Tracing a name change.

[raybarrow]

Hi Folks,
Trying to contact our niece re my parents house in which she has inherited a share from her father, dec'd. He was the eldest of we three brothers. The house is rented out through an agent. In the agreement we/she has signed, is the option to buy out the other shares in the event of any share wanting to sell (my surviving brother and I want to sell).

Our niece changed her name by Deed Poll and moved address, both of which we know about (abusive partner). Email and mobile no response so sending recorded letter. Because of her circumstances Social Media is a no-no.

Two thing occur:
If you change your name by Deed Poll I would hope that the change is not on public record that anyone can see, particularly in the case of an abusive partner or similar. Is this so?

If we get no respone from her, what's our next move? She lives several hundre miles away.

Cheers,
Ray.

[Dod101]

Hi Folks,
Trying to contact our niece re my parents house in which she has inherited a share from her father, dec'd. He was the eldest of we three brothers. The house is rented out through an agent. In the agreement we/she has signed, is the option to buy out the other shares in the event of any share wanting to sell (my surviving brother and I want to sell).

Our niece changed her name by Deed Poll and moved address, both of which we know about (abusive partner). Email and mobile no response so sending recorded letter. Because of her circumstances Social Media is a no-no.

Two thing occur:
If you change your name by Deed Poll I would hope that the change is not on public record that anyone can see, particularly in the case of an abusive partner or similar. Is this so?

If we get no respone from her, what's our next move? She lives several hundre miles away.

Cheers,
Ray.

Jump into the car and try to find her personally? That would be the discreet way of doing it.

Dod

[Midsmartin]

I believe that if you change your name officially, then it is published in The Gazette:

https://www.thegazette.co.uk

However you don't have to use this route, and in her case it seems likely that she won't have done so. But you never know.

[gryffron]

There are 2 types of Deed Poll these days. "Enrolled" or not. Both completely "official".

"Enrolled" has to go to the Royal Court of Justice and is published in the Gazette.
If not, you just write the document yourself and send it to relevant parties (taxman, bank, passport office, etc)

There's no real benefit of "Enrolling", and it costs money, so most people don't bother. In which case there would be no public record. In the circumstances you describe, certainly best avoided.

Best you can hope is she sends someone a christmas card. Any friends/family of hers you know about who might pass on a message?

Gryff

[GrahamPlatt]

If you know even vaguely (which you seem to) where she lives, could you try placing a public notice - or even a small ad - in one of her local journals? Even if she doesn’t read it herself, it may get brought to her attention.

[AWOL]

There are 2 types of Deed Poll these days. "Enrolled" or not. Both completely "official".

"Enrolled" has to go to the Royal Court of Justice and is published in the Gazette.
If not, you just write the document yourself and send it to relevant parties (taxman, bank, passport office, etc)

There's no real benefit of "Enrolling", and it costs money, so most people don't bother. In which case there would be no public record. In the circumstances you describe, certainly best avoided.

Best you can hope is she sends someone a christmas card. Any friends/family of hers you know about who might pass on a message?

Gryff

Just for the record deed poll doesn't apply to those born in Scotland.

[gryffron]

Just for the record deed poll doesn't apply to those born in Scotland.

The new(er) UK system of Deed poll is still available and applies in Scotland. Although several other options are available there, Deed Poll is cheaper and quicker than most of the alternative (older???) methods.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/scotl ... ur-name-s/

Gryff

[AWOL]

Just for the record deed poll doesn't apply to those born in Scotland.

The new(er) UK system of Deed poll is still available and applies in Scotland. Although several other options are available there, Deed Poll is cheaper and quicker than most of the alternative (older???) methods.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/scotl ... ur-name-s/

Gryff

Unless something has changed in this newer system then anyone who is Scottish can just change their name without deed poll although a statuary declaration is possible. I know as this is the path that I was advised to follow in the 90s when I changed my name just by starting to use another and writing to various bodies and saying please use this name now. The website you linked to suggests that those born in Scotland don't need deed poll ...."If you are not able to officially record a change of name in Scotland because you were not born or adopted in Scotland you can use a service to change your name by deed poll. '

If I have misread this please excuse me as I am in a hot climate drinking beer and wine and starting to feel slothful.

[gryffron]

Unless something has changed in this newer system then anyone who is Scottish can just change their name without deed poll although a statuary declaration is possible. I know as this is the path that I was advised to follow in the 90s when I changed my name just by starting to use another and writing to various bodies and saying please use this name now. The website you linked to suggests that those born in Scotland don't need deed poll ...."If you are not able to officially record a change of name in Scotland because you were not born or adopted in Scotland you can use a service to change your name by deed poll. '
If I have misread this please excuse me as I am in a hot climate drinking beer and wine and starting to feel slothful.

It has changed, fairly recently. A Deed Poll isn't what it was

Once it required presenting to a court. Now it is a simple statement which can be downloaded free from the govt website.

So Deed Poll is now the simplest, cheapest and quickest option UK-wide. But you're right, Scots don't "need" to use Deed Poll as the other historic Scottish options are still available.

Gryff

[raybarrow]

Hi Folks,

I do have an address so have sent a Recorded delivery letter as a starting point. Give that a week and see what happens.

Cheers,
Ray.

[Clitheroekid]

Very few people go to the hassle and expense of changing their name by deed poll. Most just do it with a template agreement downloaded off the internet for a few quid, and use it to tell those they want to know.

In many ways it's absurdly easy to change your name quite legally, and to adopt a new identity, and thousands of people do it every year, some for legitimate reasons, far more, I suspect, for nefarious purposes!

If she's on the electoral roll then I often use https://www.192.com/ who are pretty reliable and fairly cheap.

[gryffron]

Very few people go to the hassle and expense of changing their name by deed poll. Most just do it with a template agreement downloaded off the internet for a few quid, and use it to tell those they want to know.

Deed Poll is just a template off the internet now. It’s here, and it’s free

https://www.gov.uk/change-name-deed-pol ... -deed-poll

Gryff

[raybarrow]

Hi Folks,

Recorded delivery was delivered signed for in nieice's new name. So she is still there. Should now get a response after she has digested the contents of my letter.

Thanks,
Ray.

[raybarrow]

Hi Folks,
Good news. Neice is OK. She has changed her mobile number, which I now have. Email is the same, so something hiccuped when it got rejected.
She is happy with selling our parents' house and she is remarrying, hopefully a better marriage than the last.

Thanks for all the comments. Now to move on the next problem - should I run for the PM's job? Not a cat in hell's chance.
Ray.