No home address

[applepip]

Having no home address.
What do we do about banking.(I have been advised to have my pension put in an offshore Bank(IOA))
How do you get build for GPRS.
There is a thousand and one other questions when you have no fixed abode.
Do you use a relative as an accomation address or PO box????????
What will my existing bank do when I tell them I'm homeless???

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[robind]

Your not homeless, you take your home with you. Give the name of your vessel and the marinas address ie ("Giselle" Doxford marina (ficticious in this case) and say nothing more about it. After they contact you by mail at that address they will be OK. when you move, write or mail them again with the same proceedure. All the time you have your money going through their bank they will be OK as long as they can contact you, and you do not go into the red. I do suggest that your pension goes into one account (bank) and you transfer sufficient funds into the roving one by e:- banking. That way if you do stray into the red for whatever reason you still control the money coming in. I know several people who do this and even have credit cards operating at this time.

Regards

Rob

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.rejuvanu.com>RejuVanu</A>

 

[paulrossall]

One of the worst things you can do in the Uk is to loose a permanent address. You need it to make sure you will get increases in your UK pension because if you are homeless, or residant abroad you do not get increases, winter fuel allowance etc. You also should retain a registration with a doctor in case you get serious illness. Use a friend or relative. Do not tell your bank what you are doing, they do not like people with no fixed aboad. You might not like/agree with this advice but if you do not play the system you will loose out. IMHO.Paul
PS I might not be correct in this opinion but you should check up carefully before you become "of no fixed abode"

<hr width=100% size=1>" there is nothing-absolutely nothing-half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats".

 

[charles_reed]

Don\'t

become UK-unresident.

You'll find many disadvantages apart from the one already mentioned (like having to re-register your boat as French after 6-months in the country and conform in all respects to French legislation).

Having a family or friend as an accomodation address is also unsatisfactory, however you could approach a solicitor or accountant to use his address. You can certainly do that for a ltd co.

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[ubuysa]

Re: Don\'t

<font size=1>Having a family or friend as an accomodation address is also unsatisfactory</font size=1>

Why? This is exactly what I intend to do.....

Tony C.

<hr width=100% size=1>There are 10 kinds of people, those who understand binary and those who don't.

 

[charles_reed]

Re: Don\'t

Not deemed to constitute a permanaent address by most authorities.

Suggest you rethink.

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[tony_brighton]

Re: Don\'t

Charles - your profile suggests you hang out in the Med a lot - what is your solution?

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[AndrewB]

Surprised.

That's what I've done and its been treated as a registered address. Mind you, I have been careful never to describe it as an 'accomodation address'.

At one point we had a PO Box in England which banks, credit card companies and Inland Revenue were also prepared to accept as a registered address. But not building societies - I ended up in absurd situation where my previous lender would not give me a mortgage to buy a house, solely because I didn't have a proper address. Get out of that one! (The BS manager suggested I lie on the application -- so much for money-laundering precautions).

Though people are right that it is often disadvantageous to become non-resident, there are of course tax advantages. Useful IR guides to this can be found <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/leaflets/c9.htm>HERE</A>.

 

[charles_reed]

Re: Don\'t

I don't have the problem, I've a UK house which I live in when back in the UK where my wife lives when she isn't with me.

As suggested, having a professional acting as your agent seems to be acceptable.
The problems, in my experience, in not having a UK address, are:-
1. French douanier's will not accept an accomodation address (I know someone who had a writ placed on him under just those circumstances). Additionally it looks as though some of the Spanish autonomous provinces (notably Valencia) are moving in the direction of charging a "wealth tax" on the value of the boat for long-stay liveaboards - unfortunately the Spanish embassy is likely to mislead because it is a local provincia tax and nothing to do with central government.
2. Many UK agencies (notably NOT the IR who will welcome anyone and any address if it offers any opportunity of getting money off you) - typical are Building Societies and credit rating agencies - an accountant or solicitor has proved acceptable (there have been Ombudsman cases which provide the precedents).
In one case a London Club provided an adequate address, (tho' I suspect there were other influences at work).

Frequently, in this imperfect and inegalitarian world, it's who rather than what you know that matters.

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[ubuysa]

Re: Don\'t

<font size=1> Not deemed to constitute a permanaent address by most authorities.</font size=1>

And if I use my sister's address as a "real" address rather than as an "c/o" address? Ok, so it's not entirely true, but who's ever going to know apart from me and my sister? The only evidence anyone has that I live where I do now is because I receive mail there, nothing will change when I start using my sister's address. It will simply be as though I'd moved house. Sure, it means my sister has the added hassle of dealing with my mail but she's happy to do that. The only possible danger I can see is of bailiffs turning up at my sisters looking to sieze property to settle a debt of mine, and that's just not going to happen. Naturally, my sister and I trust each other totally.

Tony C.

<hr width=100% size=1>There are 10 kinds of people, those who understand binary and those who don't.

 

[JPGruntfuttock]

Re: Don\'t

But, if your sister lives alone, then her single occupier rebate on the council tax
might be at risk?

Generally speaking, I am now having a problem with an Estate Agent who acts as the letting agent for my UK house during my prolonged absences. They have withheld the rent on the grounds that I do not have the documents they want to confirm my identity under the latest Money Laundering regulations.
They have correspondence with my building society, bank account details and authorisation from the IR concerning tax and this arrangement has been in place for 6 years. But they are asking for a utility bill in my name from my current address!! A little difficult as I get water wherever available,
generate my own electricity and have err, convenient arrangements for sewage disposal etc.

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[MedMan]

Re: Don\'t

Your solution is admirable and is, I would venture to suggest, commonly used by a large number of cruising folk. As others have said, having no UK address would put you into the same legal black hole as the wino on the park bench. You would not be able to open a new bank account or credit card account; you would lose your right to NHS care; you would not be able to register your boat on the SSR etc etc. If you have a chest of drawers in your sister's spare bedroon full of your clothes, all your mail goes there and you always stay there for at least part of the time when you visit the UK, then it sounds to me as if it is indeed your "real" address.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.yachtretreat.com>http://www.yachtretreat.com</A>

 

[charles_reed]

Possibly

But I wouldn't like to risk much on it - there is a small matter, according to la Rochelle douaniers, of being challenged to prove your residence (as with opening bank accounts) to produce utility bills made out to you at that address.
When in hunt for income you can bet the State will play dirty.

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[MedMan]

Re: Possibly

There is a small matter, according to la Rochelle douaniers, of being challenged to prove your residence.

I have never been challenged to prove my residence in 6 years cruising the Med, but that is not to say it couldn't happen. Utility Bills could be a problem, though no doubt Tony could have his sister's electricity billed in his name if he really wanted to. More simply, there is nothing to stop him changing his address with the DVLA to his sister's address so that his driving licence has that addess printed on it. Though much reviled in the UK, our photo-licences are very useful in Europe as they are accepted as ID in very many situations avoiding the need to cart your valuable passport around.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.yachtretreat.com>http://www.yachtretreat.com</A>

 

[AndrewB]

Re: Possibly

I've been challenged by La Rochelle douaniers to produce evidence of VAT status on one occasion, but like Medman never by anyone to prove I'm an EU resident!

Why do you think there is a problem with using a friend's address, are you aware of any case where it has been challenged?

The way UK authorities work, it seems like they are happy to regard all citizens as resident regardless, unless that person can and does successfully claim non-residence for tax purposes.


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[charles_reed]

Clarification

If after 6 months in French waters, without a permanent domicile outside France ie you're living on your boat - you are in French law compelled to register the boat as French, pay the necessary dues and tariffs and get yourself a French certificate of competence.

You'll not be asked for proof of UK address until you and the boat have been in France for 6 months.

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[Anonymous]

Address afloat

I would prefer not to put my family to the trouble or make them feel awkward in any way, if for any reason they didn't want to do this for me. Are there any other satisfactory ways - e.g. acceptable to Banks, BUPA, DVLA, Doctors, IR, etc.?

Does the Cruising Association help with this - now that I am committed to living aboard I'm going to join the CA in any case.

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[MedMan]

Re: Address afloat

No, the CA don't, but I would never-the-less heartily commend membership to you.

There are a couple of commercial concerns that advertise mail-forwarding in the back of YM. These companies will receive your mail, forward it on request, purchase spares on your behalf and ship them to you and generally act as a point of contact for you in the UK. Geoff Pack's widow did it for a while, though I am not sure if she still does.

What these companies, or your Solicitor, or any other commercial concern cannot do for you is to give you a 'permanent' address in this country even when you are not here, which is what some of the previous posters were wishing to achieve.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.yachtretreat.com>http://www.yachtretreat.com</A>

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Address afloat

Thanks for that. I couldn't find anything in March YM but I googled 'accommodation address uk' and found a company in Bournemouth offering an accommodation address both for businesses and specifically for private users who are between houses, travelling long term, etc. For £15 pm plus extra postage over a certain limit, you get a private-sounding address e.g.

Flat 18
246 Ashley Road
Parkstone
Bournemouth
BH14 9BZ

They forward on the mail to you. They are at <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.secondaddress.com>www.secondaddress.com</A>

Does anyone here have any experience of this firm or any others?

Not wishing to have much of my portfolio in property at the present time, I am intending to buy an inexpensive holiday let property and let it with Country Cottages or similar, blocking off dates during which I will be back in the UK. When I have bought this property I shall use it to store all of my effects and as my 'official residence' still using the mail forwarding service while I am away. Until I have bought the property, I shall store my effects with Spaces but we are getting rid of all but the most personal things anyway.

Does that sound reasonable? I'd appreciate any comments or suggestions.

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[Anonymous]

Re: Address afloat

I've been doing a bit of investigation and it seems that the company present at that address is not connected with 'secondaddress.com' but has had a couple of referrals in the past. Not the impression you get when you view the website. The 0870 number on the website only reaches an answering machine and I haven't had a reply (at 1440) after leaving a message at 0900. I shan't proceed with these people.

I have found an alternative. Mail Boxes Etc. is owned by UPS and has franchises all over the country. These seem to be well situated in high streets and offer other business services as well as mail forwarding. Further details see:-

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.mbe.uk.com/>www.mbe.uk.com</A>

I spoke to the franchise owner in their Reading office and he sounded friendly and businesslike. I will probably give them a try unless anyone here has any comments....?

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