Not on the electoral roll? You must register to get credit!

caela_2

Buzby wrote: »

To make any prosecution valid, you would have to admit receiving the document that requested the details and refused to comply. However, for all the Council know, the person at that property may actually have a vote at a different address, and as you are not allowed to vote twice - by responding to the tick-box than there is nobody entitled to vote, will not cause any follow-ups. Whereas, simply ignoring it probably will, it just depends on whether your Council has the time and energy to pursue it.

Under the RPA, there is nothing that formally requires/forced you to vote, but the form itself IS a requirement. It would be better to deal with this, and each reminder for the new register on an annual basis.

If you do decide to go for a loan or financial product, this policy may work against you, but if you are not bothered, go for it. As to your suspicion that the edited register is still disclosed to third parties, you are absolutely right. Your address details are still sold on to CRA's as normal (for 'anti fraud' and 'responsible lending' purposes) so for many, the distinction is irrelevant.

Cheers, great advice. Will see if I can do it online I think you can. I know the council claim that they are only required to send letters out via normal mail without recorded/ signed for, so they have no proof you got the letter but they say they have fulfilled their obligation in sending it so you are still liable for whatever it is. Bit stupid if you ask me lol.

rickbonar

caela wrote: »

Hi all,

Bit of a weird one here but I don't want to be on the electoral register because whilst they say they don't give out your information (as long as you tick the right box), I'm pretty sure they still do. I don't vote and I don't want people knowing where I live cos they are only going to share this with my banks and other people who wish to harass me.

The letter is addressed 'to the occupier' so I am assuming they can't prosecute someone whom they don't know the name of. Apparently there is a £1000 fine if you don't fill out the form, much like the who census thing. I know at our last address I never filled it in and nothing happened but I was only there for 6 months and the landlord probably did it in the end.

I know the form is also to vote so please don't all get mad about that cos I don't vote (I'm sure everyone has an opinion about this but please save it for another forum sorry!)

I called the number on the form and they said it was illegal not to return it under the 'Representation of the People Act'. Never heard of it but going to look it up.

Anyone know anything about this?

They may not give out information intentionally no but it's pretty easy for a "legimate" enquirer ... someone like credit firms, the Police, even your local branch of Curry's to access the unedited electoral roll. Goodness knows the banks do don't they?
All very trustworthy agencies....NOT.

I can tell you as fact that this information gets passed on... to rogue sellers scammers and so on.

You've got ask if it's simply for electoral purposes and you're not wishing to vote then why is it "illegal" not to complete the form.

The council officials may be peddled this nonsense and actually believe it but it clearly is not simply about voting rights.

Big brother is watching you.

irishjohn

Buzby wrote: »

To make any prosecution valid, you would have to admit receiving the document that requested the details and refused to comply. However, for all the Council know, the person at that property may actually have a vote at a different address, and as you are not allowed to vote twice - by responding to the tick-box than there is nobody entitled to vote, will not cause any follow-ups. Whereas, simply ignoring it probably will, it just depends on whether your Council has the time and energy to pursue it.

Under the RPA, there is nothing that formally requires/forced you to vote, but the form itself IS a requirement. It would be better to deal with this, and each reminder for the new register on an annual basis.

If you do decide to go for a loan or financial product, this policy may work against you, but if you are not bothered, go for it. As to your suspicion that the edited register is still disclosed to third parties, you are absolutely right. Your address details are still sold on to CRA's as normal (for 'anti fraud' and 'responsible lending' purposes) so for many, the distinction is irrelevant.

The local councils who administer the register only have a small number of personnel working on the register and pursuing a prosecution for non registration is 99% unlikely.

If you tick the box to be omitted from the edited register then by law your details can only be released to those parties who are legally entitled to have access to the ful register for specific purposes, i.e for elections, and for credit reference agencies for credit file maintenance purposes, and finally to the police for law enforcement purposes and crime detection.

Any Tom !!!!!! or Harry may purchase the edited register but if you have been careful in registering then your details will not be included on this copy.

If you do not post the form back, the council will send someone to try and collect it on perhaps two follow up occasions as during this annual registration period (Sept / Oct ) they employ casual staff to assist with the annual task but once that period has passed there will be no further follow up until the form arrives next year again

barbarawright

Bottom line is , it's illegal not to fill in the electoral register, whatever your reasons. It says that very clearly on the form. And the council doesn't make the law. It is also something that everyone *knows* impacts on your credit score. As far as people who lend money are concerned, anyone who isn't on the electoral roll is someone who is happy to break the law (knowing that prosecutions are rare), ignore important-looking letters, and to put their council to considerable expense (councils have to spend a small fortune sending staff to check up why people are missing). So it's hardly suprisingly that lenders may get the idea that people not on the roll aren't terribly reliable even ignoring their refusal to engage with the democratic process.

rickbonar

barbarawright wrote: »

Bottom line is , it's illegal not to fill in the electoral register, whatever your reasons. It says that very clearly on the form. And the council doesn't make the law. It is also something that everyone *knows* impacts on your credit score. As far as people who lend money are concerned, anyone who isn't on the electoral roll is someone who is happy to break the law (knowing that prosecutions are rare), ignore important-looking letters, and to put their council to considerable expense (councils have to spend a small fortune sending staff to check up why people are missing). So it's hardly suprisingly that lenders may get the idea that people not on the roll aren't terribly reliable even ignoring their refusal to engage with the democratic process.

What about people that aren't entitled to vote then?

rickbonar

Look it's more than just an electoral register. Don't let them kid you otherwise.

barbarawright

rickbonar wrote: »

What about people that aren't entitled to vote then?

Does that apply to many people on this thread then? Most people seem to be refuseniks. From the lender's point of view I can see why someone who hasn't taken British nationality might not seem a good bet for a long-term loan. Though don't forget that all EU and Commonwealth citizens can register and vote in certain elections.

rickbonar

barbarawright wrote: »

Does that apply to many people on this thread then? Most people seem to be refuseniks. From the lender's point of view I can see why someone who hasn't taken British nationality might not seem a good bet for a long-term loan. Though don't forget that all EU and Commonwealth citizens can register and vote in certain elections.

I can't answer for the other people on this thread & although I'm entitled to vote I will never fill in the electoral roll again.

As for lenders and banks and retailers ... their integrity is questionable and therefore should not have access to the roll as it is being criminally abused.
Surely someones payment record should be enough to aquire credit and again only on the subjects permission to delve into such.

As for commonwealth citizens and EU ... I believe all rights for these people should be revoked, as again abuse of UK hospitality has created more problems than it solves.... Metropolitan college London in the news today.
More half of the foreign students have never been to a lecture!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2196055/London-Metropolitan-University-crisis-Visas-sham-courses-bogus-students.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Sham courses and bogus students.

I think places like this should be closed down and the bogus students rounded up and sent either to a detention camp or back to their country of origin. And branded if they refuse.

Rock on IDS:

barbarawright

rickbonar wrote: »

I can't answer for the other people on this thread & although I'm entitled to vote I will never fill in the electoral roll again.

As for lenders and banks and retailers ... their integrity is questionable and therefore should not have access to the roll as it is being criminally abused.
Surely someones payment record should be enough to aquire credit and again only on the subjects permission to delve into such.

That's your privilege to opt out of 'the system' (even though you;'re breaking the law ). Though, funnily enough, that may impact on your entitlement to benefit from'the system'. But since you won't be wanting credit from back and lenders since their integrity is questionable, that surely won't bother you at all.

rickbonar

Nope luckily for me I got enough money thanks.