Vendor is insistent on visiting after completion

Irishpearce26

Emmia said:

Irishpearce26 said:

Emmia said:

m0bov said:

Ask him for a couple of SAEs. After that you will bin all post after opening to check for anythIng fraudulent.
Change locks.
Tell him not to return again.

A SAE won't stop the mail coming, but returning to sender will - all you do is cross out the address and write "return to sender not known at this address" and put it back in the box. 

We've got a kit that lets you make your own rubber stamps, which we used to make a stamp up - that, an inkpad and a sharpie to cross out the address is super quick.

We redirect all the mail for people who've moved out of the flats for our building - which would otherwise pile up.

The thing is all return to sender does is return the mail, it doesn't stop it the next time or the next time. The OP needs to send a message to this guy that she's not his secretary. Bin the mail, ignore him and he will soon get things organised.

Companies / banks don't keep writing to the address once they've had the mail returned - so yes it does stop the ongoing mail. 

Of course it can take a while for all the people with his old address details to write - but about 95% will have gone within  2 - 3 months if you keep returning it. 

Binning the mail doesn't inform those writing that he no longer lives there.

I'd also change the locks, and ignore him when he phones or comes round.

Nope it doesn't, I had been returning mail for 4 years in my last place before i gave up and just binned it. All it does is have the mail sent back to the sender, the sender will not remove the address from their system unless the person listed informs them to. The sender legally will keep sending the information (if its a bank or service) until instructed otherwise by the person listed.

Irishpearce26

GDB2222 said:

I’m really surprised that people are being so unkind. The old chap should be let down gently. He may be rather lonely and sad about moving away. The OP is not social services, but many people here are urging him to behave in an appalling way, which is quite unnecessary to solve the OP’s problem.

The OP has advised the guy to get a mail redirection but he has refused instead wanting the OP to act as his personal secretary. You sound like you'd rather the OP act as an enabler to this guy rather than make him sort it out. What would be kind is the guy getting a mail redirection and leaving the OP alone to enjoy their new house.

csgohan4

GDB2222 said:

I’m really surprised that people are being so unkind. The old chap should be let down gently. He may be rather lonely and sad about moving away. The OP is not social services, but many people here are urging him to behave in an appalling way, which is quite unnecessary to solve the OP’s problem.

That is the thing, it isn't OP's problem. The previous vendor has refused calls for redirection, so it isn't the OP's problem is it?

Sending back to sender is entirely the most appropriate thing after forewarning the ex vendor. Nothing appalling about that. 

I did this with letters for bailiffs for another person, they stopped coming after a short while. 

Not sure how being the Vendors secretary is anyone's idea of a private life. Are you suggesting otherwise? I would say that is unreasonable. Vendor being lonely and sad moving away, assuming this is the case, is not the OP's problem, it was a purely business transaction buying the house, they did not buy a house and friend did they?

Carrot007

Irishpearce26 said:

Nope it doesn't, I had been returning mail for 4 years in my last place before i gave up and just binned it. All it does is have the mail sent back to the sender, the sender will not remove the address from their system unless the person listed informs them to. The sender legally will keep sending the information (if its a bank or service) until instructed otherwise by the person listed.

Oh you can get them to remove it. However it is not usually worse the bother, as yopu need someone to understand the issue which is many people back from the front lines!. Though binning a bit of mail is no problem (and I open it and bin it as you are entitled to do with mail sent to your address, I determine if any other action is relivent by reading it).

The issues I suffer form more is someone who insists on putting my phone number for everything. Fortunatly it is the landline and I only answer it is expecting a call. Form the callers I know this person name, address and that they have had debts. However there house is a totally differnet one and I suspect it may be an accent thing where people put down the wrong number. I have got persistant companies to remove the number but it is unhelpful as he can just add it back on when talkign to them in whatever deep yorkshire accent people do not understand! (It is a number that needs pauses to properly understand).

Josiea

GDB2222 said:

I’m really surprised that people are being so unkind. The old chap should be let down gently. He may be rather lonely and sad about moving away. The OP is not social services, but many people here are urging him to behave in an appalling way, which is quite unnecessary to solve the OP’s problem.

We have been more than kind, letting him leave his stuff in the house upon completion after he totally messed us about throughout the sales process and lied to us constantly. We even printed off the homebuyers report and delivered it to him because he wanted to see it and we knew he wasn’t too tech savvy. We even let him leave many large items of furniture in the house so he didn’t have to get rid of them himself when he asked us (although he drives a Luton van?) I wouldn’t do anything nasty to him whatsoever but my frustration has built up as I’ve felt from the beginning he’s just used us to his advantage and now expects things from us (I should add that he gets annoyed at us whenever we are not home and knocks for his post) . I work for an estate agent myself, I know this isn’t exactly normal behaviour from a vendor. Whether or not he is somewhat attached to the house still, there’s a time to let go. 

Ps. We changed the locks when we moved in and we have decided to just return to sender now. 

olgadapolga

Josiea said:

GDB2222 said:

I’m really surprised that people are being so unkind. The old chap should be let down gently. He may be rather lonely and sad about moving away. The OP is not social services, but many people here are urging him to behave in an appalling way, which is quite unnecessary to solve the OP’s problem.

We have been more than kind, letting him leave his stuff in the house upon completion after he totally messed us about throughout the sales process and lied to us constantly. We even printed off the homebuyers report and delivered it to him because he wanted to see it and we knew he wasn’t too tech savvy. We even let him leave many large items of furniture in the house so he didn’t have to get rid of them himself when he asked us (although he drives a Luton van?) I wouldn’t do anything nasty to him whatsoever but my frustration has built up as I’ve felt from the beginning he’s just used us to his advantage and now expects things from us (I should add that he gets annoyed at us whenever we are not home and knocks for his post) . I work for an estate agent myself, I know this isn’t exactly normal behaviour from a vendor. Whether or not he is somewhat attached to the house still, there’s a time to let go. 

Ps. We changed the locks when we moved in and we have decided to just return to sender now. 

I hope that you won't be answering the door to him anymore either. Or maybe you could yell through the letterbox that you're self-isolating . . .

We had similar issues when we rented a house. The previous occupants were in serious debt and we had loads of mail turn up for them. Debt collection agencies, the lot. At first we RTS them but they kept coming so we ended up opening the letters and writing to the sender, with proof that we were the tenants and suggesting that the sender contact the letting agency as to the previous occupants' whereabouts. Eventually it stopped but it took a couple of years. Everything that turned up after we wrote to the sender went in the bin. The only one that was persistent was a mobile phone company who finally stopped when the debt had been paid off. The previous tenant did turn up one day, asking for his post but I just said that it had been RTS. He wasn't happy but tough. Also had a problem with the energy company who, for some reason, thought that we should pay for energy before we'd taken over the tenancy. Um, no.

We get post for the previous owner of our current home (we've been here for two years).  He had a redirection set up for six months but we get dividend notices, car tax notices (so he hasn't updated his vehicle registration documents) and more recently, letters from abroad about a mass tort legal action that he's part of. It all goes in the bin, tried RTS, tried sending to his solicitors, still keeps turning up so in the bin it goes. It's not up to me to sort out his post. At least he doesn't just pitch up on the doorstep though!

elsien

GDB2222 said:

I’m really surprised that people are being so unkind. The old chap should be let down gently. He may be rather lonely and sad about moving away. The OP is not social services, but many people here are urging him to behave in an appalling way, which is quite unnecessary to solve the OP’s problem.

For the sake of accuracy, the OP doesn’t mention the person’s age. The presumption it’s someone older and possibly slightly doolally has come from other people.
Either way, OP should be able to enjoy their home without the previous owner getting annoyed because they have the temerity to go out instead of waiting in to be a free delivery service. 

MaryNB

Emmia said:

Irishpearce26 said:

Emmia said:

m0bov said:

Ask him for a couple of SAEs. After that you will bin all post after opening to check for anythIng fraudulent.
Change locks.
Tell him not to return again.

A SAE won't stop the mail coming, but returning to sender will - all you do is cross out the address and write "return to sender not known at this address" and put it back in the box. 

We've got a kit that lets you make your own rubber stamps, which we used to make a stamp up - that, an inkpad and a sharpie to cross out the address is super quick.

We redirect all the mail for people who've moved out of the flats for our building - which would otherwise pile up.

The thing is all return to sender does is return the mail, it doesn't stop it the next time or the next time. The OP needs to send a message to this guy that she's not his secretary. Bin the mail, ignore him and he will soon get things organised.

Companies / banks don't keep writing to the address once they've had the mail returned - so yes it does stop the ongoing mail. 

Of course it can take a while for all the people with his old address details to write - but about 95% will have gone within  2 - 3 months if you keep returning it. 

Binning the mail doesn't inform those writing that he no longer lives there.

I'd also change the locks, and ignore him when he phones or comes round.

I've rarely found this to be the case. At best numerous letters need to be returned to sender before eventually they stop, usually takes a lot longer tha 2-3 months.

We received so many debt collection letters for a previous tenant. We sent loads back to sender, didn't stop them. Eventually i contacted the companies she owed the debt to and they said it was the only address they had for her and in order to go through the procedure of collecting the debt they had to send written communication to her last known address. Also in the case of debt letters, as far as the companies are concerned it could just the debtor sending the letters hoping the company will think they moved.

We also received what appeared to be several PCNs for a previous tenant. We didn't have a forwarding address so I returned to sender. They kept sending them to our address. 

yksi

Next time he shows up at the door, you just politely state that this isn't his home anymore and no, he can't come onto the property. If he asks about his mail you just say, sorry, this is my home now and we won't be looking after your mail anymore. Then say it's time for him to leave and calmly close the door in his face.

I wouldn't block the phone number - if he calls, just don't answer it. Send a text back saying sorry, the house was sold in April so we are not prepared to allow you back anymore or deal with your mail.

Don't even explain what you've done with either the mail or his bits and pieces left behind. He is taking the pee.

Doodles

You sound like nice people but this is a situation where you really need to learn to say no and draw a firm boundary.  

As the above poster says, the next time he calls at your door, you have to tell him that this is now the last time and that you won't collecting his post any longer as this is an unreasonable thing to ask.

So what if he is frosty, or rude! let him be.  And just ignore any texts or calls.  

Obviously if things were to escalate from there, then you might have to get the police involved, but this sounds like just someone you need to be very firm with and he will hopefully get the message.