How long would you keep previous owners' post for

Argghhh

Summer-Sunshine wrote: »

And put a cross over their 'OLD' address.

Message to post people hopefully loud and clear :money:

Permanent marker - major cross over old address R T S in capitals over front and if there is a return address at the back of the envelope circle it.

if there are any birthday cards see if there is any money in them - post office wont be able to return money and birthday cards as noone will put their address inside them so you might as well have the money not them for your troubles

moneyistooshorttomention

marcarm wrote: »

Stick it back in the post box with 'No longer at this address' on the envelope.

I think you have been more than reasonable, no way would I be still hanging on to all of that post.

I would tend to go with this.

They were unreasonable not to provide the Post Office with a forwarding address, then compounded it by not giving you a forwarding address either.

Personally, I think I'd wait it out till 6 months after they have left (ie because that's a pretty standard length of time to have forwarding procedures in place with the Post Office) and then put it all back into the post with that "No longer at this address" note on. After that, just throw things away.

If they turn up again during that 6 months, tell them quite clearly that this is what you will do and they cant say they weren't warned.

If they turn up after that time, then feign innocence and say "Oh...I know the Post Office ignored your 'redirect' you put on the mail sometimes, but I presumed that they were redirecting MOST of your mail after you had told them to do so with a redirect" and make out that you had thought all along that they had had a redirect on with the Post Office and that it had now "expired", so you obviously weren't bothered any more".

EDIT: I wouldn't advocate stealing any parcels/birthday cards they receive. Those definitely would be re-posted "Return to Sender", so it was clear no crime had been committed.

Gwhiz

Open all the cards though - might be a tenner in there!

moneyistooshorttomention

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

EDIT: I wouldn't advocate stealing any parcels/birthday cards they receive. Those definitely would be re-posted "Return to Sender", so it was clear no crime had been committed.

As above.

Don't put yourself in the firing line by using this as an excuse to be a thief. If they put the police onto you for stealing their possessions, I doubt any excuse as to why you had thought it okay to steal from them would wash.

pinkpiglit

We had this exact same problem. The sellers didn't bother to set up a redirection. They came to collect the post from our concierge as I would leave it with him - but after a month or so I was surprised that it kept on coming and the concierge told me that they were just chucking all the junk mail straight in the bin at his desk so weren't even sorting out the address issue.

I immediately started putting everything back in the post with RTS. The flow of post has finally started to dry up.

tibawo

At my old address I used to get christmas cards for the previous owner but there was no return address. First year I just kept them in case they called by. Second year I opened them but no address inside so there was nothing I could do. After that I binned them.

Strangely I was chatting to someone this year some four years after I moved. They mention a name and I thought I know that name from somewhere and then I realised it was the lady who cards I used to get.

However, I think redirection can take about a month to truly get going and for the fact they would not even let you give them your number I would just rts now as you have better things to do with your life!

benjus

Sounds a tad dodgy to me - it appears that they haven't changed the address on their car documents for instance, and they don't want you to know where they live. Maybe there's something they are trying to hide.

Personally I'd want the organisations sending them post to know that they don't live there, which you can do by following the advice above.

*~Zephyr~*

We still get post for the previous owners and it's been nearly 3 years since we bought this place!

I've started to open it now, since we had the police at the door looking for one of the sons of the previous owner. Everything goes back RTS except for things that look like they might be debt collections (they still owe Sky about £40 and the bailiffs are rabid over it!), but HMRC and Tesco clubcard don't take the hint and continue to send post to them here - including a tax rebate cheque this year for £400 which I happily shredded

It winds my OH up no end though.

theartfullodger

It's much more fun winding bailiffs up....

mgarl10024

I've found it amazing how many people write to the address and how long it takes to get them all to stop.

I'm on good terms with the new occupier of my old house and they kindly pass on any mail.
Having been on the mail preference service, and diligently informed everyone I could think of at the time of moving, and having quickly informed the sender of any items received since, a year on, I'm still getting about 1 item a month. It's amazing how many lists you end up on.