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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

legal letter opened in error

9 replies

brianhaddock · 27/01/2012 12:56

my sister has been collecting and opening my mother's post for her while mum is out of the country for a while. she lives about a half hour drive away so is only managing to do it about twice a week. mum currently getting a lot of post, much of it urgent/important as my dad just died and we're trying to sort out all his affairs.

so she took a pile away last night. first thing this morning i had a call saying she'd accidentally opened a letter for the person who lives next door. i should explain the house next door is owned by my mum and rented to a lady and her family to whom we have served notice. two weeks ago when sister arrived to collect the mail 2 policemen were outside the door of the rented property. they told her they couldn't tell her why they were there but the potential charges were serious. sis was cross but we have enough on our plate so didn't pursue, beyond telling letting agent to ensure the property was made secure (door had been forcibly entered).

so the letter she accidentally opened was from the person next doors solicitor. it was addressed to mum's address though. she says she was just opening without looking to see addressee. when she realised what she'd done she stopped reading, but not before finding out some details of the potential crime committed. she doesn't know what to do next. her mistake was an innocent one but she now knows stuff she shouldn't. husband's advice is to put letter back in envelope, reseal and return to sender. however i think she should destroy the letter and the solicitor will chase it and resend if necessary. i think this is probably unreasonable but i'm worried for my sister and if her mistake could get her into trouble.

so am i being unreasonable? and if i am can someone tell me an alternative approach where my sis won't find herself in trouble?

OP posts:
Greythorne · 27/01/2012 12:57

Just reseal and post into correct postbox

PosieParker · 27/01/2012 12:58

I think it's perfect;ly reasonable to make that mistake, I would seal and RTS with a covering letter to say this was delivered to the wrong address and opened in error. No reason for anyone to disclose names.

Sposh · 27/01/2012 12:59

What was the crime? Grin

PiousPrat · 27/01/2012 13:00

If it was addressed to your Mum's house rather than the neighbour and the posty put it through the wrong door, I would say it is perfectly reasonable to have opened it, so your sister shouldn't worry on that front. I would probably suggest she contact the solicitor who sent it, saying what has happened and that as she is only going over occasionally to collect your Mum's post and won't be able to return the letter to the neighbour, could they please resend it and make sure they amend their files with the correct address.

I am also intrigued by what the neighbours did and once the letter was opened, there is no way my curiosity would let me not read the whole thing ;)

5Foot5 · 27/01/2012 13:03

Definitely do not destory the letter. I think that probably counts as interfering with the Royal mail and might be viewed as worse than opening a letter in error.

As others say, just reseal it and post it through the correct door

BandOMothers · 27/01/2012 13:03

Was not the neighbours name on the front of the letter? I assume it was. If you destroy the letter you are breaking the law. Reseal, apologise and return to the correct person.

WorraLiberty · 27/01/2012 13:03

Just tell her to write "Opened in error" on the envelope and pop it through their box.

Call me cynical but if she stopped reading that letter when she knew it was theirs, I'll run naked round the streets with a wheelie bin on my head Grin

Surely the 'Dear Mr/Mrs So and so' was a clue right at the start Wink

coraltoes · 27/01/2012 13:03

Ha ha stopped reading it my arse.

brianhaddock · 27/01/2012 13:17

okay thaks for the advice.
she tells me she stopped reading. i've no reason to disbelieve her. she was pretty upset as the charges are pretty nasty. it was a letter that ran into several pages so would've taken a bit of commitment to read

i think we will do as husband suggests. thanks for your help

OP posts:
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