Redirection of mail

[shaneystar2]

We moved into our current property about three years ago last November .Before we moved we arranged for our mail to be directed by the Royal Mail ..obviously we had to pay for this service. The people we bought from didn't do this and for about eighteen months we were either sending their mail on or taking it round there . We never had a thank you or an acknowledgement .As time went on the mail got less and less but we do get the odd thing now and again which we forward.. Today the previous owner has come round to us asking if we had any mail for her as she was expecting something which hadn't turned up and wondered if it had been sent to our address by mistake ..When I said no...she became very aggressive and said if anything did come would I send it on. In view of her snotty attitude I told her in no uncertain terms that I was not a PO Box and I would return anything to the sender .
Do you think I am being unreasonable ? Or would you keep forwarding mail for over three years ?

[markja]

shaney, just write 'gone away' and a big cross through the address and pop it in a postbox.
don't go out of your way, do it once a week, thats enough to stop you getting in trouble for delaying H M mail.

[minimonkey]

can you actually get in trouble for delaying mail that has been sent to your house through no fault of your own? I have lived in my house for 3 years and i get mail for the guy that owned it before me, most of his tenants and the people that owned it before him. Is this actually my problem? i just throw them in the bin or shred them - if it was important they would have told the senders their new addresses wouldn't they?

[skyep]

shaneystar2 - I think you have been very accomodating to have done what you have done for so long. If this person hasn't pulled their finger out by now, they probably never will, cheeky! Return to sender - address unknown - no such number- no such zone :0)

[198x]

I don't thnk you're being unreasonable. WHy should you have to pay for a service and provide one freee for the previous owner?

If she wants her mail redirected tell her to do the same method you did.

Being a postman, here's a tip - what you should do is cross out her address and either write "No longer at this address" or "Does not live here" and return the envelope in the post. This will go back to the company/person who originally sent it and they should update their records and so you shouldn't get any more mail for this woman.

Minimonkey - technically what you're doing (the shredding and what not) is illegal. You're destroying items that do not belong to you. You shouldn't even open mail thats not personally addressed to you and so destroying it.... :S

[shaneystar2]

Thanks for replying folks ..I wouldn't destroy any mail for her of course but don't think I will bother to readdress anything in future....just put it back in the box .... return to sender ....etc.
I don't mind doing anyone a favour but I think after all this time she is extracting the juice slightly !

[Kacee]

Only today we received yet more mail for the previous owners who moved out nearly six years ago.

Ironically, the mail we still receive here relates to a business they ran from home. I usually write 'Not at this address since 2001' on the envelope and bung it back in the postbox.

The owner did, however, turn up one day asking whether we'd received a special delivery of dentures he was expecting (they were in that business).

If he could take the time to chase those up, I'm sure he could take the time to re-direct his mail, the only thing is that if we mugs keep on sorting things out for these people, they're not going to pay for the Post Office to do it are they?

[shaneystar2]

Thank you Kacee ....I am not alone then !
It is a cheek though. ..you would think people would get their act together .Especially if they are running a business!
I'm afraid that's what it's like though these days ..people just want something for nothing .It's bad manners really .