UK EXPAT - ELECTORAL REGISTER - HIRE CAR PROBLEM

[martincymru]

Question:
Are you on:-
1. ELECTORAL REGISTER
2. OPEN REGISTER
3. NOT AT ALL ?

Please explain the reasoning behind your decision.

I recently tried to hire a car in UK and they said "not registered at UK address stated on your driving licence; refused ". [ I left UK 2007, did not inform DVLA of my overseas address otherwise they would have revoked my licence! ]

//
Also, my generic comment: increasingly expats who have and wish to maintain strong "connections" with their home country are encountering problems with govt. agencies and private corporations. You agree ?
What's the solution?

[PNGMK]

Yes - not so much of a problem for me as an Aussie but definitely being 'grey' (i.e. keeping stuff updated while overseas using parents or friends address or enrolled vs letting it go altogether) is definitely getting harder under the guise of 'security'. I lost my right to vote last year.

In the US the 'true ID' program has made it impossible for my wife to hang onto her US D/L.

[JR8]

Question: Are you on:- 1. ELECTORAL REGISTER 2. OPEN REGISTER 3. NOT AT ALL ?
Please explain the reasoning behind your decision. I recently tried to hire a car in UK and they said "not registered at UK address stated on your driving licence; refused ". [ I left UK 2007, did not inform DVLA of my overseas address otherwise they would have revoked my licence! ]
Also, my generic comment: increasingly expats who have and wish to maintain strong "connections" with their home country are encountering problems with govt. agencies and private corporations. You agree ? What's the solution?

Morning Martin
1) Registered at the address I previously lived [jeez 7 years ago now], still own, but rent out.
2) No. Ex-register. The public register is where cold-callers, junk-mailers etc get your info from. Also your psycho ex-spouse I could see nil virtue being on it.
Reasoning: The above happened by default. The ex-reg bit is as explained.

Some of the 'ID/credit checks' are dumb/blunt processes. Like one time I took out finance to buy half a building in London, but simultaneously was declined a GBP20/month contract to buy a mobile phone as I was 'Ex-register'. This was after 2 years away in Asia back in the 90's - too 'non-standard'.

My UK driving license (the original paper version a la 1980s) that was supposedly perpetual and valid until I'm 70 or 75 [?], is apparently no longer valid. I doubt somehow I could renew it to a current photo-ID version, from here. It's something I'll address when I get back there, meanwhile I can't drive anywhere. The address on mine is my teenage home, sold long long ago. I think a problem is the global need to prove ID, versus the British refusal to have an ID card. So the driving license has become it's main proxy. You can (or could) even get a DL that didn't entitle you to drive, that could be used as an ID card... hehe...

Think of collecting a parcel from the Post Office here. You take your ID card, simple. Back home you have to triangulate around it, by taking one piece of ID from 'List A', and a second from 'List B'. [This might be your passport, plus a utility bill that shows your address].

I think the thing is, that these days they bluntly want to run a 10 second check that you're a known quantity. If you fail that, proving otherwise takes time and money, and they're not equipped for that.

I didn't know that the UK-DVLA revoked licenses if you spend time living abroad. To what ends?Perhaps this is new; I've not heard this before. Er, so, then if you move here, on what basis can you apply for a local driving license? Do you have to take the entire driving course from scratch? And do so again when you return home?

Ironic I still pay UK taxes each year, and get occasional angry letters, and yet other branches of government refuse to accept my very existence.

Having ID cards might be a solution. But you know the 'I am a man and not a number' undercurrent, the repelling idea of the state being right there in your wallet, the whiff of Naziism. I don't see it happening any time soon. But one day a state ID card will be made optional; and then since even going to Tesco's will require it, it will become impossible to avoid...

[Primrose Hill]

We informed HMRC & DVLA when we left. We still pay our Class 2 NI and of course & tax on our rental income. For almost a year after we left we were still getting angry summonese from DVLA on so-called unpaid insurance on the car that's here.
I called NI office with my daughter 2months ago, she turned 16. NI was particularly unhelpful, because we informed them our intention to move here. Refused to help us through the process other than complete this form and will take 30days for a response.
My daughter chased them up last week as she still have not received her NI number in writing and it has been more than 30days; some guy turned around and told her that they cannot discussed her case with her as she failed her identification test. How can that be when they asked her for her date of birth and previous UK address?

[JR8]

Getting to vote this time was a whole other circus.
When abroad I previously had to go to the local embassy - not allowed any more.
Thereafter, I had my father nominated as my proxy. Now made so impractical it isn't viable. He'd have to travel hours to London just to cast my vote, and he's getting on, and thoroughly dislikes London anyway hehe...
The solution, after speaking to my MP, was appointing the party Ward Chairman as my permanent proxy.

That took forms, witnessed ID, posting it off in hard-copy etc. Now, given all this change since the last election, and that UK elections happen pretty much randomly, and are usually called perhaps just a month-6 weeks or so ahead, I'd conclude that most UK expats these days are effectively disenfranchised.

[Primrose Hill]

I agree. I tried registering to vote, completed form printed out and posted it to Camden, apparently has to be local blah blah. Got a letter saying that's invalid as we sold our house and this was despite us giving them our new address with proof of address (bank statement).
I then re-register again; this time managed to do it online. Then nada, heard absolutely nothing at all.
Why bother? Labour/SNP - well screwed. GBP80k salary is classified as being rich therefore should be broad shoulders. Folks that works in the financial services industry are still on the naughty steps. Mansion tax. etc etc. Tory/LibDems - CGT at 28%, reduction of pension pot, possibility of raising tuition fees, stamp duties have already risen. Still screwed.
Its almost a case of better the devil you know than the Posh Red Ed bunch with 2 kitchens

[JR8]

'Red Ed' Miliband is a lie. His parents were virulent and avowed Marxists yet dripping rich. It's only such crazed political inclinations that try to reconcile that, versus living in a lavish £multi-million South Kensington apartment, opening directly onto a 5-acre private garden square; whilst demanding the rich be crushed.

It's because his father was such a zealot (a fervent/near bonkers ardent one) that the Milband boys have become 'daddies little wind up toys', now let loose on the world stage. Of course they inherited millions from their father (all in Swiss bank accounts, naturally, taxes are for little people eh?). So you have the perversity of these two living in mansions themselves, and yet espousing daddies Marxism.

'But wait, it gets better'... then you have 'Red Ed' scripting a TV show, with Russell Brand. Another multi-millionaire, who made his $ by, er, promoting a supposed communist revolution. Selling it 'to the yoof, the kidz' in a Michael Moore'ish fashion.

The LibDems. Those that aren't being arrested for paedophilia seem to live in mansions too, whilst pretending to be poor. They seem to flip-flop hopelessly in the middle - no idea what they stand for really, except perhaps penury. Young people with a self-hatred, so they feel they have to atone for it via inflicting higher taxes and hair-shirt policies on the rest of the nation?

Which, if you exclude the loonies, or indeed those who have some very valid points but are effectively unelectable, leaves you with the Conservatives.


p.s. My Best Man's parents used to live next door to the '''charming''' Miliband parents. Now despite the former being pretty hippy-dippy liberal 60s art-school types, who'd made very good career-wise via the interior design company they founded, I cannot tell you what their opinions were of their neighbours. Let's just say, apparently not easy people to have to co-exist with [snort].

Ironically Primrose Hill, both those families used to live in Primrose Hill/Camden, my Best Man and 'The Boys' went to the local comp there. 30 years later they wound up living next door to each other down on the SW5/SW7 borders...

Edit to add: 'Ralph Miliband – The Man the Daily Mail Hates'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USffrnlpz-M

[Steve1960]

I am not on the electoral register and have been waiting for this to happen. So far it's been fine but my car hire is arranged through the company I work for in the UK. One time the hire company told our office admin person that I needed to provide a UK credit card before they would make the car available but somehow she made that go away.

License shows my mothers address and I still hold a UK bank account also registered to that address but not being resident in the UK does I believe made the license invalid.

Martin, did you try more than one car hire company? Who was it who refused you the car hire?

[Strong Eagle]

Interesting stuff for me... I am a British Citizen by descent... have never had any domicile in the UK. Years ago, I contacted the British Singapore High Commission to determine if I could vote since I was a British Citizen. Answer was: In order to vote you need to have a domicile in the UK such that you can be assigned to an MP and all lesser jurisdictions. I don't have, I can't vote. Probably not germane to the gist of this thread... and... what the hey!

[Steve1960]

Yes, I think without a residence in the UK and being on the electoral register it's quite tough to do anything these days as an ex pat. In some respects it's quite just. If I don't have a UK residence, I am not on the electoral register and I live abroad why should I be able to rent a car on my UK driving license? The car hire companies are just protecting themselves against fraud.

[Primrose Hill]

We rented a car 2 years ago, with one of the large car rental company. We still have a residence in the UK with a UK passport and a UK driving licence. Card was UK bank, Jersey branch.

[Steve1960]

Yes, another issue for me I only kept a UK debit card not credit card

[martincymru]

Steve: Buget Car hire at Manchester Airport last week said "Your licence shows a UK address but you are not registered there". "We need to use your Singapore address". [she needed approval from her supervisor to do this].
No, not asked other companies but note last year hired thro SIXT and they did not question.

My comment: There are 2 registers

1. Electoral
Lists your name and address in Singapore. It is closed but Police and credit companies (Budget?) can get access.

2. Open.
Can be bought by any person.

My question: If I register on the Electoral role only then will Budget approve? Or do I need to register on both otherwise Budget cannot trace. Either way my address will differ from that shown on my licence which is in fact is my brother's address.

Primrose Hill: Your UK driving licence has your UK address printed on it but you are a resident in Singapore. My understand is that it is illegal. Do you agree?
Also, for sure, sooner or later you will encounter a similar hire car problem.

Strong eagle: "vote you need to have a domicile in the UK [in past 15 years]".

My General point: Today it is Hire Car issues. The trend is more hindrances are appearing as a result of being a UK expat.

[Steve1960]

I agree the trend is making things more difficult however purely from a driving license perspective a) I think you are right it is illegal to be resident at an address that is different from the license but b) the simple answer is take the Singapore driving test. I believe you have to surrender the UK license but if it is illegal anyway does it matter?

[Primrose Hill]

What if you rent a car with your SG driving licence? What if you update your UK address, I have updated it for banking purposes and HMRC - electoral role -closed (SG & London). Good tip- update licence address with DVLA to new UK address?