The 'no fixed abode' issue

[thecommander]

Hi there. After the breakup with my wife I'm considering moving aboard my boat for up to 6-12 months to give me time to sort things out and save some money for a deposit on a house. My boat is based in a UK South Coast marina and they are more than happy for liveaboards provided they keep their heads down, ie not register everything to the marina.

I'm self employed and currently work from home, so having an address for HMRC, banks account, doctors, car insurance, mobile phone contracts, invoicing etc is very important.

I've been looking at PO boxes and it seem HMRC will not accept a PO box as an address. The other option of giving HMRC my parents address just isn't feasible as they live 400 miles away. Nor is it feasible to give customers and employers my parents address.

Anyway I came across this company ( https://www.mbe.co.uk/ ) who offer virtual local address and mailboxes in most UK towns and cities. It is quite expensive (£200-300 per year) but seems very convenient as you can access your mailbox 24/7.

My question is, it possible and legal to register HMRC, bank account, car insurance, etc to a virtual addresses or would that be considered fraud? I know it's still technically considered without fixed abode as I won't be living at the virtual address, but at least I'd have a local address to register everything too. Does that make sense?

Any help or advice would be much appreciated.

 

[Sandyman]

Perfectly acceptable. Did exactly the same when we became liveaboards. Used mbe Portsmouth situated in Lord Montgomery Way by the Uni. Very helpful folk. They will advise what you can & can't do. (plus ways of getting round things you are not supposed to do ) Ticked all our boxes.

 

[thecommander]

Excellent, glad it's worked for other people too

Cheers.

 

[Sandyman]

Excellent, glad it's worked for other people too

Cheers.

You are most welcome. Hope it works out for you.

 

[duncan99210]

We had a version of this problem when we were living on board full time. Initially my brother's place was our "address" but then he moved onto a narrowboat..... He solved the problem with the storage company where he was keeping th stuff that wouldn't fit in the boat. He was chatting to the owner about the problem, th owner thought about it for a few minutes and offered to let him use the storage units address. This went on for a couple of years before the narrowboat got too narrow for his wife to tolerate any more and they moved back ashore. The storage company still offers the same service in exchange for a moderat fee.....

 

[stranded]

We are looking at this at the moment. I am thinking of using my mother's or daughter's address, including putting ourselves on the electoral roll - it would be our base when we are back in the UK so feels legitimate, and we have no business considerations. But interested to know whether those who had a similar option but chose a virtual address identified any advantages/disadvantages either way?

 

[Carmel2]

My FIL at present, but looking to change that, as he is getting on, and the odd thing slips through the net now and then. So a thread to keep an eye on for us...

 

[duncan99210]

We are looking at this at the moment. I am thinking of using my mother's or daughter's address, including putting ourselves on the electoral roll - it would be our base when we are back in the UK so feels legitimate, and we have no business considerations. But interested to know whether those who had a similar option but chose a virtual address identified any advantages/disadvantages either way?

After the fun and games with my brother, my daughter kindly agreed to let us use her address. On electoral roll, local GP, dentist etc etc. No problems with all the above, nor the tax man, DVLA, car insurance. The only problem we encounter occasionally is stopping junk mail addressed to us but my daughter is getting quite adept at dumping it on our behalf....

 

[BoyBlue49]

Car insurance premiums vary considerably from metropolitan areas to the countryside, worth taking into consideration.

 

[Stingo]

There is also this crowd
http://www.shiptoshore.co.uk

 

[Yngmar]

Can recommend http://boatmail.co.uk/ - very personal service and cost less than the more corporate ones like MBE. Will throw away junk mail for you and bulk forward things you want in paper to specified address.

 

[BradleyC]

Hi there. After the breakup with my wife I'm considering moving aboard my boat for up to 6-12 months to give me time to sort things out and save some money for a deposit on a house. My boat is based in a UK South Coast marina and they are more than happy for liveaboards provided they keep their heads down, ie not register everything to the marina.

I'm self employed and currently work from home, so having an address for HMRC, banks account, doctors, car insurance, mobile phone contracts, invoicing etc is very important.

I've been looking at PO boxes and it seem HMRC will not accept a PO box as an address. The other option of giving HMRC my parents address just isn't feasible as they live 400 miles away. Nor is it feasible to give customers and employers my parents address.

Anyway I came across this company ( https://www.mbe.co.uk/ ) who offer virtual local address and mailboxes in most UK towns and cities. It is quite expensive (£200-300 per year) but seems very convenient as you can access your mailbox 24/7.

My question is, it possible and legal to register HMRC, bank account, car insurance, etc to a virtual addresses or would that be considered fraud? I know it's still technically considered without fixed abode as I won't be living at the virtual address, but at least I'd have a local address to register everything too. Does that make sense?

Any help or advice would be much appreciated.

If you are based on the south coast you could look at the virtual office services provided by Wessex House in Eastleigh. You can find all the info at http://www.eastleigh-business-centre.co.uk/virtual-office-services.php

Plus, if you need to arrange a meeting you can hold it there pretty cheap, and you can also hire pay as you go wifi enabled desk space.

 

[KellysEye]

Jane and I were away for six and a half years long distance sailig, Jane paid no tax but I did so I used Jane's brother's address as a holding address using my name. Then I wrote to everybody to give my new address, as you mention, it was a very long list. He forwarded everything except junk mail. HMRC had no problems with that even though they knew we were away, we got not resident and not ordinarily resident certificates from them. So a relative happy to forward post to you should work.

 

[Retired in Crete]

I've been looking at PO boxes and it seem HMRC will not accept a PO box as an address.

Strange. I am taxed in the UK and HMRC have never questioned my P.O Box address. Maybe because I am in Crete where few houses have a "proper" address.

John

 

[PhillM]

Think you will find the licence terms prevents use of Wessex house as a personal address.

If your company is limited, you could ask your accountant to provide registered office services. If they won't, plenty of others will.

I know rsyc prevents members from using the clubhouse as a home address, but I wonder if the cruising association allows it as it would seem to be a problem for all long term cruisers.

 

[rustybarge]

Strange. I am taxed in the UK and HMRC have never questioned my P.O Box address. Maybe because I am in Crete where few houses have a "proper" address.

John

Its the same in France, the post office stopped dilivering to individual houses in the country many years ago , so now you just put up your own box at the designated area on each road that has PO number on a sign.

It would be very easy to out your own post box with your name at any location that took your fancy, use the designated PO number and the local town zip code....

PS: if you buy your po box from a French shop the postman's key will automatically work in the lock.