to expect my bank to tackle Identity Fraud when I can see it under my nose???

[EmotionalRex]

The previous tenants in my house keep opening new bank accounts saying they're living at this address (where they no longer live).
I've been into the bank (which is also mine, incidentally) and because they're not applying in my NAME but my address, they just say, 'oh, mark them as no longer at this address, and send them back to us.'
Tried this approach only to find they've taken another account out this week. Grr.
And just called the bank again, who gave me a grilling to get MY details to even discuss it, and then proceeded to be completely useless again. They reckon I should pay out to some company for 7 quid a month to protect myself... why can't THEY sort this out - and why aren't they getting proper evidence that the people opening bank accounts live where they say they do??

Well Onagar I have to say that this is made all the more complicated by the fact that I live in social housing.
So basically I swapped houses with this other tenant.

This means that they now have my old house/address, and I have their old house/address.
It sounds very fishy to anyone running credit checks because council house exchanges are not something that people necessarily know exist, unless they live in social housing.

What I do have in place is a redirection of mail so that none of my post (although it's just junkmail, since I've updated all my accounts and stuff to my details) goes to them. But 1. I'm still paranoid that they'll be ordering stuff in my name there...(shouldn't happen though, because any bills/invoices will be forwarded by Royal Mail to me here) and 2. It costs me mnoey to do this.
So, not only am i paying indirectly (as 1dilemma said, 'we will all end up paying for the debt they run up') but also the redirection costs me, the calls/time/energy to tell everyone what's going on, and if I have to take our further credit protection I'll have to pay for that too [steam coming out of ears].

plus... my kids can't open the door if the doorbell goes. We moved out here for a gentler pace of life, not to be like something out of The Bill

Rambleon that's terrible.

When I was in a job where we carried out credit checks we did it on the name.

If they are taking out credit in their name it will not reflect on you IYSWIM.

i hope you have been reassured by the responses on this thread

Every single piece of mail that arrives at your home for this couple - write to the return address and give the new address and proof (such as electoral register telephone number and address for the area so that the company can check or if in telephone book a photocopy or suggest to the company that they search.

thanks ivykaty and LTIspam

This is happening to us too. We rang the bank in question and they said there was nothing they could do and to just keep sending the post back to the return address.

But after 2 years of sending their mail back I refuse to do it any more so it just goes in the bin.

We get chequebooks and bank cards sent to our address, it's madness

DH said he was tempted to use the bank card to buy something for a tiny amount (10p or something) just to see if that would spur the bank/previous owner into action. But obviously he won't