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Original poster

Previous owners being CFs?

199 replies

Pippylcoat · 04/09/2024 18:40

9 months ago we moved in our house. The previous owners came over every week for the first three months asking for their post. We saved up the first bulk of post to give them, but when it became clear they didn’t want to pay for a redirectory or stop the ‘routine’, I began sending the post back as ‘not known at this address’. Each time they knocked I told them we had nothing for them and asked them to ensure they have updated their address with all bills and contacts. Several recent letters have been clearly important such as a hospital appointment and parking fines. I still returned to sender as they should have updated their address, knowing it is an illegal offence to not do this for the DVLA I refuse to support their continuous use of our address. The most recent arrival of them asking for post left a sour taste in my mouth, I was informed I must be keeping or opening their post as I legally have to return it to them. On top of never receiving a thank you this has made me realise what entitled CFs they are with no intention of stopping. I spoke to a friend who told me I should give them their post as the hospital appointment for example is a waste of nhs resources, and they will be prosecuted for not updating the DVLA. I don’t think I’m wrong for wanting this to stop, they have had 9 months and I didn’t mind at first but now I feel like an awful person about the letters I just returned. Has anyone else been through this and how did you handle it?

OP posts:
OptimisticMermaid · 09/09/2024 23:18

Thirty years ago in the days when a house phone kept the same number I bought a house from a very old couple and they died soon after. A Christmas card came every year for them no return address. Then one year a phone call. A friend off theirs. A long call as he was very upset he hadn’t known they’d died. I never knew them until then. Quite sad.

trainboundfornowhere · 09/09/2024 23:31

Definitely not being unreasonable OP. My dad set up a 12 month redirect for our post when the decided to sell the family home twelve years ago and downsize. He left his mobile number for the people who bought the house and asked them to call him if any post slipped through the net. He said either he would collect it himself at a time convenient for them or alternatively I ran and still do run the local brownie unit on a Thursday night so I could pop round either before or after the brownies meeting. Only a few letters slipped through.

SleepGoalsJumped · 10/09/2024 01:10

MeTooOverHere · 09/09/2024 22:59

What is DVLA and CF?

DVLA - driver & vehicle licence authority.
Failing to update your address on your driving licence and vehicle reg gets you several thousand pounds of fines.

CF is general mumsnet slang: cheeky fucker. Someone who gains personal benefit by unreasonably taking advantage of another person's good nature

Zanatdy · 10/09/2024 05:16

godmum56 · 09/09/2024 21:29

Its not "nice" Its risky. You shouldn't let people use your address unless you trust them.

Show quote history

Well I’d be reminding them to change it, but you can have a diversion set up anyway with Royal Mail if you want, so not giving them the post doesn’t stop them using your address

MeTooOverHere · 10/09/2024 06:44

SleepGoalsJumped · 10/09/2024 01:10

DVLA - driver & vehicle licence authority.
Failing to update your address on your driving licence and vehicle reg gets you several thousand pounds of fines.

CF is general mumsnet slang: cheeky fucker. Someone who gains personal benefit by unreasonably taking advantage of another person's good nature

Show quote history

Thanks.
DVLA = DTMR over here.

SleepGoalsJumped · 10/09/2024 07:28

Zanatdy · 10/09/2024 05:16

Well I’d be reminding them to change it, but you can have a diversion set up anyway with Royal Mail if you want, so not giving them the post doesn’t stop them using your address

Show quote history

Setting up a diversion isn't something you can do for an address that isn't yours without the consent of the owner - Royal Mail send an activation letter to the old address and if you don't receive that letter without the diversion in place then it doesn't get activated

CheekySwan · 10/09/2024 07:43

Put a sticker/notice above your mail box instructing the mail man not to leave mail for 'surname'.

If they turn up again ask them if there is a reason they are reluctant to change their address and explain it is becoming an 'inconvenience' and you simply can't continue to play middle man for the postal service

It might be the simple fact that they loved the property and still view it as their home and just want to keep coming round

godmum56 · 10/09/2024 08:21

CheekySwan · 10/09/2024 07:43

Put a sticker/notice above your mail box instructing the mail man not to leave mail for 'surname'.

If they turn up again ask them if there is a reason they are reluctant to change their address and explain it is becoming an 'inconvenience' and you simply can't continue to play middle man for the postal service

It might be the simple fact that they loved the property and still view it as their home and just want to keep coming round

I think if they have mail for that address they must deliver it. You can refuse it but if you aren't there, they can't just not drop it off.

OnlyLittleOldMe · 10/09/2024 08:39

My granddaughter is on UC she can't afford to pay for Post Office redirection, it's not free. The people she swapped with have both agreed to save post for a few months and swap when she's in the area which is usually once a week. By that time they are thinking they will have told everyone. Anything left will then be either redirected or return to sender.

Goodtogossip · 10/09/2024 12:42

Why does it bother you so much? If they're picking them up from you it's no hardship to you to put them to one side & give them to them. Yes 9 months is a long time but they may just be forgetful & not remembered who they need to change their address with. It's quite selfish of you to not let them know you were returning their letters, especially the NHS ones that could be important & if missed appointment could cause serious consequences. I totally understand if it's junk mail but not letters you know could be important.

Mentaldays · 10/09/2024 16:07

After 15 years of receiving mail for previous owner, I bin them

Casperroonie · 10/09/2024 18:13

JoyousPinkPeer · 09/09/2024 20:40

Let's hope you never need somebody to.do you a simple good turn.
You should have told them if you were unhappy with them interfering with your life for 30 seconds at a time.

MF!

A "simple good turn" doesn't take 9 months. Lazy gits, only ppl with endless time available would have the patience to put up with it.

godmum56 · 10/09/2024 18:16

Goodtogossip · 10/09/2024 12:42

Why does it bother you so much? If they're picking them up from you it's no hardship to you to put them to one side & give them to them. Yes 9 months is a long time but they may just be forgetful & not remembered who they need to change their address with. It's quite selfish of you to not let them know you were returning their letters, especially the NHS ones that could be important & if missed appointment could cause serious consequences. I totally understand if it's junk mail but not letters you know could be important.

Its risky!! Its already been said several times.

Casperroonie · 10/09/2024 18:21

Goodtogossip · 10/09/2024 12:42

Why does it bother you so much? If they're picking them up from you it's no hardship to you to put them to one side & give them to them. Yes 9 months is a long time but they may just be forgetful & not remembered who they need to change their address with. It's quite selfish of you to not let them know you were returning their letters, especially the NHS ones that could be important & if missed appointment could cause serious consequences. I totally understand if it's junk mail but not letters you know could be important.

There's being forgetful and there's being a CF.

Why should they have to put up with the previous owners coming round whenever they fancy.

NoThanksymm · 10/09/2024 18:31

3 months was kind. That’s totally reasonable. Beyond that it’s on them. Especially because it’s not like they are using it to see what they forgot to change. It’s repetitive. They are expecting post to your house!

Chypre · 10/09/2024 18:35

It's been over a year and we're still receiving HMRC letters for previous owners - always returning as "not known at this address", but those just keep coming, had one this morning actually. They never attempted to collect and moved hundreds of miles away.

RosieApple61 · 11/09/2024 08:46

Our house was a probate sale. Mr had died about 18 months previously, Mrs about 6 months after him. The house had been empty for about a year. We got regular reminders that their eye test were due (Boots), but one day an important looking letter arrived from the council. Being nosy, I opened it to find that Mr's ashes had been stored by the council for the requisite amount of time and if they weren't collected within a timeframe they were going to be "disposed of". From the remarks made by our neighbours, Mr was described as an "arsehole" (and various other names!) so I assume his children didn't think much of him either.
I did write on the envelope that I had opened it in error, and took it to the estate agent to forward to the vendors.

Bo1978 · 11/09/2024 10:57

Pippylcoat · 04/09/2024 18:40

9 months ago we moved in our house. The previous owners came over every week for the first three months asking for their post. We saved up the first bulk of post to give them, but when it became clear they didn’t want to pay for a redirectory or stop the ‘routine’, I began sending the post back as ‘not known at this address’. Each time they knocked I told them we had nothing for them and asked them to ensure they have updated their address with all bills and contacts. Several recent letters have been clearly important such as a hospital appointment and parking fines. I still returned to sender as they should have updated their address, knowing it is an illegal offence to not do this for the DVLA I refuse to support their continuous use of our address. The most recent arrival of them asking for post left a sour taste in my mouth, I was informed I must be keeping or opening their post as I legally have to return it to them. On top of never receiving a thank you this has made me realise what entitled CFs they are with no intention of stopping. I spoke to a friend who told me I should give them their post as the hospital appointment for example is a waste of nhs resources, and they will be prosecuted for not updating the DVLA. I don’t think I’m wrong for wanting this to stop, they have had 9 months and I didn’t mind at first but now I feel like an awful person about the letters I just returned. Has anyone else been through this and how did you handle it?

You’ve not done anything to feel guilty about at all. You don’t want them registered at your address in case they have debts etc, which might explain their reluctance to update their details. Or it’s just laziness on their part.

Bo1978 · 11/09/2024 10:59

Goodtogossip · 10/09/2024 12:42

Why does it bother you so much? If they're picking them up from you it's no hardship to you to put them to one side & give them to them. Yes 9 months is a long time but they may just be forgetful & not remembered who they need to change their address with. It's quite selfish of you to not let them know you were returning their letters, especially the NHS ones that could be important & if missed appointment could cause serious consequences. I totally understand if it's junk mail but not letters you know could be important.

If it was that important they’d have notified the hospital of their change of address. Or their GP surgery as this is where hospitals get their information from. It’s laziness and the OP shouldn’t have to store their mail!

JulieBP · 12/09/2024 20:38

Wait until Christmas…. I’ve never seen a Christmas card with a return address on it. They’ll think they don’t have any friends!!

LL1991 · 13/09/2024 08:23

This is absolutely ridiculous. We’ve always paid for redirection, when we moved we paid for it for 3 years straight because I was too caught up in work, starting a new business and having a baby that I knew I hadn’t updated all our addresses!
If they knock again I would give them anything important (fines & hospital letters) but inform them that from now on you’ll write return to sender on all post and that they may be in trouble for late payment of those fines! Advise them you are not a post office or sorting office and that their reliance on you for their post is something you aren’t going to engage with any further. They can’t do anything else, the house sale is completed!
They are ruining the ‘quiet enjoyment of your property’ or whatever that thing is that you are meant to get when you buy a property.

Paganpentacle · 13/09/2024 15:42

kiwiane · 04/09/2024 21:48

If they’d updated their address with their GP the their hospital appointments would also be correct as they’re usually linked. They’re the ones causing these problems.

This is incorrect I'm afraid.

Ifoughthefight · 14/09/2024 09:33

I honestly would be telling them that I would keep the post just for one month and on the second if they come will tell them abruptly that I am not doing this anymore and to stop coming at my door because I have my own life to live.

Ifoughthefight · 14/09/2024 09:35

Believe me, when you show the cold shoulder to people, they quickly back off, if they are normal people. If they have some weird intention of harassing you or wanting to be a pain for others, ( I mean really? Who in their right mind comes and commutes every week to their old address to collect post???? unless they have something fishy going on )

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