My Neighbours Open and Read My Mail!?

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I live in London in a converted house of 4 studio flats. When my neighbours find letters addressed to me (even letters from the bank) they open them, read them and then leave them on the floor.

I know that reading someone else's mail is a criminal offence but I don't know who to complain to.
Please let me know who can help me. Thank you.

[cascarelli]

Who to complain to? I'd start with the neighbours who are opening your mail!

[CheekyChops]

Well all I could find was this:

"In most cases, this practice is legal as, unfortunately, British citizens are not protected by a privacy law. An act of 1985 makes the 'international interception' of communications illegal, but this is primarily aimed at unauthorised telephone tapping.

Significantly, the Post Office Act 1953 prohibits the opening of 'any postal packet' which ought to have been delivered to another person. In practice, however, this protection for private mail is limited since an offence only arises if it is opened 'wilfully and maliciously with intent to injure another person'. Needless to say, this can be very difficult to prove."

[NORMANTHEDOG]

buy yourself a little box that locks,put it on the wall, and ask your postman to put your mail in it for you,explain to him the problem.

[LittleMissxx]

post yourself a letter saying : stop opening my *****ng mail !!

[gina32]

like it littlemiss. why not have your mail kept at the sorting office and collect it from there yourself

[WaldoMcFroog]

It is an offence under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA 2000), which specifies:

1. - (1) It shall be an offence for a person intentionally and without lawful authority to intercept, at any place in the United Kingdom, any communication in the course of its transmission by means of-

(a) a public postal service

In the first instance, you should contact Royal Mail Customer Services and cite RIPA 2000.

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To ALL:

THANK YOU so much for your help and also for your very quick response!

[dancecaller]

The postal services are not as careful as they could be.
My bank statement went to my daughter once (same name, different address a mile away)
And I got a neighbours bank statement that had her name and address on it.