How long do you forward previous owner's mail?

[BabCNesbitt]

Moved in in October; no forwarding address for previous owner so we were sending on bank and NI letters to his estate agent. But we're still getting important post like that 6 months later. Should we keep forwarding them to the estate agent each month or just start marking them 'return to sender'?

[Idefix]

I would be returning to sender by now op, that is a long time for them to sort out addresses.

[elQuintoConyo]

After 6 months I'd return to sender. I think you have done enough.

[PigletJohn]

I think a month would be enough.

It's too late for them to apply for redirection of mail now, because the post office required evidence of identity and address, such as a recent utilities bill.

Do you think they might have died? Or into a care home? In which case I would send back Christmas or birthday cards.

If you mark letters "gone away, return to sender" then the banks, bailiffs and debt collectors can have a go at finding them.

You could phone the estate agent, but they may not want to tell you.

[Bluebell9]

I've had my house for 4 years and still get bank letters through for the previous owner!
I just put 'not known at this address' and put them in the post box.

[PollyPerky]

I've done it for up to 2 years.


We have had post for previous owners up to 10 years! If it's clearly junk I RTS but if it looks personal I'd try to make more of an effort.

Why didn't they pay for a year to have it forwarded by the PO?

[PollyPerky]

Can't the agent ask the previous owner to let you have their new address? Or chivvy them up to contacting the senders with their new address? Most people who move IME leave a forwarding address.

[OldLagNewName]

I still do it 13 years later, but I still see the previous owners in the local area and it's hardly anything recently.

[BabCNesbitt]

I've asked the agents before but they won't give the address and just said to pass it on to them. (Given the issues we've had with the house, I can understand why the seller wants to stay out of reach!) He was a young bloke so there's no reason he couldn't have arranged PO forwarding.

[Monkeybunkey]

The previous owner of my house set up a redirection for 6 months, after which time odd bits started to filter through. I had her forwarding address so sent things on. Now it's mainly junk mail for her, which goes in the recycling box. Anything else is returned to sender (it's been 18 months since we moved in).

[specialsubject]

You don't. People who don't set up a redirect and don't change addresses lose their post. Little boy should sort his own life!

Mark as 'left 2016, not known, return to sender' and re post, or just bin.

[MarklahMarklah]

We still get the occasional thing for the previous previous owners (the original occupant). I believe they had to move to a care home but I have no details. Sadly, every year, Christmas cards with no sender details arrive for them.

[JT05]

We redirected for a year and have just extended it, as odd things are still slipping through.
The previous owners of new house only redirected one name's post, expecting us to take round the other person's mail as were in the same village! I thought it was a cheek, but it did save them money!

[SparkleTwinkleGoldGlitter]

I didn't they paid for a redirection like normal people ( it's easy to extend a redirection when it runs out)

I'm not going to forward someone's post and I'm not returning to sender, redirect it tight arse

[Pinkheart5915]

Write return to sender and stick in a post box, honestly it's been 6 months and why should you run round trying to get post to them. Tight sods should of paid for a redirection

People that move house and can't be bothered to change address at banks etc or pay for a redirection annoy me, it's just lazy

[TurquoiseDress]

We moved into our current place over 18 months ago and still get mail for at least the previous 2 owners.

I just mark return to sender/no longer living at this address and pop it in the post box.

Don't just chuck other people's post in the bin as what's the point, it'll just keep coming unless I at least try to RTS!

Yes people should sort their lives out and get post redirection in place, but for me it's no effort to mark RTS & stick in post box

[TurquoiseDress]

Just to add- don't have the forwarding addresses of any previous occupants

[wowfudge]

After nine months of nothing for the previous occupants when we moved to our new place we then started to receive everything for them - bank correspondence, HMRC stuff, junk mail. You name it. Lazy arses appear to have told no one they've moved. I send everything back to sender and in one case passed on the name of their solicitor.

[originalbiglymavis]

In one place just until we started seeing far right filth coming through the letterbox for the previous owner.

[PuntCuffin]

4 years in, i am still getting all sorts of stuff including credit card and pension statements for the previous owner. I have tried forwarding, returning etc. I now just bin them. They were wankers who hid all sorts of issues with the house and have ended up costing us thousands and caused no end of stress.

[BarchesterFlowers]

I forwarded for a year, now I recycle it.

[RedBugMug]

about a month. then it's 'no longer at this address-return to sender'

[BarchesterFlowers]

When I say forwarded I mean RTS or, after nine months gone away because I was getting fed up with it. Now recycle.

[Crumbelina]

The previous owners put us through hell during the house buying process. Everything has always gone in the recycling. Shame really as it looks like he's in a fair bit of trouble with various debt collection agencies.

[Toottootcar]

I am pretty sure Mail addressed to someone else isn't your property, should go back to sender rather than in your bin.

[Crumbelina]

Agree, it's not my property and yes it should go back to sender. I'm not sure who's going to stop me though?