← FFCheckWho do I contact?EN
Papers · the UK
Updated September 2026

👥 Someone I do not know is registered at my address — how do I remove them?

Direct answer

It happens more than you would think: a previous tenant who never deregistered, or a fraudster using your address. It can affect your benefits, taxes and mail, so act. Ask HMRC — National Insurance number / General Register Office (0800 141 2079) — the population registry — to start an address investigation: you declare that the person does not live there, they check, and the entry is corrected or moved to "unknown". Your local council (gov.uk) is the desk for it in many municipalities. If mail arrives suggesting fraud (loans, orders, court letters in their name), Police — 101 / report online (999 in an emergency) (101) takes the report.

There is no address registration in the UK. 'Registering' means telling HMRC, the DVLA, your GP surgery, your bank and the electoral register — and applying for a National Insurance number if you are new.

Call firstHMRC — National Insurance number / General Register Office
Report toYour local council
If that failsPolice — 101 / report online (999 in an emergency)

🗣️ What to say

"[Name], unknown to me, appears to be registered at my address [address]. I am the [tenant/owner] and live here [alone / with …]. This person does not live here and never has / left on [date]. I ask you to investigate and correct the register, and to confirm when it is done."

🪜 Step by step

  1. Check your registrationOnline with your digital ID: who is registered at the address. Screenshot it.
  2. Request the investigation: HMRC — National Insurance number / General Register OfficeWritten declaration; some municipalities have a form. Mention benefits or tax effects for priority.
  3. Return their mail"Not at this address" on the envelope, back in the box. Do not open it.
  4. Fraud signs: Police — 101 / report online (999 in an emergency)Debt letters, parcels, court notices in their name — report, and keep copies.
  5. ConfirmationAsk for written confirmation of the correction; benefit and tax agencies use the register date.

📇 All contacts

HMRC — National Insurance number / General Register OfficeNI number, birth/marriage certificates; no address registration in the UKOn arrival and for certificates📞 0800 141 2079🔗 www.gov.uk/apply-national-insurance-number
Your local councilNoise, waste, roads, housing standards, licensing, lost propertyFor anything the council handles🔗 www.gov.uk/find-local-council
Police — 101 / report online (999 in an emergency)Local police for any crime that is not fraudBurglary, theft, threats, stalking📞 101🔗 www.police.uk
Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman / Parliamentary OmbudsmanComplaints about councils and government departments, freeWhen a public body does not answer or acts unfairly📞 0300 061 0614🔗 www.lgo.org.uk

❓ Frequently asked

Does it affect my benefits?

It can — a "household" of two changes calculations. Tell the benefit agency in writing that the person does not live there and that an investigation is running.

A former flatmate will not deregister

The same investigation route. Their new address is their problem; the register can set them to "departed, unknown".

Someone used my address for a company

Report to the company register as well; a registered office at your home without consent can be removed.

📎 Sources

Last checked: 2026-09-26

🔎 Common searches

Recognise your own search? The answer above covers all of these.

  • “unknown person registered at my address the UK”
  • “remove someone from my address registry”
  • “address investigation municipality”
  • “former tenant still registered”
  • “address fraud report”

🧭 Is this still correct?

We check this information carefully, but phone numbers, websites and rules change — and sometimes we get something wrong. Spotted a mistake or a change? Let us know below.

🔗 Related questions

🚚Register your address→📑Registry extract→📜Apostille→🔢National ID number→

Your tools for the UK

Before it goes wrongCan I?What is allowed, what is not, which permit you need — with the official source.Energy · the UKElectricity & gasThe rules that protect you as an electricity and gas customer in the UK, and who to contact. Every fact is checked on an official source.Recognise it firstIs dit veilig?Check a phone number, website or message against 47,000 scam dossiers.