Do I keep the voucher

[skipperjonce]

We’ve lived in our current house for nearly 2 years. Very rarely we receive mail for the previous owner. As I don’t have a forwarding address I normally return to sender.

Last week we received a Christmas card for her containing a £20 m & s voucher. I opened it as it felt bulky and there was no return address on the envelope. The card was from Uncle and Aunty whoever and again no return address, just the voucher and a short message.

So AIBU to keep the voucher and spend it. It’s already paid for after all?

This happened to me a few years ago but it was a £20 note in the card from Grandpa.

I just put a post on my local Facebook group 'does anyone know Sarah Smith I have a Xmas card here from her grandpa' (didn't mention the money) somebody got in touch very quickly to say they knew her parents and I arranged to get the card to her.

I would try to find the real recipient before spending it.

Haven't read the thread but does the name on the envelope give you enough to try finding the recipient on facebook ?

Lots of post makes its way correctly to the intended recipient via a post on our local facebook page.

Lots of PPs say Aunty and Uncle don't have the previous owner's address. This is not necessarily true. We moved house over two years ago, this is our third Christmas in this house. All our friends and family were sent our new address. First Christmas my Aunt sent something via Amazon who automatically sent it to my old address, we got a call from the Estate agent who had been contacted by the new owner. Last year my cousin asked me for our address (again!) and still managed to send it to the wrong address, that time the new owners dropped off the present at our new house (I assume the neighbours had told them our new address), this year my SIL sent a parcel to our old address. So 3 years, lots of people told the correct address and still mistakes made. Thank goodness we sold the house to honest people.

OP, contact your estate agent, speak to the neighbours, and keep the envelope and voucher in case the previous owners turn up after Aunty complains about the lack of thankyou letter.

It’s a voucher. I would try to locate the recipient, if not I’d spend it - but if they ever made contact I’d give them the money.

I'd only spend it if I hadn't been able to track down the recipients before the voucher expired. I love a challenge. If the mail had previously been redirected RM will have the details somewhere so 'not known at this address' is fine in this case. What about neighbours? They might know if they stayed local or the general area they moved to. Definitely FB local page. Can't believe people who would just spend it without any effort!

I personally couldn’t spend it but wouldn’t want it to go to waste either so I’d donate

Marking place; I just really want to know what you decide to do! Personally I think I'd keep it, feel bad about it for a bit and then move on.

Just message of call Marks and Sparks and ask them, they will have rhe deteails of rhe person who bought it.

I’d not be able to spend it, I’d feel like I was stealing. Because I would be.

I would be asking neighbours, posting on social media, contacting M&S, to try to locate the person this gift is intended for

What for a £20 voucher? My times more precious. I’d rather bin it.

Just message of call Marks and Sparks and ask them, they will have rhe deteails of rhe person who bought it.

No. They. Won't.

Contact M&S with the voucher number as they may be able to tell who bought it.

Mark it 'not known at this address' and post it. Post Office should open it and try to find sender. Unclaimed stuff is sometimes auctioned. This is not a free gift for you.

[quote Chloemol]@pumpkinpig

Wrong Postal services Act 2000 section 84 (3)

84 Interfering with the mail: general.

(1)A person commits an offence if, without reasonable excuse, he—
(a)intentionally delays or opens a postal packet in the course of its transmission by post, or
(b)intentionally opens a mail-bag.
(2)Subsections (2) to (5) of section 83 apply to subsection (1) above as they apply to subsection (1) of that section.
(3)A person commits an offence if, intending to act to a person’s detriment and without reasonable excuse, he opens a postal packet which he knows or reasonably suspects has been incorrectly delivered to him.
(4)Subsections (2) and (3) of section 83 (so far as they relate to the opening of postal packets) apply to subsection (3) above as they apply to subsection (1) of that section.
(5)A person who commits an offence under subsection (1) or (3) shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to both.[/quote]
God almighty.

I've opened plenty of post wrongly delivered. 9/10 I don't look at what's on the front and assume post through my letterbox is mine.

Arrest me!

I would call the estate agents/solicitors and see if they have the address the previous owner moved to.

If not, I think I would just spend it rather than it going to waste.

Well I wouldn't be a cheeky so and so and open it and steal their Xmas present.....

At best I'd donate it but then you don't sound the sort

It is ONLY illegal to use the information within post for legal activities

Like stealing the contents

I'd hold onto it as they may contact you. Also, aren't there any ways to contact the previous owner?

@SixesAndEights

The OP didn't open it by accident though did she - she knew it wasn't addressed to her because it felt bulky and because she's a thief with zero morals she thought she'd help herself to the contents

Would i be tempted to spend it? Yeah, sorry I would. Not much of a moral compass

But

I do know that finding the intended recipient would make me feel good. Probably better than £20 of m&s swag. So I would do that.

All the big high street stores who sell vouchers must be raking it in at this time of year. When my elderly neighbour died, her nephew found over £3k of vouchers she had been given over the years because friends and family didn’t know what to buy her. He ripped them up. What a waste. I’m sure she would have loved a box of chocolates or biscuits Or a nice hamper or take away meal instead of a voucher for a shop she would have had difficulty getting to by public transport.

@FreekStar

Why should the OP go to all that trouble of contacting estate agents, posting on facebook, going to M&S, and all the other suggestions when the intended recipient couldn't even be bothered to tell their auntie and uncle their new address? It's £20, not £20,000!

@FreekStar Yes! £20 that isn't the OP's!

Having purchased a couple of M&S vouchers in the last week. I can confirm that they would not have any way of contacting the purchaser.

I would make an effort to locate the recipient and if I genuinely came to a dead end I would spend it.

You've been there 2 years.The aunt and uncle obviously done know them that well if they don't know their current address.Id spend it but you'll get loads that will say don't.

dont