Ex-tenant's mail - what to write on it?

nomnomnom

theartfullodger wrote: »

I'm sure the ex-tenant owes you no money... It would be reprehensible of anyone to open someone else's mail to get personal details of them (DoB, employer, NI number, etc etc..) that might help them track the ex-tenant down to start legal proceedings against them... Yes, very wrong, not recommended...

Cheers!

Lodger

We have this in the rented house we have been in for a year now. Ever since we moved in we were getting debt collectors letters for the previous occupant. She didn't tell T-Mobile that she'd moved either. So one debt collector got her telephone number the next time we got a letter.

Anyway, turns out she is still using our address a year later. I know this cos the school she works for sent a letter to her regarding when she is expected to return last Sept. It's a school down the road. Next time we get a letter or if debt collectors turn up they will get redirected to the head of the school.

nomnomnom

olly300 wrote: »

For the 1001th time it is not illegal to open someone else's mail once it's been delivered to your door unless you are going to commit a criminal offence with it.

However the best advice is to put return to sender on it and continue to do so. Most mail will start disappearing within 6 months.

Who cares if it is illegal anyway? What's the ex-tenant going to do? Sue you? Oh yeah, they are trying to hide from the law....

st999

You can register ex-tenants with the Mailing Preference Service.

but how will that stop letters from debt collectors, etc?

I've not got one now, but a coal fire was wonderfull, no need for a shredder in those days

Stan

custardy

StiflersMom wrote: »

Good link Geenie

This paragraph, I thought might help:

"...if you receive someone else's post by mistake, you should contact Royal Mail's customer services department. The mistake can be reported to the appropriate delivery office. "

no mistake has been made
the mail has been delivered as addressed and its journey is over
it is no longer RM's problem

Heliflyguy

OMG I opened some mail this morning...no wait, it's addressed to me. PHEW!!!!

nomnomnom

Heliflyguy wrote: »

OMG I opened some mail this morning...no wait, it's addressed to me. WHEW!!!!

Careful now! :rotfl:

Jue_xx

StiflersMom wrote: »

can you ? How do you do that?

http://www.mpsonline.org.uk/mpsr/

Hopejack

To some extent I would prefer to see 'what is coming through the door' rather than elect out of receiving it - that probably sounds odd but it helps keep a bit of a track on who is taking note of my 'vacation' scribble etc. I'm NOT opening it, merely looking the envelope often gives a very big clue.

RobertoMoir

Geenie wrote: »

Are you sure?!! I would suggest you look here. http://www.thesite.org/homelawandmoney/askthesiteqandas/legalandrightsqandas/otherpeoplespost

Of course they're backing their claim up by reference to RIPA which talks about intercepting communication during transmission. Once it's arrived at the address written on the envelope it's no longer being "transmitted".

Regardless of what you want to believe about opening wrongly addressed mail, I don't think RIPA is the appropriate law. Oh I see the answer was contributed by the CAB. That explains it - while there are good individuals in the CAB, as an organisation it can't the difference between a backside and an elbow.

Jowo_2

I recently received a letter addressed to a complete stranger who has never lived at this property. I opened it up to find that they applied for credit with an online shopping site (it was declined and they were told to contact Experian and provide their addresses for 6 years).

When I rang the customer service team, they said no offence had been committed by the person who applied for credit, therefore it wasn't fraud that someone had provided an address where they did not live, but it could be a criminal offence if they succeeded in getting the credit and ordered goods. They told me it was fairly common for scammers to try their luck by using random addresses but that if they didn't live in the property, they were unlikely to ever get it, and not to worry about this.


Therefore, its my intention to open all mail at my address that isn't addressed to me in order to monitor potential fraud at my household.