A previous owner refuses to stop using our address for EVERYTHING!

emmajones1976

We can all stop replying now, the Op has said she wont be posting again. I feel it was a fair observation that was raised, its a shame she has made that decision.

Grumpy_chap

arghhhh said:

My husband has just seen her receive a letter hand delivered from a Royal Mail van, on a Sunday. I would imagine that it relates to our issue and I think it's probably because the postman and postwoman who normally deliver to us would have thought the same thing.

emmajones1976 said:

This is all very odd. She lives in a rural area, that deliver on Sundays outside of the run up to Xmas? Does this woman literally sit outside your house every day waiting for the post?

arghhhh said:

My husband said she looked surprised. He was outside and pointed her out to the postman. The land next door belongs to friends of hers and she's here all the time.

This is a bit confusing and, possibly, undermines the OP.

I've read this that the post was delivered on a Sunday.
The OP's husband was at home and the deliverer walked up the drive, meeting the OP's husband who was outside.
The deliver tried to hand over post for "former occupant".
The OP's husband said "that's not us - that lady over there".
Post deliverer gave the post to the former occupant.

If that is what happened, how totally confusing is that for the postal staff - telling off from the office to only deliver to the property and then directed at the property to deliver to someone else?

I may have mis-interpreted what has been said here.  However, if what I have understood is what happened, the OP needs to first make sure that her husband is fully on board to follow the line of "post only delivered into the house through the letterbox and anything not for us is marked NOT KNOWN and returned to sender"

Pollycat

emmajones1976 said:

We can all stop replying now, the Op has said she wont be posting again. I feel it was a fair observation that was raised, its a shame she has made that decision.

It's not really up to you to say 'we can all stop replying now'.

The OP can continue reading any replies

thorsoak

For the OP ::-  How to complain about consistent problem with postal deliveries:-     
https://www.postoffice.co.uk/contact-us-complaint#:~:text=If your enquiry or complaint is about the,Mail on 03457 740740 or visit Royal Mail.

tooldle

Quoted from the original post "This person, who we have now come to realise may not be mentally well, has stated that this is her address and we can share it with her, but we should consider changing our address."

OP you've said this person is a frequent user / visitor to the land adjoining your plot. Was this land at any point part of a larger plot incorporating the land on which your property now stands? If so might this be the basis of their belief of the address is theirs and you should consider changing your address. Has the same address historically been used to deliver mail to the land (now next door)? 

warby68

Are you sure the other people own the neighbouring land and not her?

If she still owned the land and yours used to be the only postal address for the land as well as the house, what she believes about sharing makes a sort of sense.

I'm sorry but I think this is an uphill battle after 7 years of not taking decisive action and her not giving in. I understand why the posties give in to her if she is aggressive and they know who she is and they've also been doing it for 7 years. The balance of personal risk and knowing it is actually her post versus knowing it should go to your house is understandable even if wrong. It sounds like a locals' area with lots of gossip and a hard place to fit in if even the posties follow the locals' 'rules'.

Not many choices but to protect yourself with the camera deterrent, don't engage with her at all. If she's hammering on the door call the police and explain. And deal with Royal Mail formally. I also would be binning everything after this amount of time.

A horrible situation for you especially as it sounds as if you have a very full plate without this. I hope the cameras work. They often do as a deterrent for poor behaviour but its hard to tell just how unreasonable or illogical she is.

JadedAngel88

I don't usually read long posts but this one just had me hooked.

I am so sorry that the judgemental ones have surfaced, as they usually do on this whole forum, and scared you off. I do hope that you come back and read the comments left for you. 

I can't offer any advice for your situation, I think you are an absolute warrior for what you have done and how you have handled this so gracefully.

I hope you get some resolution soon and you can enjoy your home in peace and quiet.

Best wishes
JadedAngel88 

emmajones1976

JadedAngel88 said:

I don't usually read long posts but this one just had me hooked.

I am so sorry that the judgemental ones have surfaced, as they usually do on this whole forum, and scared you off. I do hope that you come back and read the comments left for you. 

I can't offer any advice for your situation, I think you are an absolute warrior for what you have done and how you have handled this so gracefully.

I hope you get some resolution soon and you can enjoy your home in peace and quiet.

Best wishes
JadedAngel88 

Who on earth has been judgemental?

ONE person asked why she said she cant afford an injuction when she would have spent a significant amount of money on fencing and 8 security cameras.

theoretica

Grumpy_chap said:

arghhhh said:

My husband has just seen her receive a letter hand delivered from a Royal Mail van, on a Sunday. I would imagine that it relates to our issue and I think it's probably because the postman and postwoman who normally deliver to us would have thought the same thing.

emmajones1976 said:

This is all very odd. She lives in a rural area, that deliver on Sundays outside of the run up to Xmas? Does this woman literally sit outside your house every day waiting for the post?

arghhhh said:

My husband said she looked surprised. He was outside and pointed her out to the postman. The land next door belongs to friends of hers and she's here all the time.

This is a bit confusing and, possibly, undermines the OP.

I've read this that the post was delivered on a Sunday.
The OP's husband was at home and the deliverer walked up the drive, meeting the OP's husband who was outside.
The deliver tried to hand over post for "former occupant".
The OP's husband said "that's not us - that lady over there".
Post deliverer gave the post to the former occupant.

If that is what happened, how totally confusing is that for the postal staff - telling off from the office to only deliver to the property and then directed at the property to deliver to someone else?

I may have mis-interpreted what has been said here.  However, if what I have understood is what happened, the OP needs to first make sure that her husband is fully on board to follow the line of "post only delivered into the house through the letterbox and anything not for us is marked NOT KNOWN and returned to sender"

I read it that the post van made an unexpected extra appearance on Sunday and OP thought it was with a letter from the post manager to this woman, potentially 'don't pester our staff'.  Which sounds like a very good response from an employer to protect their team.  So not a letter addressed to the property at all, and not a letter posted in the normal post system but something from the Royal Mail for the woman wherever in the area she might be found.

Grumpy_chap

theoretica said:

Grumpy_chap said:

arghhhh said:

My husband has just seen her receive a letter hand delivered from a Royal Mail van, on a Sunday. I would imagine that it relates to our issue and I think it's probably because the postman and postwoman who normally deliver to us would have thought the same thing.

emmajones1976 said:

This is all very odd. She lives in a rural area, that deliver on Sundays outside of the run up to Xmas? Does this woman literally sit outside your house every day waiting for the post?

arghhhh said:

My husband said she looked surprised. He was outside and pointed her out to the postman. The land next door belongs to friends of hers and she's here all the time.

This is a bit confusing and, possibly, undermines the OP.

I've read this that the post was delivered on a Sunday.
The OP's husband was at home and the deliverer walked up the drive, meeting the OP's husband who was outside.
The deliver tried to hand over post for "former occupant".
The OP's husband said "that's not us - that lady over there".
Post deliverer gave the post to the former occupant.

If that is what happened, how totally confusing is that for the postal staff - telling off from the office to only deliver to the property and then directed at the property to deliver to someone else?

I may have mis-interpreted what has been said here.  However, if what I have understood is what happened, the OP needs to first make sure that her husband is fully on board to follow the line of "post only delivered into the house through the letterbox and anything not for us is marked NOT KNOWN and returned to sender"

I read it that the post van made an unexpected extra appearance on Sunday and OP thought it was with a letter from the post manager to this woman, potentially 'don't pester our staff'.  Which sounds like a very good response from an employer to protect their team.  So not a letter addressed to the property at all, and not a letter posted in the normal post system but something from the Royal Mail for the woman wherever in the area she might be found.

Well, that could be possible.  It would make more sense that my take.  BUT, it would require the Post Office to know that, at that specific time on that specific Sunday, the lady (former resident) would be in the field next door.

This thing about sharing addresses could make sense with this interpreatation:

tooldle said:

Quoted from the original post "This person, who we have now come to realise may not be mentally well, has stated that this is her address and we can share it with her, but we should consider changing our address."

OP you've said this person is a frequent user / visitor to the land adjoining your plot. Was this land at any point part of a larger plot incorporating the land on which your property now stands? If so might this be the basis of their belief of the address is theirs and you should consider changing your address. Has the same address historically been used to deliver mail to the land (now next door)? 

So, if the address is something like "The Paddock, Quiet Lane, Lovely Country Village, Niceshire" and it was a house with adjoining paddock then the owner of "The Paddock" sold the house but kept the paddock for their horses, the address needs to be split so the paddock is "The Paddock" while the house becomes "Stables Cottage" or something.