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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Could be illegal but wwyd?

267 replies

Mollychristmas · 06/01/2020 08:58

This might sound awful (and illegal although I can’t see how anyone would know!) but what would you do in this situation?

We’ve had some Christmas cards delivered to our house addressed to the old owners. This is the first year we have got them so I imagine the old owners redirect has ended. (We have lived here just over 2 years)
From feeling the weight and how flexible the cards aren’t I think a couple might have money/gifts cards/letters in them.
Now for the AIBU, would you open them and hope for a return address?
Or would you just chuck?

I am of the mind to open and see if there is a return address, if not I would donate any money and chuck the cards, DH thinks that’s awful not to mention illegal and we should just chuck them even if there is money etc in them.

We don’t know the old owners new address but I suppose the estate agents might do something although having been over two years now I don’t know if they would or even could help (data protection et al) and it seems a huge amount of hassle for a few Christmas cards. The cards don’t have a return address.

What would you do?

OP posts:
Baconking · 07/01/2020 18:21

Yes!
Give it to the police. They can check for the sender's fingerprints or DNA from the envelope seal and then find out who to return it to...urgently...using blue lights! Grin

PixiKitKat · 07/01/2020 18:24

I'd open it. I had an xmas card delivered to my house for the former owner and they sender had written their address in the card so I sent it back with a note.

Wheret0n0w · 07/01/2020 18:27

@Mollychristmas please get in touch with the estate agents. We moved Christmas 2018 and there have been a few cards in 2018 and 2019 as well. I put them in a ziplock with the previous owners name and house reference number and put it through the Estate agents letter box. Last year there was a parcel delivered as they forgot to update the address ( I wasn’t around to refuse it). I got in touch with the estate agent and the previous owners arranged for it to be collected.

Do the right thing.

FeltCarrot · 07/01/2020 18:40

Crikey. Have you not opened them yet OP?

CentralPerkMug · 07/01/2020 18:41

One day, we came home to a parcel on the doorstep, I opened it mindlessly then realised it was a mobile phone which I certainly hadn't ordered. I thought oh crap! I looked closer at the packaging and it was my address but an unfamiliar name. After a lot of investigating, I discovered they lived here about 15 years ago and had moved to a fold in the next town. I drove over and explained what happened to the caretaker, who brought me to the correct home. I was so embarrassed that the packet was opened but the man wasn't in the least bothered and seemed glad to just have the phone.

I think you are right to open them (I don't see any point in just opening one???) and go from there if there is anything valuable. There is no point however unless you are prepared to carry out some work in trying to locate the owner. I disagree with your stance regarding charity donation as it is not your money to donate.

MrsJBaptiste · 07/01/2020 18:43

Does anyone ever not open random post they get because it isn't addressed to them? Honestly? Who on earth would find out?

Catsick36 · 07/01/2020 18:44

Don't give it to the police they can't do anything. I opened a card this year, we've been getting it every year for 7 yrs. There was a number in it I rang them and let them know they had moved. They were very grateful

CantankerousOldOne · 07/01/2020 19:01

Just open them!!

MilkTrayLimeBarrel · 07/01/2020 19:02

Is this still going on? Why has OP not opened the letters yet???

AlwaysCheddar · 07/01/2020 19:04

Omg!!

Original poster
Mollychristmas · 07/01/2020 19:08

I decided that the best thing I could do so I could guarantee I wouldn’t get into trouble was to call 101 and get their advice. I then took them to the police station.

OP posts:
Rhumatoidwarrior88 · 07/01/2020 19:10

It's equally illegal to have post sent to an address that isn't yours without consent. So open them

user1493379562 · 07/01/2020 19:13

We got quite a lot of post for the previous owners of our house for about 3 years! I used to wait until we had a pile of them and take them to the estate agents to forward to them! I think the estate agent must have got fed up and had a word with them as we haven't had any for about six months now. The previous owner used to run a business from this house so they were probably important letters! There were a couple of Christmas cards which amused me because the previous owners were apparently Jehovah's Witnesses and they don't celebrate Christmas like other Christian religions!

Ffsnosexallowed · 07/01/2020 19:13

You called 101???madness. As if the police don't have enough to do without dealing with misaddressed post.

NigellaAwesome · 07/01/2020 19:13

WWID? I'd just open them, bin if no return address, and get on with my day.

myidentitymycrisis · 07/01/2020 19:13

Is this for real???

NigellaAwesome · 07/01/2020 19:14

Cross-post - you called 101 Shock Shock Shock Shock Shock

It was absolutely not a police matter.

Despairs.

Original poster
Mollychristmas · 07/01/2020 19:16

You called 101???madness. As if the police don't have enough to do without dealing with misaddressed post.

My post says after ringing 101 I then took them the the Police Station, did you miss that bit?

OP posts:
Iwantacookie · 07/01/2020 19:17

You rang 101 Shock

StoneColdSaidSo · 07/01/2020 19:17

I’m sorry but this is rubbish. No one on their right mind would called 101 about something like this!

Original poster
Mollychristmas · 07/01/2020 19:18

Of course I didn’t call 101, I did as I said I would do earlier in the thread and hunted out the new address and have posted them.

OP posts:
stilldoesntknowwhatshappening · 07/01/2020 19:18

That has got to be a joke. I'm not believing that for a second.

stilldoesntknowwhatshappening · 07/01/2020 19:19

Thank God 😂😂😂😂😂

Fr0g · 07/01/2020 19:25

Unless you line in a multi-occupancy household, it's not unreasonable to open anything that is put through your postbox - I think police/cps have got far more to worry about to charge you for that - how would they find out anyway?

DadDadDad · 07/01/2020 19:43

@123Easy - I'm not convinced. You said it was almost theft, but then you say the opening of mail has been prosecuted under the Postal Services Act 2000 (so presumably not prosecuted as theft). But it's not an offence to open mail under that act unless you act to the detriment of another AND you have no reasonable excuse AND it was incorrectly delivered. In the cases you are aware of, presumably the prosecution had to show all these conditions were met - do you have any of the details? (I've tried googling for such cases in the past and drawn a blank).