Previous owner declining to update address

Flugelhorn

the postman should continue to post the letters to you and  not to the neighbour, he could be in serious trouble for doing that. I would just start binning everything.

sevenhills

thegreenone said

The postman is duty-bound to deliver all mail addressed to your house and cannot be verbally instructed to deliver elsewhere.  Contact the Sorting Office and explain. 

Does it make any difference if the new owner has a official or unofficial method to redirect his mail, the result is the same.

youth_leader

I was really lucky when I moved here as my old house postie works at the table adjacent to my new house postie, so I've received a few things that escaped the mail redirection.

I agree with not taking the post or parcels round to the neighbour.  If a parcel went missing it could be a difficult situation.  Just refuse parcels and  write 'Not known at this address' on letters and repost at your leisure.

Emmia

Seeing as you've been in the property for 3 months, the previous owners have had plenty of time to sort out the redirection, and for that to take effect. I would personally just return everything to sender - surely the neighbour doesn't want to be taking their letters and parcels forever either??

london21

Keep returning to sender, it will reduce and eventually stop.

subjecttocontract

I let property and I always tell the outgoing tenant that I'm happy to forward any mail to them for a couple of weeks. After that I won't be forwarding it anymore. Seems to work. After a couple of weeks there is only the odd letter that gets filed in the waste bin.

housebuyer143

One day someone will use that mail to steal their identity and take out credit in their name. 
That will be the day they learn the risks of not redirecting mail. 

sheramber

I bought my house 2 years ago and am getting lettres addressed to the seller, despite returning to sender. It is the return address so onviously they are ignoring the returns.

Last  year  and this year I have received a Union letter- name of union is on the envelope- which is marked  'private and personal" and "important this is not a circular"  It is addressed to a different name to the seller, who lived here for 7 years, so who knows when she lived here.

Again, the return has been ignored as a year later I receive another letter. 

I do not have a postbox nearby and have to make a special trip to reach one so next lot will get shredded.

[Deleted User]

london21 said:

Keep returning to sender, it will reduce and eventually stop.

If you haven't heard from them in a while; they could have unfortunately passed

I'd imagine, if you put a line through the address, marked them RTS and deceased then pop them in a mailbox then they'd stop faster. Of course, don't do that unless you're entirely sure as various things (e.g. bank accounts) may get frozen until they update their details.

OutdoorQueen

You can register previous occupants with the mailing preference service.  It might not have much impact but it will start to alert organisations that they no longer live at the property. It is free.   

https://www.mpsonline.org.uk/consumer/register

Also make sure you update the electoral role with your details.  Some organisations may refer to this to see who is currently registered at the property when they receive the returned mail.  

As others have said, I would also just put the post back in post box with  “ No longer at this address” on.