AIBU to throw away packages for previous residents?

[CecilieRose]

I've started to get really pissed off by the number of letters and packages addressed to previous residents. I'm quite sick at the moment and I'm getting tired of having to make trips to the nearest postbox (a 30 minute round trip walking, almost) to return things to sender. Would it be awful to start throwing them away? I've lived here for seven months. I always arrange redirections for my post, and I don't see why I should keep going out of my way for people who didn't bother to do that. Maybe a few weeks after moving is acceptable, in case there's a gap before the redirection kicks in, but I'm getting letters for one particular person several times a week, and have just been interrupted on a work call to open the door for one of his Amazon parcels! How hard is it to sort this stuff out instead of expecting other people to help you? It just feels so entitled.

AIBU to start throwing anything that isn't addressed to me straight in the bin?

I think ‘not known at this address return to sender’ is a better strategy than binning stuff. The sender just may get the message in the end. If you bin stuff they have no way of knowing it hasn’t got to the right person.
It’s really not possible to go very far without passing a post box so you shouldn’t have to make special trips. You don’t have to do it immediately.
The Amazon parcel is a bit baffling, but return to sender is the only thing you can do.

Did you refuse the Amazon parcel?

Just a thought but a lot of our post used to end up at entirely the wrong address, despite our telling the companies involved (DVLC was worst offender!)

It may not be the addressee's fault. Is there anyway your postman would take them back, to save you a trip?

Just refuse the packages.
Letters, let them pile up for a week or so and take them all to the post office then.

Binning it is the shittiest possible thing to do for the environment.

Ask the Amazon delivery person who the package is for every time, and then refuse to accept it if not yours. Simple.

Write ‘Return To Sender. Not Known At This Address’ on every single letter. Keep until convenient to chuck the lot in the nearest postbox.

If you keep accepting and passing on the stuff, the recipient isn’t motivated to sort out the problem. Give consequences in the form of inconvenience and you’ll be amazed how quickly they get their act together.

Open them in case there's anything good in there.

I'm joking, of course... 😏

If it's a parcel then refuse it. "that person doesn't live here any more"

Save them up then hand them back to your postie

I would just do a bit of basic detective work to find out whose packages they are and let them know to change their address and come collect. Packing slips will often have the person's email on it.

Don’t accept any parcels for them.

if you’ve returned post to sender for months it’s not unreasonable to stop now, although I still would for anything that looks particularly important or threatening, just in case there’s bad debts or something.

readdress them and leave them on the doorstep for the postie

Obviously, you refused the parcels. Correct?

The quickest way we stopped junk mail and catalogues (ie stuff that was obvious who it was from) was to go onto the website and request mailing details were removed.
Harder with stuff in white envelopes.....

We still get an amazon parcel for previous owner. The driver is back in the car before we open the door. So we now have 5 blonde hair dye kits. 1 every 3 months. How can you not notice that you haven't got them for over a year.

Don't redirect, if you do anything at all then just return to sender. Don't accept any parcels.
It's kind to redirect initially, for between 1- 3 months (although I wouldn't be in a hurry - let it sit there for a few weeks until it's convenient to take to the post box), after that they could be using your address fraudulently so I would stop redirecting. The only exception is hand addressed things, those I would try and pass on, things like Christmas cards.

Obviously the parcels were delivered when I wasn't in and left in front of my door, otherwise yes, obviously I would have refused them! Why would I accept parcels for someone who doesn't live here?

@BestestBrownies

Binning it is the shittiest possible thing to do for the environment.

Ask the Amazon delivery person who the package is for every time, and then refuse to accept it if not yours. Simple.

Write ‘Return To Sender. Not Known At This Address’ on every single letter. Keep until convenient to chuck the lot in the nearest postbox.

If you keep accepting and passing on the stuff, the recipient isn’t motivated to sort out the problem. Give consequences in the form of inconvenience and you’ll be amazed how quickly they get their act together.

Yes, simple if I'm home or if they actually ring the bell, which they barely ever do. Most of the time they just get left outside my flat door.

I don't pass it on (don't have forwarding addresses) - I do return to sender but yet it keeps coming!

@TheMagiciansNiece

Just a thought but a lot of our post used to end up at entirely the wrong address, despite our telling the companies involved (DVLC was worst offender!)

It may not be the addressee's fault. Is there anyway your postman would take them back, to save you a trip?

But it is their fault. A redirection would completely stop this, no? It's almost impossible to remember every single company that might have your address to send you stuff...that's why you get a redirection!

I’m still “returning to sender” post from the owners before us (5yrs ago) and the owners before them (12 years ago). 😒😒😒

I thought it was an offence to "interfere with Her Majesty's postal service" or something like that anyway ... .

I definitely would let a few stack up before taking them to P O though.
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Is the property rented? If so, you could ask the landlord to contact the previous tenant about this on your behalf.

Ditto contact details of vendor if owned to drop him a line about his post.

Put a label on your postbox saying 'post for C. Rose Only'

@Muddybanks

I thought it was an offence to "interfere with Her Majesty's postal service" or something like that anyway ... .

I definitely would let a few stack up before taking them to P O though.
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Is the property rented? If so, you could ask the landlord to contact the previous tenant about this on your behalf.

Ditto contact details of vendor if owned to drop him a line about his post.

That old chestnut. It's only an offence if you open post with the intent of doing something bad or malicious. Opening it to see if there's an email address is fine.

That old chestnut. It's only an offence if you open post with the intent of doing something bad or malicious. Opening it to see if there's an email address is fine.

Isn't binning it classed as malicious then? Op

@WeatherwaxLives

Put a label on your postbox saying 'post for C. Rose Only'

Yes, it is your letter box, you own it (not Royal Mail).

Along with a sign saying who DOES live there, also state that 'name of former resident' no longer lives here and please don't post any mail for them through your letter box.
For Amazon, a sign saying not to leave any parcels for 'name of former resident' and that these parcels will be refused.

A few missed Amazon parcels will soon alert old resident something is amiss.

Or do what people do round my way, put a big photo on the local facebook site asking whether anyone knows this person as their post has been misdelivered (under the guise of being super helpful). Someone always tags them or a relative or their best friend and then you can message them that their post is being returned to sender unless they set up a redirection or collect it at a suitable time.

why not drop them off in a postbox when you're passing, rather making a special trip?