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Mail addressed to former owners

(83 Posts)
sunseeker Fri 26-Nov-21 12:33:42

I moved 5 months ago - when I moved I contacted the Post Office to have my mail redirected, which has worked very well.

The previous owners of my house said they had done the same but I continue to get post addressed to them. I used to text them when post arrived and they would turn up a couple of days later to collect it. They finally gave me their new address and I re-address the mail and drop it in the post box.

This morning I received a text from them saying an important letter from their bank had arrived late and in future could I ensure I redirect post to them the same day! I re-address post within a couple of days and sometimes make a special trip to the post box. I did reply suggesting they contact the post office as obviously the service they claim they paid for isn't working.

I am really tempted that in future when I get post for them to simply write "not at this address" on the envelope! [grin}

Bridgeit Fri 26-Nov-21 12:40:00

Definitely go with your last sentence.
They are taking the proverbial! ( is that the correct spelling ?) I wanted to put the actual word beginning with a P & ending in S.?

Blossoming Fri 26-Nov-21 12:41:44

I would write’Gone away’ on it and pop it in the post box. Very strange they haven’t informed their bank that they’ve moved.

Witzend Fri 26-Nov-21 12:42:29

What a cheek! For a start they should have informed their bank (and any other important org) of their new address, and secondly, should have arranged redirection with the post office.

I would politely but very firmly suggest they do both the above ASAP, and add that you will be forwarding any further mail at your own convenience.

Bibbity Fri 26-Nov-21 12:46:20

I would reply stating you will no longer hold or forward their mail to them. That you will be posting it all back with no longer at this address attached.

After a while I just binned all mail that came to us that wasn't addressed to us.

Sparklefizz Fri 26-Nov-21 12:47:25

I had this with the previous owners of my house. I have lived here for 26 years and yet still a letter from an insurance company arrives for them although I have put "No longer at this address" on the envelope for about 10 years and stuck it back in the post box.

Shandy57 Fri 26-Nov-21 12:53:37

That's appalling sunseeker. Personally I would text back and say I have reached the end of my goodwill, I will not be forwarding your mail in the future.

I've been here for nine months and in the initial six months had a huge faff forwarding post to my vendor, she had only paid for three months redirection.

She then ordered a router and they sent it here. I texted her and she arranged for a 'special envelope', and I had to make an unplanned trip to the PO to post it off. Luckily nothing this week apart from a Saga letter that I've 'not known at this address'.

bridie54 Fri 26-Nov-21 12:54:44

I'm with other posters on here. What a cheek these people have. Put their mail back in the mailbox at your own convenience with Gone Away, or Not At This Address on it. And let them know that's what you intend to do.
We had a similar issue when we moved to our present house. The previous owners obviously didn't want to be found and we had no forwarding address for them so I would keep a big fat red felt tip pen to note their mail with Gone Away before it went back in the post box.
After years of getting mail from LLoyds bank I finally rang them to let them know we had been owner occupiers at this address for 6 years and I had been returning every letter they posted here. Their response was that they were legally bound to send post to the last recorded address. I said that in my earlier role as civil servant if a customers mail was returned DLO (Dead Letter Office) we would suspend the account pending customer contact. I also said that in future i was returning no more mail and it would be binned. That did the trick as we had no more.

Elizabeth27 Fri 26-Nov-21 12:56:03

When I moved I paid for the redirection service but really don’t know why I bothered, more than half of my mail went to the previous address.

AGAA4 Fri 26-Nov-21 13:01:08

I was so fed up with getting letters for someone who had left 8 years before that I contacted a solicitor.
He told me I must return the letters to the sender.
You shouldn't have to put up with sorting these people's mail.

M0nica Fri 26-Nov-21 13:01:18

I would do exactly what you say. Return all mail, 'Gone away'.

If you can arrange to have your mail redirected, so can they.

Grandmabatty Fri 26-Nov-21 13:12:24

I received mail for the previous owner and reposted it all with not at this address. It took a while but now, three years down the line I no longer get much. I didn't have a forwarding address anyway. I paid for my mail to be redirected for two years so I think they are being very cheeky. Stick it back in the post box with not at this address on it.

Teacheranne Fri 26-Nov-21 13:16:02

Despite me writing to all my mothers contacts to tell them she no longer lives at home and giving them my address for post, some of them still use the old address. I sent the correct Power Of Attorney to each company, some wanted certified copies, other accepted an email copy, other just wanted certain pages - it took me a long time to do this.

I get frustrated that post if still going to her old house which now has tenants in. I have had to extend the initial one year redirection for another year to give me time to battle with these companies again.

The tenant will contact the property letting company when post arrives although not necessarily immediately so we do get it eventually. I contacted the Post Office to complain that they were not redirecting all letters correctly and was told that if a letter is addressed to the occupier ( as one of them was) they could not redirect it. Also they only redirect letters addressed directly to mum, so unfortunately as my mum had not told one investment company that my father had died, letters were still addressed to him! That one was easy to sort out as I could prove my father had dies thirty years ago!

I have lived in my house for ten years and still get a Christmas Card which has obviously been addressed incorrectly, it’s not for a previous owner nor for any of my close neighbours. All I can do is throw it away as there is no return address.

Calistemon Fri 26-Nov-21 14:15:44

They should have informed their bank.

My goodwill would have disappeared by now, sunseeker.
I'd return to sender with Not At This Address on it - if you can be bothered.

Calistemon Fri 26-Nov-21 14:20:21

I have lived in my house for ten years and still get a Christmas Card which has obviously been addressed incorrectly, it’s not for a previous owner nor for any of my close neighbours.

We received a Christmas card every year for umpteen years, could never find out who it was for as our house had no previous occupants. We opened a card one year to see if it gave us a clue but it was to Aunty**** and Uncle*******, still no wiser.

Eventually we did find out who it was intended for, took it round, only to find they'd moved - and not left a forwarding address!

sodapop Fri 26-Nov-21 14:45:55

How rude they are sunseeker it is strange their bank don't have the new address.
I would go with the suggestions made by Witzend

humptydumpty Fri 26-Nov-21 15:03:10

This is an outrageous cheek. They could still have their mail redirected by the PO, but presumably don't want to pay for that.

Shropshirelass Fri 26-Nov-21 15:16:22

I would definitely return to sender. They obviously haven’t paid to have their post directed and to address you in the way they did is out of order. You must stop being so nice and helpful because they are taking advantage of you.

Sago Fri 26-Nov-21 15:23:43

I had exactly this problem, they even asked if I could drop it off at their home.
Eventually I got all the relevant forms from the Post Office and put them with their mail through their letterbox.

Sorted!

Baggs Fri 26-Nov-21 15:55:03

You'd be well within your rights and reasonableness to
write; 'Not at this address" on the envelope and repost. They sound like chancers to me.

Nobody minds re-addressing stuff for a little while after a removal. Hitches happen. But five months is pushing it.

Bluebellwould Fri 26-Nov-21 16:05:40

Absolute cheek. I agree with above and would also send them a bill for the five months work you have done for them. I would suggest a tenner a week.

Daisend1 Fri 26-Nov-21 16:31:22

Sunseeker
Enough's enough.
Just re address return to sender and post when you happen to be passing a post box.They will soon get the message .

elleks Fri 26-Nov-21 16:36:30

Bluebellwould

Absolute cheek. I agree with above and would also send them a bill for the five months work you have done for them. I would suggest a tenner a week.

And a bill for all the stamps you've used!

BlueBelle Fri 26-Nov-21 16:57:41

I agree with everyone else their problem not yours if you see the postie hand it back to him if not return to sender

You ve done enough and now they re getting cheeky Let them take it up with the Po if they ve paid for a change of address and not getting what they paid for

Chewbacca Fri 26-Nov-21 18:26:37

I paid for 12 months mail redirection when I moved house nearly 3 years ago. The previous occupants of my house chose not to and so their mail continued to be delivered here. For 12 months, I dutifully took it round to them; not once did they ever even say thank you. Once the 12 months were up, I just write "NOT KNOWN AT THIS ADDRESS" and put it back in the post box whenever I happen to be passing which might not be for a week or two.