Forwarding Mail -

Alter_ego_2

Hello, I just wanted advice on a query for forwarding mail. We bought a house in December and was asked if we could pass the mail on to the couple. It was an amicable sale and we had no issues with it, (not friends but do still see the people out and about) We looked at doing it,forwarding mail service, ourselves but found it was a bit of a rip off considering we mainly get Clubcard statements and junk. So we had no issue. Its been well over 6 months now and we're still getting the mail from DWP, Banks, Invoices, as well as all the other stuff.

There is no real hardship in redirecting the mail, its not a stressful thing but should we continue to do this. They surely have had enough time now to alert most companies of a change in address. Also they could be applying for credit cards, on our address and we're handing them all the relevant paperwork. We said that we would start putting "no longer at address" on the mail but it continues to come.

So what I really want to know from people in the know. Could this go against our name or the house for a bad credit rating?
Should we continue to give them the mail, as I say its not a big effort?
Or should we just say that's that, all being returned.

thesaint

You should contact them and say that they have had 6 months to contact everyone, so you will forward mail for a further 2 months, and after that everything shall be "Returned To Sender".

You could be awkward about it(no doubt someone will suggest being so), but just be nice, don't negotiate, just make a decision and stick to it.

macman

Just return it marked 'not known at this address'. You've given them 6 months, that is five months more than is reasonable. If they can't be bothered, why should you? Or they could have arranged for the PO to redirect it, rather than you doing it at your expense.
If you fail to act it will continue to come. Junk mail is one thing, but anyone who can't be bothered to change their bank/credit card address within 6 months is taking the p**s.

Marvel1

After 6 months, I would then write on the envelope "Return to Sender, not known at this address since (date)".

Pixie5740

There's no such thing as a universal credit rating. People living at, or using the same address doesn't mean their credit files are linked. It's having joint accounts such as current accounts, loans and mortgages that financially link people.

Yes, they've had enough time to contact the majority of companies to let them know they've moved or at least set up a Re-direction service. Just set a deadline for forwarding mail and stick to it. Then return any mail received after the deadline to the sender.

I always felt a bit sad when a previous occupants continue to receive Christmas cards because they've not told the sender they moved, months or even years ago.

G_M

Alter_ego wrote: »

So what I really want to know from people in the know. Could this go against our name or the house for a bad credit rating?
Should we continue to give them the mail, as I say its not a big effort?
Or should we just say that's that, all being returned.

No - you're fine (and hopefully so is your credit rating...).

It's up to you whether you continue to forward. If it's reduced to a trickle, once every so often, I'd keep forwarding.

If there's still quite a lot, I'd think it's about time they told people they've moved and I'd contact them to say you will stop shortly.

Paully232000

Alter_ego wrote: »

Hello, I just wanted advice on a query for forwarding mail. We bought a house in December and was asked if we could pass the mail on to the couple. It was an amicable sale and we had no issues with it, (not friends but do still see the people out and about) We looked at doing it,forwarding mail service, ourselves but found it was a bit of a rip off considering we mainly get Clubcard statements and junk. So we had no issue. Its been well over 6 months now and we're still getting the mail from DWP, Banks, Invoices, as well as all the other stuff.

There is no real hardship in redirecting the mail, its not a stressful thing but should we continue to do this. They surely have had enough time now to alert most companies of a change in address. Also they could be applying for credit cards, on our address and we're handing them all the relevant paperwork. We said that we would start putting "no longer at address" on the mail but it continues to come.

So what I really want to know from people in the know. Could this go against our name or the house for a bad credit rating?
Should we continue to give them the mail, as I say its not a big effort?
Or should we just say that's that, all being returned.

If it was me, I would feel as though they were taking the mick leaving it so long. I think you have been more than generous forwarding it for 6 months.

I would have forwarded mail for a month, possibly 2 at a push.
But given it takes either 5 days to set it up with royal mail, or a month or 2 to sort it with banks etc then if I was at the 6 months all mail would be going into the bin by now, not even return to sender.

If they are not being reasonable, then it is not my problem if important mail doesn't get to where it should.

mrstick

http://www.postoffice.co.uk/redirection

Send them a letter to tell them they can extend their redirection service by a further 6 months for £50, or stop taking the mick.

As an aside, I can't believe how expensive this is now, I'm sure it only cost us £15 the last time we did it.

dodger1

thesaint wrote: »

You should contact them and say that they have had 6 months to contact everyone, so you will forward mail for a further 2 months, and after that everything shall be "Returned To Sender".

You could be awkward about it(no doubt someone will suggest being so), but just be nice, don't negotiate, just make a decision and stick to it.

Surprising how often that works in any situation, actually not surprising at all.

moneyistooshorttomention

I bought a probate house (fairly recently now) and wasn't best pleased that no attempts to arrange Post Office forwarding of mail had been arranged by the vendor (ie a relative living nearby).

But I forwarded on mail to him for around 6 months (as I thought that was a fairly reasonable timespan).

After that - some Christmas cards turned up for former owner the following Christmas and I would open them (ie to see if there was an address in them). If there was an address - then I sealed it back up and wrote a note on it about previous owner now being deceased and forwarded it onto the senders address.

Anything else = I just threw it in the bin if it was obvious "junk". For anything else = I had written a note on the outside of a forwarded-on letter to vendor that he was to deal with telling anyone that hadn't yet been told. Anything that turned up after that = I've felt free to throw it out.

The thought never crossed my mind any of that might impact on my credit rating. I don't ask for any credit and, if I did, I would expect to be believed that I was a New Owner and nothing to do with Last Owner.

zebulon

Alter_ego wrote: »

We said that we would start putting "no longer at address" on the mail but it continues to come.

Well then just do it! :beer: