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AIBU?

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Original poster

Throwing out previous owners post?

65 replies

BabynamehelpArgh · 02/02/2019 13:48

Wondering about the legality of this....

Previous owners moved out over a year ago. Still receive quite a lot of post for them - mainly rubbish ie catalogues but occasionally letters that look official and increasingly severe...I can recognise a dvla one that’s been sent several times now so I know they haven’t noticed them of change of address and from what I can tell are incurring charges for not taxing the car...

We have no forwarding address for them. Initially I re-posted some things saying ‘not known at this address’ but it went on for so long and there was so much I got annoyed, started saving it in a drawer for if they got in touch and they never did. Drawer got full, life got very busy for me and I made decision to throw it all out...have I done anything wrong here (legally not morally!)

Not really relevant but sellers were not pleasant people and screwed us over on several things...

OP posts:
jaseyraex · 02/02/2019 13:52

I don't think you've any legal obligation to keep their post, it's their responsibility to update addresses where necessary! At least, I hope it's not legally wrong because I've thrown out loads of the old owners post too Grin

CoughLaughFart · 02/02/2019 13:54

I usually mark post as ‘No longer at this address’ and put it back in the post, but really it’s the previous owner’s own fault if you just chuck it. It was his or her responsibility to let the relevant people know.

pigsDOfly · 02/02/2019 13:55

Technically it is breaking the law to throw someone else's letters away but the chances of being caught or prosecuted for it are extremely remote.

Morally, I think, writing 'not known' or 'no longer at this address' on something that look as if it might be important and putting it back in the post box is probably a better way to deal with it.

Obviously, junk mail is just that, junk. Don't think anyone is going to get over exercised by you throwing that away.

SilverySurfer · 02/02/2019 13:58

I still get post for the previous occupant who moved out over 15 years ago - it goes straight in the bin. I did the 'not known at this address' and repost for about a year but gave up after that.

krustykittens · 02/02/2019 13:59

We have been here over two years and are still getting post for the previous owners! If it is junk, I chuck it, if it is tax letters etc, I write "Not known at this address" on the envelope and put it back in the post box. What really infuriates me is that when we moved in they didn't get their post re-directed and expected us to drop their post round to them all the time!

greendale17 · 02/02/2019 14:00

I would chuck it. Tough luck after a year

BusySnipingOnCallOfDuty · 02/02/2019 14:01

I used to date a postie. He said they did fuck all with stuff people returned that way.

So I stopped doing it and just chuck stuff now.

endofthelinefinally · 02/02/2019 14:01

The correct thing to do is to write
"Not known at this address"
and put it back in the post box.

Fredathetortoise · 02/02/2019 14:03

I've heard that writing 'Left this address on dd/mm/yyyy, no forwarding address known' can help getting companies to stop sending post.

Cosyjimjamsforautumn · 02/02/2019 14:03

I took a whole bundle of letters to the estate agents to pass on to the previous owners of our house, as they had contact details, together with a message to pass on that they need to redirect their post as i wont do it again. Seemed to work as only get junk email nowadays which i stick straight back in the post box!

Poodloo · 02/02/2019 14:03

I always say not known at address and pop back in the post box.

Poodloo · 02/02/2019 14:04

busysniping that may be true for who you dated, but I know posties who don't do that. They will send back to the company

bookmum08 · 02/02/2019 14:15

I kept getting a phone statement for a person who had previously lived in my flat. I did the Not Known at this Address thing loads of time but this still kept happening. One time I actually opened one (I know - naughty) and wrote on the actual statement "this person doesn't live at this address - why don't you phone her and ask her where she lives as you have her phone number" and circled the phone number and drew an arrow pointing to it! Then sent the statement to the address printed on it - which was different to the 'if undelivered please return to' address on the envelope.

CloserIAm2Fine · 02/02/2019 14:15

Your postie ex was bull shitting. It’s obviously not a big priority for Royal Mail but the company I work for receives plenty of mail back that psllle have sent back as “not known at this address”, we can then try and find the customer or if we can’t we can stop sending post to an incorrect address at least

Flashinggreen · 02/02/2019 14:20

I used to put not at this address in the hope it would stop. 12 years on new get the occasional bit but it takes a while.

Ragwort · 02/02/2019 14:20

A long lost friend got in touch with me via an old address, I am so pleased the new owners (who bought from the people who bought from us originally IYSWIM) took the trouble to forward the letter to us.

I just return stuff 'not known at this address' unless it is clearly junk mail.

Flashinggreen · 02/02/2019 14:20

We not new...

WinterHeatWave · 02/02/2019 14:23

I seriously reduced the amount of junk mail by finding the web page for each company, and either contacting them about a generic issue, or, when available, a remove from mailing list message.
It's a pain, but worked much better than returning as "not known".
DVLA, I think I'd return to sender.

CuriousaboutSamphire · 02/02/2019 14:24

I was reduced to

"Not known at this address for at least 20 years" for one person

and "Sold up and moved round the corner 5 years ago" for the other

I also opened a few and rang or returned it the specifc person who had sent the letter. That stopped a few... but not all!

Then I met the postman whilst dog walking. He now heads them off at the pass for me!

Annoyance · 02/02/2019 14:28

Not really relevant but sellers were not pleasant people and screwed us over on several things...

It's absolutely relevant. If they're the sort of people who'd screw you over then they're the sort of people who'd run away from debts.

I'd advise you to carry on returning their post, even though it's annoying for you. The letters and catalogues won't reduce otherwise.

Juells · 02/02/2019 14:32

I usually mark post as ‘No longer at this address’ and put it back in the post, but really it’s the previous owner’s own fault if you just chuck it.

I do the 'no longer at this address' thing, but I don't think it's OK to just chuck it. I've a vague feeling it might be illegal 😜 How difficult is it to write a few words and chuck it in a postbox?

QueenOfCatan · 02/02/2019 14:32

I've given up doing the "no longer at this address" thing after 18 months and just bin now. For the first few months we delivered them to their new house (they lived round the corner from mil so wasn't an issue), then did "not at this address" until recently as we're nearly at 2 years now and still receiving post for them!
My only exception would be really official looking stuff as I had an employer not bother to update my address with hmrc and a jury summons went to my old address 18 months after I moved out (despite the fact that both I updated it on my self assessment immediately and my other employer did too!)

Highonthehill · 02/02/2019 14:32

I kept getting letters from dvla for previous homeowner. Got so fed up and worried that I phoned them.

Explained that I return the envelope with the note no longer at address etc.... turns out that when the post gets there the mailroom opens it all and disguards the envelope therefore the department may never actually know.

The DVLA actually asked me to open the envelope to confirm what was in there and recorded the conversation so I wouldn't be in trouble. They took details and I have not received anything since apart from acknowledgment from DVLA.

Did the same thing for post from a pawn shop, called the shop and told them (retuen address was on back ) again didnt get anything again.

Technically it's illegal to dispose of post and you should put it back in the system however if it's an official letter and you can see who it's from then give them a call

Reminds me I have a council letter to sort out.... you would think they would check the council tax registration database!

Highonthehill · 02/02/2019 14:33

Oh and junk mail... I do chuck cause I don't think previous owner would care about how much they can get off at Specsavers or a random catalogue

Thesnobbymiddleclassone · 02/02/2019 14:34

I did the not known thing for about a year now I just chuck them.

I'm not their secretary.