to stop forwarding post

[carlajean]

We've been in our house for well over a year now, but still get loads of post for the previous owners - serious stuff, like magazines and what look as though they might be statements.
Up until recently, we've been forwarding it, but I've got to the stage where I can't be bothered. In fact, I unwrap the magazines and read them. My OH thinks I'm being mean, so I'd be interested to know what others think.
By the way, they are still alive and live not to far away.

Tell them you will not be forwarding any more post. Then use what you want bin the rest.

My OH thinks I'm being mean

Then s/he can take on the job of forwarding the mail.

YANBU.

We've never had an address for the previous occupants who left two years ago and apparently never redirected their mail, so we started off returning stuff to sender, and now just bin it usually unless it appears to be about their kids. They never get anything interesting though, so I am jealous that you are enjoying magazines!

My OH thinks I'm being mean

There was similar thread about this sort of thing recently.

Ask your OH if he'd still feel so kind-hearted when 2, 5, 10 or even more years go by and you're still forwarding post for the previous occupants.

I started the "return to sender" after about 3 months, but then, I never did know the forwarding address as they didn't leave it.

After 8 years, we only get one or two Christmas cards now, usually without a return address so we can't even let the sender know they don't live here.

YANBU We're still getting post including medical letters, pension stuff and bank statements for previous owners after 2 years. I've started returning most to sender, except NHS ones which I would feel guilty if I didn't pass on.
Also agree that if your OH is so bothered, pass the post his/her way to deal with!

You are more tolerant than me!

We moved here a year ago and the previous owner left a note asking us to forward her mail to her DDs address, which we did. It was pretty obvious that she hadn't bother to change a single address and there was a lot of important mail turning up. We did it for just over a month then it went back return to sender. Post was also turning up for the previous owners son who lived here briefly but had moved put a long time ago, that was important stuff like car tax and self employment tax etc. I never forwarded that and just returned it.

A few times we have had letters from the same company with no address on the outside so I opened it and sent it back. I think we had about 3 or 4 from them, that was worded well on the outside. I'm no longer polite when returning all this mail.

Then recently we had another one where they said they were looking for the son and would continue to send the mail here despite them knowing he didn't live here. I gave them the estate agents address (as asked for on the form) and said I didn't want to deal with this anymore.

We had a TV licence letter for the man who lived here, he died about 3 years ago and we clearly have a TV licence registered here for us.

I get so fed up of it. We used to get a lot in our old house but once I returned everything it did eventually stop so hopefully it will here.

I changed every single thing I could think of when we moved, either just before and straight away, I don't want my post going to our new owner. It's a shame other people can't do the same.

YANBU. Ignore your DH. It's been long enough!

I think we held on to important stuff for a while, (no address bu tthye did collect once) but then sent everything return to sender. It can take a while, apparently the return to sender stuff can take 3-6 months to process.

I have just realised that we now get very little, (used to get tons) so I think the return to sender is working.

'Not known at this address' and back into the mail.

'No longer at this address' and in the nearest post box. Job done.

We still get the odd bit 15 years later. Usually a magazine from the states relating to previous owners job. Just drop it off at their house when passing.

I still het odd bits of mail from Previous owner. Ive lived here 8 years. I never had a forwarding address. I began by returning to sender. Now i forward the bits that arrive to the bin. Nothing has a return to sender address anyway.

Oh my... It boils my piss...

We have always paid to have our mail forwarded... And made sure all our proper contacts had tje right address...

I have lost count of the number of letters I have forwarded or rts, have been either:

Asked to forward... (at least they asked.. I agreed to do it for 2 months.. It was yule.. ... I naively assumed they would at least set up a redelivery... Nope! Why should they we were doing it...

People that just leave a note demanding you send it to a new address....this is not a request.. It's an instruction..

All the people who lived here once, and are now using our address for dodgy means..yes we love having bailiffs here..

One time I finally lost it, when I sent back/forwarded a weeks worth of delivered mail ... 48 items... For 3 flats and 5 different names...

Now I only do it - for a month and only if they give us address labels... My life is too short to write out your address on your 60 odd Christmas cards...

... I've also shamelessly rung up repeat offenders who keep sending the same demand for unpaid money to us... Telling them just how many other people are after their quarry too... Didn't stop the mail but made me feel better!!

In my last house I was still receiving post for xh 7 years after the split even though he and I did everything. When I moved I let everyone know in advance and did the forward thing and corrected post that was still misdirected and what not and would still get things current owner has forwarded. The people we bought from are perfect. Have only received 1 inconsequential local leaflet twice. Nothing else. I don't mind stuff if it isn't forwarded and think you only have a duty for 3 to 6 months.

actually, now I think about it, we didn't just rts.

after about 1 year, dh started opening all the mail (technically illegal!) and if there were any contact details he sent an email or phoned them. he was so fed up with the volume of post.

but now we hardly get any!

Many years ago we had an annoyed message from the people who bought our house saying that they were fed up with forwarding our mail. We were horrified: we had paid Royal Mail to do the forwarding and had no idea that the system wasn't working.
Send them a note to give notice that you are discontinuing, just in case there is some innocent explanation.

We're in the same situation as the OP, and as we're also the freeholders for the two flats we also were forwarding the post for the other flat, too! Neither bothered to redirect mail, or even tell them bank or HMRC that they were moving.

I diligently forwarded the post for 6 months, then snapped when it became apparent they STILL hadn't told the SAME companies that they'd moved. Return to sender, now. A couple of persistent ones I even called the company and told them to stop.

I gave it a year as they left a forwarding address and after that I used return to sender. In fairness, most of the stuff that comes through now is obviously junk anyway.

steppemum
after about 1 year, dh started opening all the mail (technically illegal!) and if there were any contact details he sent an email or phoned them

Opening someone else's post is only illegal if done with intent to cause harm eg to commit fraud or steal something.

Opening a letter to be helpful by looking for contact details isn't illegal.