Guests using my address to open bank accounts

[Gordon58]

Hi,

Looking for a bit of advice from anyone who may have been in this situation.

I have two students from Kazahkstan staying with me. They are studying at Glasgow University until December and booked to stay at my place for the whole of September

They appear to have opened bank accounts and have used my address for mail to be sent. I received a couple of letters for them today.

However, they didn't ask if they could use my address. Had they asked, I would have said no.

I would have thought the university would have a set-up to deal with this type of situation – perhaps the university being used as a postal address.

It could all be fairly innocent and I appreciate the difficulties young people from countries as far away as the likes of Kazakhstan have.

However, I have concerns about fraud and my address being used for other purposes.

What do people think? What should I do with the mail (the guests are currently out and don't know it has arrived)? Return it to the bank? Should I contact the university? The bank?

Additionally, they mentioned last night that they want to cut short their stay as they feel my place is too far away from the university.

I called Airbnb support but they weren't much help – and said I might want to speak to a lawyer! That might cost a bit...

[Gordon58]

Good advice, Victoria, thanks. I wasn't aware of the content shrinkage thing.

And, yes, it's best to be careful.

[Sandra126]

Return to sender. No refund. Poor review (as you said, this is not the only thing they have done).

[Andreas-and-Anna0]

Dont return the mail....I don't see any fault in it. They already know your address, its not a secret. Universities do not have mailing addresses for students. You could ask them to use a friends mailing address because once they leave, they would need a more permanent mailing address. 

[Sandra126]

@Andreas-and-Anna0, when someone has a name and an address on a delivered piece of mail it counts as a proof of address form of ID, apart from anything else. Quite a complex issue. Unless a host has been asked if it is ok, it is not a good idea for many reasons.

[Andreas-and-Anna0]

@Sandra0 I understand but.....in REALITY- the guests who have bank accounts are more at risk and not very smart. Their banking information is available for the Host to access if he chooses to open their mail. They are the ones more vulnerable and infact not very smart which leads me to believe this is not a dangerous issue. Anna

[Victoria567]

Hi @Andreas0  and Anna

why bother to use a friends address when you have a super friendly host stepping into the breech? 

I see plenty of fault in using a random persons address, such as an air bnb host that you may just have got  acquainted with........actually it’s not fault ( don’t wish to accusatory).....it’s presumptious on the part of anyone, to move in, on your home address.

Here in the U.K. having someone listed at your address causes a wee problem with Council Tax or as we Scots, refer to it, as the Poll Tax.

To explain briefly, here in the UK, if a person is registered at your address they lay Council Tax.....if they don’t pay then you as the main house holder are 100% liable.

That perhaps explains our cultural difference in our reaction to a stranger being registered at your address.

Here in the UK we have problems with identity theft, identity fraud etc...Perhaps you don’t  have similar issues in your locality, unfortunately ......we do....it’s called white collar crime!

[Sarah977]

Yes, one host reported here at some point that mail came from the Immigration Dept. for a foreign guest. He had claimed her address, where he was only staying briefly as a guest, as his permanent address to Immigration. If he got busted for some criminal behavior (and she said he was really sketchy and kind of scary), she could have been held responsible.

STR's are not okay to use for an address, unless the host has authorized it.

[Victoria567]

Hello @Sarah0

any host, would have to be bonkers to authorise such a thing!

[Sarah977]

@Victoria567  Oh, I can see situations where I wouldn't have a problem with this. Say a really nice, respectful guest with a 2 week booking realized they left a valuable, necessary item in the last place they stayed and that host was willing to post it to them. I would allow that. It's different than using the address with financial institutions, etc.

[Gordon58]

Update on the bank accounts situation... took the guests to the bank today and after a lot of faffing about all morning with the guests fixing up alternative accommodation and new addresses, my address has been removed from their bank accounts.

A member of banking staff also told them fairly straight up that what they did was indeed serious. They seem to be in a bit of denial about that and even wanted their bank cards given back to them at the end of it all! They were told by me and the member of staff at the bank that that would not be happening!

I also asked them, in front of a member of banking staff, if they had used my address for anything else. They said no.

The guests are now planning to move out later today to student accommodation.

Aside from this issue, they will be better off there – my place is better suited for adults!

I asked them this morning for their mobile phone numbers and passport numbers, and will contact the university to see if these tally up. I will also gives the university's international student liaison department a full rundown on what has happened.

They are fortunate I did not call the police. At this moment they could easily be in a detention centre in Scotland and be sent back to Kazakhstan.

No doubt in their eyes, and in those of their parents, I'll be the bad guy. They are wrong, of course, and I spent more time helping them than I have with any other guests. I doubt they will ever realise that.

[Victoria567]

Hi @Gordon0

You have gone over and above the level of duty here and I hope you sit back and enjoy a wee dram after you’ve polished your halo, which should be gleaming.

I take my hat off to you as I would not have bother my bahookie!

[Gordon58]

Guests were very unhappy about not getting a refund but their attitude at the bank was utterly selfish. That sealed it for me. It was all about them getting their accounts sorted and they were not happy with me for telling the bank exactly what happened. I'm not sure what they expected me to do - ignore it?

Things run differently in their country and they seem not to be mature enough to accept that when you travel elsewhere you have to adapt.

I'm certainly not polishing any halos or having any drams, I feel utterly deflated that, for the first time, I've had a guest experience which was entirely negative for both sides.

I'm sure many, many others have been through this and it does put you off hosting!

Thanks for the messages, Victoria.

[Kimberly54]

Sweet @Gordon58, ya need ta 'brush it off!'  (attempt at a Scottish accent.)

You did WAY more than... how did you get to be your age and still be so innocent? ;-)))

Forgive & forget.  Hosting can be so much--and you must keep your eyes open!

By the way, you owe me a response on stereotyping.

With love and respect,

[Gordon58]

Thanks for your kind words, Kim.

My ‘sweetness' has turned rather sour after a stressful day. Forgiving and particularly forgetting will take a wee (stereotypical Scottish word) while.

Eyes wide open in future

[Alina148]

Asking for their passport no? Reporting to the university with racist goggles on of course? Are you an immigration officer? That is definitely taking it too far! Ask yourself if they were white students from France or USA or Australia would your reaction have been the same?