Can I open someone else's post?

Flyboy152

esmf73 wrote: »

If there is not a sending address written on the envelope or package somewhere I believe that you are fine to open the letter to gain the return address / or phone number so that you can deal with it.

I am not aware of such provision.

Nicki

Flyboy152 wrote: »

I'm afraid the Postal Services Act 2000 Section 84 disagrees.

No, it doesn't. It's only an offence to open mail delivered to your address if you do so with intent to act to the addressees detriment or otherwise without a reasonable excuse. A desire to return the Mail to its sender would be a reasonable excuse. Wanting to know what was in your next door neighbour's mail accidentally shoved through your mailbox would not.

Flyboy152

Nicki wrote: »

No, it doesn't. It's only an offence to open mail delivered to your address if you do so with intent to act to the addressees detriment or otherwise without a reasonable excuse. A desire to return the Mail to its sender would be a reasonable excuse. Wanting to know what was in your next door neighbour's mail accidentally shoved through your mailbox would not.

Not when the option is there to write, "not known at this address," on the envelope. The sender and recipient can claim detriment.

peachyprice

Flyboy152 wrote: »

It is against the law to open mail that is not addressed to you. Do not open the envelope, write, "not known at this address," on the envelope and put it back in the post box. Remember, these letters come from solicitors; not the best people to annoy when it comes to the law.

No it isn't.

It's ilegal to open mail not addressed to you without reasonable excuse and you use it to the detriment of the intended recipient.

Opening a letter intended for someone who had previously lived at your address to see who it is from so you can RTS is a reasonable excuse. RTS will not be of any detriment to the intended recipient.

We have had this soooooo many times on various boards, and someone always trots out the 'it's illegal' codswallop, how I wish they would make it a sticky.

bryanb

Flyboy152 wrote: »

Not when the option is there to write, "not known at this address," on the envelope. The sender and recipient can claim detriment.

Claiming "Detriment" is meaningless. They would have to show INTENT to act to the detriment of the addressee.
As I posted above, this subject has been done many times and the facts established. IT IS NOT ILLEGAL.

nzmegs

if anyone asks just say that you opened the letter without looking at the name on the envelope. We have all done this when we have a pile of letters to open. you shouldn't have to scrutinise each and every letter if it has come in through your letter box. it is reasonable to assume it is for you. i opened a letter for my neighbour once as i failed to notice it was addressed to him. I took it to him, explained and he understood it was an accident. Don't stress about it.

pupsicola

If a letter comes through my letter box I open it. Assuming, not unreasonably, that it would be for me. Hadn't ever thought of checking whose name was on it before hand.

honeypop

If_My_Pennies_Were_Pounds wrote: »

I'm glad someone else has asked this, we have lived in our house for 2 years and we still get mail for the previous elderly occupant who we know for a fact is sadly no longer with us.

The majority of it is junk mail (the good old, you've won £10,000 etc etc) but occasionally there looks to be mail that could be important, how can we stop the mail coming? Especially the junk mail...

Register with MPS http://www.mpsonline.org.uk/mpsr/mps_choosetype.html and they will stop most junk mail coming in that name to your address.

shellsuit

It's not against the law to open a letter, that has come to your address, but is not for you, so long as you're not going to do anything with the info, ie if it's a bank statement, you're not going to try and take a loan out in their name, or if it's a catalogue bill, you're not going to order anything in their name, or use the letter as ID.

I open mail that comes here for the old lady that lives here before me, just so that I can let companies know she no longer lives here. What's the point in just returning a letter with 'no longer known at this address' on it, if it doesn't get back to the company, or if it does, nobody even looks at it to do anything with it.

I do wish the Post Office would wise up though. I'd rang them. Returned the letters. Emailed them. Now they have a debt collection agency on the case. Not my problem so I just read the letters now and bin them.

Nicki

Flyboy152 wrote: »

Not when the option is there to write, "not known at this address," on the envelope. The sender and recipient can claim detriment.

Irrelevant. It is a requirement of the offence that the prosecutor prove an intention on the part of the opener to cause detriment or lack of any reasonable excuse. The fact that detriment occurred, if no intent to cause it, doesn't matter, nor does it matter that there was more than one way to RTS. The burden is on the prosecutor to prove all elements of the offence, not on the defendant to prove that they aren't.