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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to start binning the previous owners (important looking) post

69 replies

paddypoopants · 15/08/2011 13:16

Been in the new house for a year. The previous owners redirected their post for one month only which needless to say was insufficient as they had been here 20 odd years. Their 3 grownup daughters who still lived here on and off didn't redirect their post at all. One of the daughters was meant to pick up the post periodically - she did it once and then I was asked to take the post to her as she is still living nearby - well a 10 min drive. I have done this 5 times now. We get stuff everyday - 6 letters today. Some important looking documents, student loan stuff, DVLA stuff, cheque books, parking tickets.
I redirected my post for 12 months and have now extended it for another 6 months. Can I now feel guiltfree in just binning the stuff. I sent a load back to sender but it is really pissing me off. I am not really inclined to feel charitably towards them as they took all the curtains when they said they would leave them and pulled curtain poles down in the process. Oh and they are loaded so it's not a lack of funds. My mother told me I was being unreasonable as the stuff was obviously important

OP posts:

PinotsKittens · 15/08/2011 16:31

Yes yes all good advice. And I'd do all the forms etc.

BUT if it kept coming...well, assuming there was neither a hidden camera or a policeman hiding in my kitchen...into the bin it would go. With a flourish.

HipHopOpotomus · 15/08/2011 16:36

Mark it RTS and return. It's illegal to bin it.

theyoungvisiter · 15/08/2011 17:00

"I have a friend that worked for Royal Mail, apparently they have to attempt to deliver the same letter three times before they'll accept the person genuinely isn't living there and that 'return to sender' means just that."

It can't be the same letter surely? I've been shoving post in the letterbox marked RTS for years and not once has a single piece been redelivered.

Surely what they mean is they have to continue sending post to the disappeared addressee - not they have to keep sending back the exact same letter, already defaced with "RETURN TO SENDER" three times.

TalkinPeace2 · 15/08/2011 17:26

I LIKE (VERY LIKE) the idea of putting it all in a big envelope with not enough post.
Make the envelope look nice though - so that they actually pay for it when they go to collect.
About once a fortnight should do the trick (depending on the volume of post)

pinklaydee · 15/08/2011 17:39

PrettyCandles is spot on. Make them go to the mail depot, excitedly expecting a mysterious parcel, to be confronted with a load of their post. It's all very well writing Return to Sender on the odd bit of post, but not six a day! This family is taking the mickey. They can't be bothered to get it all redirected.

CustardCake · 15/08/2011 17:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TimeWasting · 15/08/2011 18:13

Tanif, I don't see how that's correct. I've never had a letter with 'Return to sender' come back to me. And they are obliged to deliver everything, so they shouldn't be just sending stuff back that hasn't yet been delivered and had 'Return to Sender' written on it.

CurlyBoy · 15/08/2011 18:44

We had a similar problem and simply marked it "Not known at this address, return to sender". After about 6 months it all dried up. It's not your problem but I think it's wrong to bin it. Let the senders try and figure out where the people live.

AuntiePickleBottom · 15/08/2011 18:46

i would 'return to sender' who know what hey are applying for

Barbeasty · 15/08/2011 21:44

I've just returned a national heritage membership card for the 4th year.

This year I have pointed out that they still hadn't lived here since 2007 and that next year I would assume I could keep and use the cards.

Some things, like stuff from the DVLA, can't be redirected.

skybluepearl · 15/08/2011 22:12

Shove everything that is addressed to them, important and junk, into an A4 envelope with a first class stamp and post it to the address you have for them. The postage will be insufficient so they will have to pay for it at their end. And don't be in any rush - do it every couple of months or so. After a few times they may get the message

love this idea!!!

Pawsnclaws · 15/08/2011 22:15

Nine years and we still get post for the previous owner - who had four different surnames. Bank statements, letters that look very much like driving fines, not to mention the phone calls from debt collectors.

No forwarding address, so just RTS.

Mind you, about a month after we moved in we had her adult son on the phone - he had no idea she'd sold the house to us. We actually had his dad on the phone having a complete go and saying she wouldn't have done that. What could we say?

whackamole · 15/08/2011 22:26

I would bin it.

We were constantly getting important DVLA stuff for the previous owners which I sent back, called the DVLA many, many times. When we'd been living here for over 2 years I opened one and found they had declared their car SORN in our street. Our street which has no off-street parking.

I stopped sending it then and just binned it. It might not be a huge thing but why should I have a stack of post not for me that I have to put somewhere then remember to take out and post off, after righting 'not known' 5000 times every month for 2 years?

Might be lazy but even lazier of them to not change their address after so long!

MrsAmaretto · 15/08/2011 22:35

Writing "Return to Sender" has had mixed results for me - some mail has stopped, but annoyingly the bank keeps sending stuff to previous owners. I've even popped into the bank and returned a pile of statements to them!

So no YANBU, bin the lot or collect it for weeks and post it to them with insufficent postage.

Original poster

paddypoopants · 17/08/2011 09:46

Well I sorted out the junk from the important looking stuff and put return to sender on it. The rest of the stuff I am going to do as someone suggested and put in an envelope and send it to them with a 1p stamp. I dread her turning up here- we've had a new kitchen put in and I know if she sees it there will be hysterics. I can't believe how long some of you have had post through for other people.
On top of that we keep getting phone calls from debt collectors for someone who never lived here but has either had our phone number previously or used it at some point. They just won't believe me when I tell them he's never been here and get really nasty. I am seriously considering getting our number changed- which will be a apian.

OP posts:

Planetofthegrapes · 17/08/2011 10:21

With post I'd go with labels or the 1p stamp.

When you move into a new house, change the telephone number so that you do not get people ringing up for the previous owners.

I had to do this as I was answering the phone non-stop, and had to change the outgoing answerphone message to give out their new number.

Bramshott · 17/08/2011 10:25

After a year, I'd stop forwarding it. I'd print up a load of labels marked "no longer at this address, return to sender" and stick them on anything that looks urgent. Anything that's obviously junk mail I'd bin.

PorkChopSter · 17/08/2011 10:35

Also register them with the TPS and MPS so you are not getting junk mail too

StayingDavidTennantsGirl · 17/08/2011 10:40

I wouldn't even bother sorting out the junk mail - I'd just put it all in an envelope and send it on to them as PrettyCandles suggested.

We are still getting post for the previous owners of our house, three years on, and I thought that was pretty bad, until I read this thread! I did accept a parcel for them once - signed for it before looking at the address label properly - and had to take it round to them (luckily only 5 minutes drive). I can understand not managing to remember all the companies that have your address, but ordering something and not checking the delivery address seemed a bit careless to me.

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