Mail forwarding etiquette.

YoungBlueEyes

Morning all.  Just a quick check if I may.

We bought this house last summer. As mail was still coming through for our seller/family members I was marking them RTS and sticking them in a post box as I was passing one. How long is it standard/polite to do this for?

Speaking to my neighbour it seems seller had a lot of debt. So whilst I haven't opened any of the (many!) letters I'm guessing some of them are about that. I've just got 2 more through this morning - British Gas and Vodafone. I get a lot from them. Does it make a difference that it's 'proper' mail as well as junk mail?

Isn't 6 months long enough to sort out your change of address after you've moved? Can I start binning them now as me sending them back isn't making a blind bit of difference. But then at some point will bailiffs turn up...?

I would appreciate opinions please. 

EssexHebridean

If it's proper mail I'd continue to do it for my own peace of mind I think - junk mail would have been being binned long since though! 

If a Debt collector does turn up then you simply tell them that Mr & Mrs X moved out in X month, 2022, and no you don't know where they can be found. If they continue trying to badger you, tell them that you have provided them all the information you have, and you are now asking them to leave the property. You might want to consider asking which company they are from, and then keeping a note of who you have told, and when. You don't need to provide them with any documentary proof - and certainly don't hand anything to them, or provide photocopies etc. 

Van_Girl

I've been RTS'ing mail for over two years now, it has reduced but still hasn't stopped. I'm returning rather than putting them in the bin as I would ideally like the senders to remove the address from their records, but it hasn't worked that well so far 

Flugelhorn

Personally I would start binning after  a year - the trouble with RTS is that I suspect most don't get RTS and those that do, nothing gets noted by the sender

MikeJXE

Some people forget to change addresses, I have been in my flat 2 years and still get old tenants mail 

Stick it in a mail box RTS until you get fed up with it then stick it in the bin. 

No idea if bailiffs turn up or not but they can't do a lot if you are not the person they are looking for

[Deleted User]

Debt collectors mostly ignore RTS because people who owe them money try returning their letters in the hope they will go away.

I would do it for the first month, and then for anything that looks important like NHS letters, but other than that straight in the bin.

If anyone does turn up re the debt, don't give them anything, don't try to prove your identity. Tell them you are not the person they want and they moved out back in 202x, and to leave immediately. If they don't, call 999.

user1977

I would expect anyone sending "proper" mail to eventually take notice of the letters being returned. Junk mail might carry on for longer. It will drop off eventually - I would just carry on doing it.

(and before anybody posts the old chestnut - no, it is not illegal for you to open the mail....)

YoungBlueEyes

Thanks folks. I guess I was trying to be a decent person and keep sending the stuff back because even with a mail redirect some could still be getting through...

I thought of opening one of the proper ones and ringing them to see if that would be more effective - sending them back isn't making a dint in it tbh.

TheJP

Bin it. Wasting your time doing RTS.

YoungBlueEyes

Some of the bits -  clubcard, holiday brochures - I've started binning this year. It's the 'proper' stuff I'm on about really. Binning that seems wrong, but sending it back isn't working (you've more patience than me @vangirl!) 

So if a bailiff/whoever turns up, what do I do? Surely standing there saying "no that's not me, goodbye" isn't gonna satisfy them?

RAS

Ringing definitely is not a good idea. You'll risk getting phone calls and texts as well. 

Records are associated with people not properties so this isn't a big problem. Makes no difference to the legal situation as creditors are required to send correspondence to the last known address, even if the debtor is not resident.