Hiya,

The first day I moved to the UK (from the US) I got post office box at
mailboxes etc.  I did this because I was enrolled in university and
assumed that I would be moving around the London area until I got a
place of my own.

It's now three years later.  My Mail boxes Etc address has become my
defacto address.  All my credit card and bank stuff go there. My boss
is even convinced I live there.  Even though I have lived at 3
different addresss, MBE has been my consistant address where I pick up
my mail.

Now the problem is that now I want to get a mortgage. I've found a
property that I want to buy.  The lender wants to see a utility bill. 
I obviously don't have one.  I'm in love with the property I found and
I'm eager to get a mortgage.  I don't want my chances of getting it to
disappear because I have use a P.O. Box.

My questions are: 

1. How do creditors/lendors use utility bills to validate your
address? (Do they check with the utility companies to verify?) What is
the process?

2. Could one get away with Photoshopping an old utility bill?

Any info would be usefull.

Ta,
Slug

Hi, Again, Angela

Wow, I never realised that you lived in a Mail Box. No wonder that you
want to move.

It's very unusual for folks to give a Mail Box as you have done
because the Credit Vetting Agencies (Experian and Equifax) track UK
residents from their actual addresses, not their Mail Box addresses.

The best thing that you can do is to contact Experian and Equifax and
see what they've got on you. This will cost £2 per enquiry and the
answers should come back within a week or so.

I will post a specimen letter and their addresses should you wish.

If your credit is good, you should be able to overcome whatever
difficulties you have encountered.

However, please don't 'photoshop' a bill. That would be very naughty!

probonopublico-ga?s quite correct. What ever you do, DO NOT photoshop
a utility bill. The mortagage lenders ask for a utility bill as part
of the process of confirming your identity. It is for their own
protection and part of the money laundering regulations. They do on
occasions check the documents supplied to them by contacting the
utility company, and their fraud departments can spot a forged
document (personal knowledge as a police officer who investigated
mortgage frauds).

Just be completely up front with them and state your real position.
Offer other documents as proof of ID: passport, bank statements, etc.,
even if they have your PO Box address on them.

New borrowers often do not have utility bills because they live in
shared rented flats and do not pay the bills direct.

answerfinder-ga

Yes,  I've already checked with Experian, Equifax and Call credit. 
everything seems to be in order there.  Although American express did
relize it was p o box 3 months after they approved my application and
sent out my card.  they suspended my account for a week and insisted
on sending the bill to my 'real' address.

when give out my address, i always say, Suite ___ or Flat ____ instead of BOX.

I think what i will do is explain my situation.  I don't have anything
to hide, i just don't want to lose out on this fab place i found.

Great, Angela, You should be OK.

The Lender will be just as keen to do the biz as you are and you can
obviously provide a good credit history.

Moreover Answerfinder has confirmed that bona fide alternatives will be acceptable.

Good Luck with the Move

And please don't forget to invite me to your property warming party!

Bryan

I totally agree with the others
- do something fraudulent and it will come back to bite you one day

It does not sound much of a problem to me, you say you've lived at
three different addresses, well you can give those for a start.

Your AMEX card goes to a 'real' address - that is pretty good evidence.
- your place of work is a good reference.

Since you are from the USA, you will appear unusual anyway, so they
are unlikely to be surprized.

All they really want to do is to check that you 'exist'
ie: you have not stolen or invented an identity
(Ah, also they run credit checks on addresses, which can be a nuisance
if the previous occupant was a bit dodgy)

Best of Luck