The Vicious Circle of Stupidity

[Samurai]

In 2005 when I bought a Baleno, all documentation was proper and the transaction was buttery smooth. I had a DL, Voter Id and Flat ownership papers all with the right address. That was in Bangalore.

Last year I moved to a small village in Udupi district due to the relocation of the company. That started the long saga of getting a proper proof of address (poA), and it still continues.

My phone is in company name, so I can't use that for poA. The power bill refers to khata number, it has no usable address. Same goes for house ownership document. So I got myself a ration card, and that was a whopper. It had a locality name from the nearby town and the name of another village. In other words, I live in village A, but the ration card has a locality from town B and has the name of Village C.

I tried to get the address fixed on the ration card. But these people don't live in our world, they don't follow postal addresses, it is apparently correct according to electoral village.

The HDFC Bank account is the only thing that has the proper address recognised by the post office. Rest are all imaginary, only the village accountant armed with his maps can understand these addresses.

Therefore, we couldn't change the addresses on our DL, passport or the RC books. The bank account address can't be used for poA until the address is stable for 1 year.

After a year, my wife tried to get her address changed using the bank letter for poA. But we also had to submit copy of ration card as secondary proof. We had begged and implored them to use the correct address. Still, when the DL address change was made, the learned RTO folks decided to believe the government issued address over the private Bank poA. Now my wife's DL also has the imaginary address that points to a black hole. After that experience, I decided to keep Bangalore DL intact. I may not have the right address, but at least it is a real address pointing to the Bangalore flat I own. In other words, I still couldn't change my address on DL/RC/Passport after more than a year. I still can't prove I live here.

Recently I sold the Baleno and applied to HDFC bank for foreclosing my loan. I was given a closing form and that had two mistakes in it. My Bangalore flat is in C tower, but the loan paper had it as E tower, which doesn't exist. It also had the wrong road in the address. I had given my address correctly, but the HDFC loan DSA (Direct Selling Agent) was an illiterate. With all the proper address proof, they had still recorded my information wrong.

HDFC loan department told me that if I pay off the loan, the loan papers will be returned to the address they have on record. That means they will lose it by sending to a non-existing address. So I applied for a change of address using the bank account address I had in the same bank. Guess what, HDFC loan department doesn't trust HDFC bank. After 3 weeks of back and forth, now the local branch manager tells me that they can change the address only if the RC book address is changed. The RC book address can only be changed to the imaginary address on the ration card. In other words, I can only change the incorrect address on the loan document to another imaginary address.

1) Only Government issued address proof is accepted.
2) Government doesn't care if the address is incorrect or usable, and they refuse to make any changes.

What is point of proof of address if the pedigree of the document is more important than the accuracy?

[shuvc]

Phew !
Methinks one way out is to apply for a fresh DL in your current location. Don't even let them know you have a Bangy DL. That should be possible, na ?

Another thing. If HDFC has given a wrong address in the foreclosing form, does this mean that they used this wrong address when the loan was processed ?

[vikram18]

Originally Posted by Samurai

1) Only Government issued address proof is accepted.
2) Government doesn't care if the address is incorrect or usable, and they refuse to make any changes.

What is point of proof of address if the pedigree of the document is more important than the accuracy?

It doesn't end there. When I'd gone to the RTO for my driving license, they refused to accept my Birth Certificate as proof of Birth!!! I had to return the next day with my school leaving certificate

[zakaaaaasss]

Samurai@ have been thro' these hassels...however there is a way out...i do not exactly what that document is called in legal terms, but it is basically a stamp paper on which your address and identity is mentioned. the said document needs to be signed & stamped by First class magistrate. You can take advocate' help in that matter...

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by shuvc

Phew !
Methinks one way out is to apply for a fresh DL in your current location. Don't even let them know you have a Bangy DL. That should be possible, na ?

What poA will I use for that?

Originally Posted by shuvc

Another thing. If HDFC has given a wrong address in the foreclosing form, does this mean that they used this wrong address when the loan was processed ?

When Government officials or Bank officials make mistakes, that becomes gospel.

[benbsb29]

Samurai, this is not a new thing.

Mine is an even more amusing story, which goes as follows :

* 2 wheeler driving licence from TN, using the driving school's and my college address. Even today, it stays the same.

* In Hyderabad, where i bought my bike from, i have the address of my friend's place where i stayed, on the RC book. Somehow, was able to use the same when procuring my 4 wheeler driving licence.

* Now, after all this, i move to Bangalore. For buying my car, showed the rental agreement of the apartment where i was staying alogn with a proof of address from my company for the RC.

* All that went fine. Now, post marriage, i want to get the marriage legally registered. Docs required/accepted are ONLY government documents/passport, the first lot of which i dont have any, and the passport states my permanent address !

Went to the sub-registrars, and was made to run around for days. They even refused to consider my rental agreement. Finally, with my patience beginning to run thin, and me cursing the country and the system, i decided to try out a trump card which i thought might just click. I informed them that i own a car, which is KA registered and the RC book mentions my current residential address. I informed them that this is a valid government document, and this they shouldnt ignore. Some pleading and some promise of rewards later, it works.

Moral of the story : Buy a car, it just might help you get married.

[Rtech]

The standard line applies here "we are like this only"

Common sense is thrown out of the window for even the smallest of things. India shining, but probably at the wrong address

[quadra]

Try to open a bank a/c in the nearest bank. This way you will get the necessary address proof which will actually tell others that you actually live there

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by quadra

Try to open a bank a/c in the nearest bank. This way you will get the necessary address proof which will actually tell others that you actually live there

How is it different from the bank account I already have with the right address? The HDFC loan department is not ready to consider my correct address I have with HDFC bank account since May last year.

[HellwratH]

Samurai, the easiest way (which has been helpful to me till date!) is that I have a HUTCH postpaid connection. I have used it in every possible way (to get a bike, a car, PAN). That would be a good option for you, get a connection, produce the bill for one month and get an identity from the goverment using that bill. Then you will have a valid address proof from the government.

[quadra]

Regarding the new address, i think the local bank should be able to open the a/c with the proper new address. The locals working in that bank i guess would know that area..maybe

[shuvc]

Originally Posted by Samurai

My phone is in company name, so I can't use that for poA.

1. Get a new phone connection in your name. Would that work ?

2. You could apply for a new Voter ID card ?

[gd1418]

It is called an affidavit and before the Ist class Magistrate applies his thumb impression, it has to be notarised..

Originally Posted by zakaaaaasss

Samurai@ have been thro' these hassels...however there is a way out...i do not exactly what that document is called in legal terms, but it is basically a stamp paper on which your address and identity is mentioned. the said document needs to be signed & stamped by First class magistrate. You can take advocate' help in that matter...

[gd1418]

Has somebody out here heard of a creature called 'dalaal' in Hindi and 'broker' in more sphisticated Queen's language?

Samurai - why don't you get in touch with one of these creatures? Your misery will be nullified.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by quadra

Regarding the new address, i think the local bank should be able to open the a/c with the proper new address. The locals working in that bank i guess would know that area..maybe

Boss, HDFC is a local bank, I already have an account, with the right address, it ain't making any difference.

Originally Posted by shuvc

1. Get a new phone connection in your name. Would that work ?

2. You could apply for a new Voter ID card ?

Here they don't respect private company phone bills from Airtel, Hutch, etc for poA. If I take BSNL, they will promptly demand poA and then use the imaginary address from the ration card. Same goes for voter ID.

Originally Posted by gd1418

Has somebody out here heard of a creature called 'dalaal' in Hindi and 'broker' in more sphisticated Queen's language?

Wife's DL was done through the dalaal, even then they still went with imaginary address.

Looks like the magistrate route is the best.