NOT flattering!) and the fee was slightly higher than doing it online or by post. I had my new Licence within 72 hours. If you're worried you wouldn't receive yours before the eviction, set up mail redirection immediately to wherever your other mail is going.

It's a worrying time I know and I wish you well.