Living without an address.

V

Vrdw

Joined
Apr 29, 2019
Posts
5
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2
Funster No
60,346
MH
5th Wheeler
Exp
1 year
We moved from Scotland having sold our house there and lived initially in a Hymer caravan. Then we bought a Celtic Rambler and truck, becoming full-time tourers.

The biggest headache has been the lack of a permanent address. We want to be legal in every aspect so don't use a friend's or relative's address for mail or for banking, insurance, etc etc.

Insurance has been the major issue because as soon as I say we are living permanently in 5th wheel the insurance brokers practically hang up the phone. We have it all sorted now but it has been stressful as one wants to have proper coverage in case.

Would be interested in hearing from others in similar circumstances and your solutions.

Viv
 
We have wondered about this. A couple we made friends with last year in France were full timing. They were using a friend’s address for everything, including appointments for the doctors and prescriptions. They were both on repeat prescriptions for various ailments. It all seemed a bit worrying to me but they didn’t seem concerned.
 
I have a couple of friends who live fulltime on a narrow boat and they use this service http://www.boatmail.co.uk/ It gives you a UK address that all mail can be sent to and they then forward it on to you using various methods. I think there are several companies that offer the same type of thing. How it would work for insurance I'm not sure as obviously boat insurance is a different kettle of fish to MH insurance. But DVLA are happy to use their registered address for your licence.
 
Thanks for the responses, using a relative's address would work to a certain degree but not if involved in an insurance claim. Same applies to mail service businesses. I do have my vehicle and Driver's license registered at my work address and DVLA are ok with that. My vehicle insurance is registered at my most frequently used campsite and the insurance co is good with that. It has been a year of hit and miss, bureaucratic battles to sort it all out. Basically, if you don't have a permanent address you are persona non grata it seems.....
 
When we were full timing we used a friends adress for dvla purposes. The only insurance that we could find was Comfort and the premium went up about 3 fold. The logic, they claimed was that we might park it at the worst possible uk postcode. They totally ignored the argument that since it was our home ( and joy) we would be less likely to leave it unattended anywhere.
Still we paid up and there never was a claim, of course.
Mike & ann

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MisterB said:
what do travellers do …..
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many register at a travellers yard . there are places they can use as an address all over the country. they rent a small area thats where they can live or use as and when.
works like the boat crowd . mail is sent on or opened and checked for you etc .
fair ground etc use similar systems .
 
I use my mother's and whilst not technically full time insurance as I never used those words I have 365 days full touring cover throughout Europe. It's perfectly legal as everything is registered at my mum's house, the main thing insurers are worried about is having to put you up in a hotel if something happens to your van if you've said full time.

If anything happened to my van I'd stay at my mother's till it was repaired so not an issue for me.

I was honest and upfront with insurance and told them I wanted cover for up to 365 days constant use . That's what they sold me.
 
Northernraider said:
I use my mother's and whilst not technically full time insurance as I never used those words I have 365 days full touring cover throughout Europe. It's perfectly legal as everything is registered at my mum's house, the main thing insurers are worried about is having to put you up in a hotel if something happens to your van if you've said full time.

If anything happened to my van I'd stay at my mother's till it was repaired so not an issue for me.

I was honest and upfront with insurance and told them I wanted cover for up to 365 days constant use . That's what they sold me.
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Which company are you with as that would help us?
 
I think ours is similar cover to Northernraider. We are with the caravan and motorhome insurance and it was a good price.
But, after bring towed of a muddy field a few weeks ago we had some damage, so we are making a claim.
It took and hour or so to get through to the person I needed most of that time just hanging on. It appears that they are a call centre( bad line and a 5 second delay on hearing me) fortunately I wasn't standing at the scene of an accident.
 
Mike800966 said:
When we were full timing we used a friends adress for dvla purposes. The only insurance that we could find was Comfort and the premium went up about 3 fold. The logic, they claimed was that we might park it at the worst possible uk postcode. They totally ignored the argument that since it was our home ( and joy) we would be less likely to leave it unattended anywhere.
Still we paid up and there never was a claim, of course.
Mike & ann
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But you could argue that, even if you had a fixed address and only used your motorhome 2 weeks a year. Could still end up in miss side

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I used boatmail for a long time but the fees went up, i had so little mail as i went online for everything i switched to ghost mail for low user.
 
I find it best to use the system, rather than fight it. I'm on the electoral role and registered as homeless. This can have a few advantages as well as disadvantages. It seems there is a different for to register as homeless, and you have to prove a local connection, but it lets you register with doctors, dentists etc.

The TV licensing office has 3 addresses that you can use should you want to obtain a licence.

The library used their own address to allow me to become a member.

email and a mobile phone number are essentials.
 
Wild Brambles said:
I find it best to use the system, rather than fight it. I'm on the electoral role and registered as homeless. This can have a few advantages as well as disadvantages. It seems there is a different for to register as homeless, and you have to prove a local connection, but it lets you register with doctors, dentists etc.

The TV licensing office has 3 addresses that you can use should you want to obtain a licence.

The library used their own address to allow me to become a member.

email and a mobile phone number are essentials.
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Sounds like an option! How do you register as homeless?
 
If you can prove a local connection, then go to the council office,and ask for the electoral role department. You may have to find someone senior, as many of the staff don't know of the existence of the form.
 
Hi

I rent out my flat but still use the address for post, vehicle registration and insurance etc.

i have my own post box on a wall and a friend who opens and informs me of my mail. He scans and forwards any I need to respond to but there’s very little these days thanks to email.

Only problems I’ve had have been tax office who were stroppy and said I couldn’t use that address but gave in after a calm chat, and despite various attempts have been declined on each attempt to register to vote.

But of course no council tax ?.

Rob
 
Wild Brambles said:
I believe it is your right to be able to vote. I would pursue that one - maybe contact "your" MP. :)

https://www.crisis.org.uk/get-help/...MIi9zErtj05QIVQuDtCh1EVg1eEAAYASAAEgLEPPD_BwE
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Hi Thanks for this - I have tried to register in two locations where I spend much of my time and have filled in the online application form but have been rejected.

They state ...

«I am writing to inform you that your application to be added to the electoral register has unfortunately been unsuccessful. This is because the department for work and pensions has been uable to verify your identity using the details that you provided. In order for us to process your application we will now need to see documentary evidence of your indentity. Please read the attached letter carefully and provide us with the evidence that has been requested. »

The evidence they require is impossible for me to provide. So I’m unclear how any homeless person could do this.

Box 1 easy

Box 2 I only have a birth certificate and can’t provide the other two examples

Box 3 I have a pension statement and recent P45 but not the other two they want

So yes you can try but won’t get very far with these requirements.
 

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RobWid said:
Hi Thanks for this - I have tried to register in two locations where I spend much of my time and have filled in the online application form but have been rejected.

They state ...

«I am writing to inform you that your application to be added to the electoral register has unfortunately been unsuccessful. This is because the department for work and pensions has been uable to verify your identity using the details that you provided. In order for us to process your application we will now need to see documentary evidence of your indentity. Please read the attached letter carefully and provide us with the evidence that has been requested. »

The evidence they require is impossible for me to provide. So I’m unclear how any homeless person could do this.

Box 1 easy

Box 2 I only have a birth certificate and can’t provide the other two examples

Box 3 I have a pension statement and recent P45 but not the other two they want

So yes you can try but won’t get very far with these requirements.
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My interpretation of that form is that if you provide one item from the Evidence Type 1 section then that is all the evidence that is required and you don't need to provide Types 2 and 3.

Mark

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Mark and Mindy said:
My interpretation of that form is that if you provide one item from the Evidence Type 1 section then that is all the evidence that is required and you don't need to provide Types 2 and 3.

Mark
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I have asked but had no response back. Box one says ‘or’ box two but box three appears to stand alone.
Heading down that way on Weds and will pop in and talk to them. But the real issue I’ve had is that they want forms that relate to an address you reside in which claim you reside in.

This has been ongoing for over six months but not giving up quite yet - a few days to go or perhaps more likely for the next one.

Rob
 
Hi

We full time in our van, have done for nearly 3 years. When we started this I wanted to make sure we were completely legal. We use our daughters address for almost everything - bank, DVLA etc. We get very little mail as nearly everything is paperless.

Insurance is via Comfort and is very expensive as we have a full time policy.

We get a postal vote for.the forthcoming election, easily arranged.

Only one fly in the ointment was staying registered with our GP. I have repeat prescriptions so they allowed me to record my address as the surgery itself although they also have my daughters address for forwarding test results etc.

We used Boatmail in the past but the 'Pay as you go' option was just too expensive.

Paul
 
RobWid said:
Hi guessing the postal vote is easy due to living with an address - your daughters address? ?
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Can't remember now the procedure we followed for setting up a postal vote. We are registered in the area where we used to live and have our daughters address for any correspondence. We are in Cornwall ATM but daughter says voting bumph addressed to us has already arrived.
 
I gave them the address of my last B&M residence. I changed my bank address to that of a friend, and I use that address for my pension letters.

It says you have to prove a local connection, and it doesn't state that it has to be a recent one. I know of one person who parked in the council offices car park for a couple of months. Maybe that could prove a local connection. If it gets too bad, then you could always use the police bail notice if they arrest you. :)

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