Another passport question - secure delivery?

Here is my situation. I live in a flat. The block of flats, which consists of 7 flats,  is really a very large, converted house.   We do not have private mailboxes.  The postman drops all the mail through a slot in the front door and people pick up their own mail. Everybody sees everybody else’s mail.  People tend to move in and out a lot, and you don’t really get to know your neighbours.

 I have had a few items of mail go missing, which of course could be due to the post office rather than my neighbours. However, once I saw that a card to pick up a delivery at the post office was left for me, and I didn’t pick it up right away. When I went downstairs later to pick it up, the card was gone. I also sent away for a passport application from the IPS website 13 days ago, and never received it. (I ended up going to the post office and picking up an application)

So based on the above, the logical thing to do would be to use secure delivery and sign for the package. However:

1.   I work full time.They say that if you aren’t there when they call, they can arrange another delivery date. Can I just skip the first step and arrange the delivery date, because if they just show up unexpectedly, I won’t be there.
2.   The doorbell in front of my block of flats doesn’t work, so there is no way to know if the delivery person is coming and that they should be let in, unless they telephone me first. Can they do that? Otherwise, I would have to sit in front of the building all day, waiting for them to show up.
3.   They say you need to show ID when you sign for the package, but my ID is my US passport, which will be in the package.  My other possible ID are my work ID (my only other photo ID) utility bills and credit/debit cards. These are in my married name and both US and UK passports are in my maiden name.  Will they accept the ID in my married name with a marriage certificate?
4.   Could they deliver it to my husband’s office building (he runs his own company). Maybe I could stay in the office with him that day – if I know in advance when they are going to come - and then the receptionist could call me down to sign for the package when it came?

Any suggestions? Anybody have a similar living/mail situation? I really don’t  want both my US and UK passports to go missing.

Is it not possible to have it delivered to your own work address?  Otherwise, option 4 will probably work - and if you didn't want to spend all day at your husband's office, many secure delivery services will allow you to nominate someone else to sign for your delivery...but that person needs to have details of your identity - so your husband would need to have utility bills etc with your name on them.

Well, the passport application just asks you to put an X if you want Secure Delivery; I don't know how to tell them that I would want my items sent to an address other than my home address, which is on the application, or that I want to arrange a time for pick-up.  If I attached an extra sheet of paper with the information I don't know if anyone would ever look at it.

The guidance also says, "If the delivery company cannot get access to your property to deliver your passport, a calling card will not be left and notice of the failed delivery will be sent to you by normal mail. Our Secure Delivery company to do not recognize any mail re-direction arrangements that you may have made with Royal Mail. Pleas also note, we will not provide compensation for any loss or delay resulting from the use of normal mail when you have not asked for Secure Delivery."

I'm not really sure what to do. Should I just use Royal Mail and hope for the best? Royal Mail returns supporting documents (US passport and naturalisation certificate) by 2nd class mail.

Has anyone else applied for a passport when in a similar situation?

One of my workmates renewed her UK passport and it was sent to her work address no problem. I don't know how she did it, but it should be possible.

Well, the passport application just asks you to put an X if you want Secure Delivery; I don't know how to tell them that I would want my items sent to an address other than my home address, which is on the application...

Has anyone else applied for a passport when in a similar situation?

I'm in the process of filling out my application... all I saw on it was room for one address, and it didn't seem to require that the home address be used.  All it says is "Current UK address", which to me can be any legitimate address where they can send documents to you.

Maybe this is how superl99's workmate had it sent to her work address?

I'm in the process of filling out my application... all I saw on it was room for one address, and it didn't seem to require that the home address be used.  All it says is "Current UK address", which to me can be any legitimate address where they can send documents to you.

Maybe this is how superl99's workmate had it sent to her work address?

I thought your "current UK address" is the address by which you are identified - the address where you would be on the electoral role - so they could match it up with any other information used to confirm your identity, such as bank accounts, utility bills, info on file about you at the BIA.

The guidance also says that if you have lived anywhere else in the past 3 years, please list previous addresses. Which also makes me think that they are using the address for identification, as well as for shipping information.

But it does say that if you live abroad you can apply for your passport in person while visiting the UK, if you provide a UK address to deliver the passport to?

I don't think I can have it sent to my work address because people don't usually have personal items sent to the office (but maybe since this is a special case I wouldn't get in trouble), but I am known under my married name at work and my passport would be under my maiden name so when the delivery person came with a delivery for me under my maiden name they would say no such person works there.

I thought your "current UK address" is the address by which you are identified - the address where you would be on the electoral role....

Er, I thought I couldn't be on the electoral roll because I'm not a UK citizen yet (and I'm not a citizen of the Commonwealth or the ROI).  I will apply to be on it after my citizenship ceremony, but not until I sort my UK passport first.

Thanks for mentioning the guidance about listing previous addresses if less than 3 years - I might have missed that as it's not indicated on the form, only in the guidance booklet.

The married name/maiden name thing is a pain; I'm in the same boat, but my forename is rather unusual and I work for a small company, so that wouldn't be an issue.

I think I'm going to gamble on the Royal Mail 2nd class post option - not because I'm cheap but because I actually think that is the better solution for me under the circumstances.  If I had been made redundant at the end of February (as I had expected to be), I would go with Secure Delivery and sit at the entrance of my block of flats all day every day until I had my documents back.  And after I had them back, then I would start looking for another job!   

Er, I thought I couldn't be on the electoral roll because I'm not a UK citizen yet (and I'm not a citizen of the Commonwealth or the ROI).  I will apply to be on it after my citizenship ceremony, but not until I sort my UK passport first.

"electoral roll" is a common term for the general database that they use for credit checks and verification.  I don't know what it is actually called, when ever you go to get a mobile or something they check some database.  I started to appear in it as soon as I started to get bills.  Probablly some big brother conspiracy, but I wandered around Stretham when I got here trying to find out how to get on the "electoral roll" only to find out unless you are a EU Citizen you can't get on it, but have no problem now having people verify my address for things.  It is annoying the average person calls it the "electoral roll"

"electoral roll" is a common term for the general database that they use for credit checks and verification.  I don't know what it is actually called, when ever you go to get a mobile or something they check some database.  I started to appear in it as soon as I started to get bills.  Probablly some big brother conspiracy, but I wandered around Stretham when I got here trying to find out how to get on the "electoral roll" only to find out unless you are a EU Citizen you can't get on it, but have no problem now having people verify my address for things.  It is annoying the average person calls it the "electoral roll"

Thanks for clarifying, that's the second new thing I learned today! 

The guidance also says that if you have lived anywhere else in the past 3 years, please list previous addresses. Which also makes me think that they are using the address for identification, as well as for shipping information.

I just remembered that my colleague who sits right across from me had to get a new passport due to resuming her maiden name and she had it sent to our office.  I recalled this because the receptionist rang me when she couldn't get through to my colleague, and the delivery guy was waiting downstairs to deliver her passport to her.

My advice if anyone is unclear on a point such as this is to contact the IPS directly here:
https://www.ips.gov.uk/passport/ContactForms/contact-general.aspx

I emailed them earlier in the week to clarify their guidance about sending in the original passport that I used to enter the country (as well as sending my current passport) and I received a response from them within 45 minutes.

I was pleasantly surprised to have had a response within 20 minutes of my email sent tonight at 19:22, as I wouldn't have expected to hear back until Monday morning.

At 19:42, the IPS responded regarding my enquiry about whether I could use my work address on the form:

Dear xxx,

Thank you for your enquiry

I would advise you to include your home address in section 2 of the application form, and make a separate note in section 8 of the application form explaining that you would like the passport and documents returned to your work address if possible.  The couriers deliver between the hours of 8-6 Monday to Saturday.

Thank you.
Customer service e-mail team

The point about the couriers was in response to my further query about whether the delivery might take place on a weekend, when my office would not be open.

This is the 2nd time this week that I've had speedy and helpful responses from the IPS; it certainly doesn't hurt to ask them questions directly!

DH just applied to renew his passport and, because he didn't know if we would be around for secure delivery, he put a prepaid royal mail special delivery envelope for them to send his new passport.

Well, what arrives today?  The special delivery envelope, with his now expired passport. 

Wow! IPS really do respond quickly. Here are two email responses from them:

Thank you for your enquiry All new passports are returned by Secure Mail Service, and depending on the postcode that you live in, you may need to sign for the delivery. If you could please confirm your postcode I will check on my system to see if your postcode is a mandatory area that requires a signature. Unfortunately, regarding your last enquiry, it will need to be yourself that signs for the passport, so a signature from your husband will not be accepted. If the couriers require a signature and you are not there they will leave a calling card for you to contact them to rearrange a suitable date.

Thank you for your enquiry I have looked on my system and your postcode is not a mandatory area that requires a signature. However, this does not necessarily mean that the couriers will not require a signature upon delivery. Yes, they should still put the calling card through the front door detailing the attempted delivery. Once you send off the application you can either trace the application via ourselves through email or by contacting the Adviceline on 0300 222 0000. We will be able to tell you how the application is progressing and if the couriers have received the documents yet. The only way of arranging a delivery with the couriers is by speaking to SMS beforehand, once they receive the passport and the documents. You can check this by tracking the progress of the application and we will give you the details of the delivery.

"electoral roll" is a common term for the general database that they use for credit checks and verification. 

Really?  I don't know anyone (person or company) who uses it in that sense- the electoral roll is the list of registered voters, full stop. Yes, someone not eligible to be on the electoral roll will show up on credit checks once they've got a bank account and start building a history, but that has nothing to do with the electoral roll itself.

Wow! IPS really do respond quickly. Here are two email responses from them:

Wow, that is impressive - and very detailed feedback - thanks for sharing it with us.

I'm still not sure what to do about getting the documents returned (naturalisation certificate and the 2 passports that I'll have to send) - I believe Mrs. Robinson went with regular 2nd class delivery and was fine....

Man, I'll be glad when all of this is over!