Receiving someone else's mail.

Rev

Sorry, wasn't really sure where abouts to post this so if there is a dedicated 'post' part of the forum please move it to the correct place.

For the past few months I've been getting letters addressed to a man who has never lived here (I've lived at this address since birth 37 years ago and my mum ten years before that).

It's letters from DWP and HMRC and also wage slips.

I've tried putting not at this address on and giving them to the post office but they're still arriving.

Will call Royal Mail tomorrow and see what they suggest but was wondering if anyone else has had this happen (I'm sure they have!) and if so how you dealt with it. The post office had no advice.

DKLS

Recycling Bin or Chimnea.

Rev

DKLS wrote: »

Recycling Bin or Chimnea.

But that doesn't stop them arriving and given they're official letters someone had obviously given my address in when claiming benefits and to their employer and to the customs department. That's the bit I'm worried about.

Mojisola

Contact the company sending the payslips and tell them that they have the wrong address?

It takes some time for returned mail to go through the system and then someone at the DWP and HMRC has to deal with it. It may be quicker to write to them, enclosing the wrongly addressed mail, than just doing RTS.

AylesburyDuck

Maybe ring DWP and HRMC, they would be interested if there is fraud. Wage slips will have bank details (which may lead to correct address) which they will possibly have the power to freeze, or freeze anyhow to flush out the culprit.
Anyhow ring them, first step.

elsien

I had similar with someone when I was getting letters for medical appointments for someone else - it's ok to open the letters if it's just to check for more information.
I phoned the clinic and although obviously they couldn't tell me anything due to data protection they must have made a note somewhere because I didn't get any more.

Rev

Thanks. I'll call DWP and customs tomorrow.

I don't want to open any of the letters and the name of the company isn't on the outside of the wage slip letter.

silvercar

We had this. Turned out to be that someone had written the post code wrong and had just asked the person concerned for house number + post code without verifying the address.

hazyjo

It's perfectly legal to open them, so just open and ring. (Not legal if deliberately intercepting mail.) If nothing changes, just keep sending them back to sender with 'Not Known At This Address' on.


Jx

Rev

Well. I called HMRC, DWP and Royal Mail. Neither of them will do anything.

All they could suggest was putting not at this address and putting it back in the post box. Which I've already done.

They said they can't access anyone else's file despite the fact someone has clearly given my address in to several different places.

What a pile of crap. It's fine for someone to give my address in and there's apparently zero I can do about it.

suejb2

Can you make a Freedom of Information request under the 2000 Act?

Is there another street/ road the same name as yours but different area. I live on Blah blah blah ave in Manchester but I know there is a Blah blah blah ave in Salford as I have received their mail .

Do you have a local Facebook page? Put a few details and see if someone responds.