aibu to open someone else's post?

[likeaZombie]

Ex moved out a year ago. Still getting letters from creditors/ debt collectors.
I open them, call the company with his new address then send it all on to him in a new envelope. So he knows I'm opening it..
Someone has told me I'm breaking the law and he could get me in trouble for opening the letters and possibly harassment.
Got myself in abit of a panic now.

You shouldn't be opening them regardless of breaking the law.

You should not open them. Mark the envelope "NOT KNOWN AT THIS ADDRESS" and put them in a post box as soon as you get them.

Just write "forward to... (ex's address)" or if you don't want to be his bloody PA then put "return to sender" with a 'no longer at this address' on the back.

You won't get in trouble with the law for this. The police won't care.

Just return to sender.

I want them to know where he is. I also don't want bailiffs knocking my door.

If your ex has not bothered contacting these companies to give them his new address then I don't think there is anything wrong with opening the letters so you can contact the companies involved and pass on the new details/tell them to stop sending. It's not against the law. You mustn't do anything with the information in the letters which would be detrimental to your ex, though.

But writing 'Return to Sender, Gone Away' and sticking them back in the post is an equally valid course of action.

Whichever you prefer, to be honest. YANBU.

You won't get in trouble with the law for this. The police won't care

This ^^ But in future, I'd just write 'no longer at this address, return to sender' and repost them. We had loads at the last couple of places we lived in, which had been rented out. Not once did a bailiff turn up (or the police to arrest me for opening someone else mail. ).

I've got cross receiving post from debt collectors for previous tenants of the property I live at now. I did open them, call the companies and let them know forwarding addresses.
Don't panic, it's not like you're stealing parcels...

Just put them back not known at this address.It's an offense to open someone else's mail for fraudulent purposes. Which this isn't.

Of course he hasn't called them to tell them his new address. He's on a life long mission to avoid facing up to his responsibilities. He's no intention of paying any of it.

Actually I done this & still kept getting the letters so just ripped them up & chucked them in the bin. Don't nobody have time for that ship.

It is perfectly legal to open somebody else's mail sent to your address if you have a reasonable excuse. As the OP's ex is deliberately avoiding his debtors that seem reasonable to me

We've been getting previous owners post for 3 years now. For the first year I would gather it up, write 'not known at this address' and post them again. It did nothing to stop the mail coming. I have opened a couple of bright yellow/red/clearly debt collection letters, and phoned them to tell them the person no longer lives here. What other option is there? If you've made an effort to redirect these letters, my view is that you have a right to know what is coming through your door. At the end of the day, this person is using my address, and surely that is more of an offence than me opening mail to find out where to send it.

You only can't open someone else's mail if you are intending to do them ill by doing so, bailiffs letters to your address when you know the reason/ recipient do not come under this. Call every single one if you can and explain the circumstances, returning mail as 'not known' to bailiffs is something a lot of people do when they are still liable at that address! We had this when we moved into a previous house, the bailiffs turned up (not court ordered ones) and I had a horrible time with them accusing me of lying etc until DH arrived and knew them long story, local worker and local bailiffs. Open and call them or send back with forwarding address every time if you can!

Ok thank you all for the reassurance. Some of the debts I strongly suspect he's got since he left here but used my address to get but can't be sure.
Will keep calling the companies, there can't be that many more but nothing would surprise me at this point.