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Original poster

How long is too long - vendors' post

30 replies

HouseIsOnFire · 08/07/2022 10:02

Hi everyone,

I moved a month ago and it's obvious the vendors didn't set up Royal Mail redirection.

They left their number and address and asked me to let them know when there's post to be picked up.

But we're a month in, and I'm still getting (from what I can see from the envelopes) all their bank statements, credit card info, car tax, letters from the child's school - doesn't feel like they've changed anything!

Today, there's something from a ticket company that says recorded mail, assume it is actually tickets.

At what point do you think it's reasonable to start returning to sender. (I should point out they've only been once to collect the post, after not showing up at agreed times on 6 different occasions - all times they set and suggested!)

Thanks!

OP posts:
endofthelinefinally · 08/07/2022 10:05

Next time they come to collect give them a letter from you telling them that you will be returning all future letters to the sender. Keep a copy. Write on the letter "Delivered by hand" with the date and time.
Not organising mail redirection is just rude and lazy.

endofthelinefinally · 08/07/2022 10:07

Just seen that they left their address, so you can re-address their post and stick it in the post box, and send your letter recorded delivery. It will cost you a stamp, but it is worth it. You don't even have to see or speak to them.

blobby10 · 08/07/2022 10:12

If you post it within 24 hours after receiving it you don't need to put a new stamp on (told to me by Royal Mail worker when I moved into my house and previous occupant hadn't set up a redirection) - just write: Redirect to then put their new address. With stamps now nearly £1 each I wouldn't be paying for one - if you post after the 24 hours its the recipient who gets the postage charge - bet they wll set up a redirection pretty quickly at that point!

Original poster
HouseIsOnFire · 08/07/2022 10:16

@endofthelinefinally am glad you find it rude too, I was worried I was being a bit precious, as they've been annoying in other ways too! Am a bit worried about readdressing the tickets though as they were recorded delivery?

@blobby10 oh no! You mean if I can't possibly get to a postbox within 24 hours they will have to pay for their laziness? I seem to be becoming a little bit housebound....!

OP posts:
blobby10 · 08/07/2022 10:18

@HouseIsOnFire yep!! That's the case Grin.

endofthelinefinally · 08/07/2022 10:23

I would contact them and offer them the choice, but say if they don't turn up you will put them back in the post.

Tessasanderson · 08/07/2022 10:37

Sorry, they would be going in my bin tbh. We moved house 12 months ago and paid for mail to be redirected. We renewed it again as there were still a few stragglers even though we had made the effort.

If they get any of my mail now, i wouldnt hold it against them to bin it, especially if i hadnt made the effort previously. WTF should you be writing addresses and reposting their shite even though they cant be arsed. Nah

Digimoor · 08/07/2022 11:07

Just write on them - "please forward to XXXX"
They don't need a stamp
Tell them to set up a redirection

Or write "not known return to sender" and stick in a postbox

Talipesmum · 08/07/2022 14:55

I’d just keep them in a shoe box by the front door. Send them a text every now and again to say “post continues to arrive”. Don’t send it on to them - you’re not their personal service. And don’t be too available for them collecting it.

takeitandleaveit · 08/07/2022 15:01

Yes, just leave it in a box or bag ready. Maybe send a text after a couple of weeks so if they want it, they can come and get it.

Don't waste your time redirecting anything.

Original poster
HouseIsOnFire · 08/07/2022 15:29

@Talipesmum @takeitandleaveit yeah they asked me to drop it off which obviously I declined. The problem with waiting for them to come pick it up is they keep arranging times to do so and then not coming!

OP posts:
QueSyrahSyrah · 08/07/2022 15:35

My vendor left his forwarding address, a nice note and 2 bottles of wine.

For the first 8 weeks or so I'd bundle up his post and send them to him every couple of weeks. After that point I started flinging it all in the paper recycling bin.

GiantKitten · 08/07/2022 15:37

They wanted you to drop it off??? 😡
Tell them from now on you’ll leave all the current post, and any you receive in future, hanging on the front door in a plastic bag for them to collect at their leisure.

NightmareSlashDelightful · 08/07/2022 15:38

The more inconvenient you make it for them to collect it/send it to them, the more likely they are to set up redirection.

I'd just start shredding it all, to be honest.

hedgehoglurker · 08/07/2022 15:47

Next time they arrange a day, say you will leave it in a bag on the doorstep/ by the recycling bin, etc. (I'd put a brick or tin of beans on top to not blow away.) If they don't collect it, it's their issue.

Or return to sender.

FWIW We paid for 2 years redirection in order to not inconvenience others, but previous owners paid only 3 months. As we have no contact details, their letters go in recycling or are RTS if official.

2bazookas · 08/07/2022 15:52

Send a card saying " from now on, please use the Royal Mail system to filter your mail from your old address to your new one. Thankyou."

easyday · 09/07/2022 14:55

I was still 'returning to sender' after two years. All the envelopes looked the same so I opened one. Her parking fines had gone to the hundreds and she must have had several'. Girlfriend to someone on TV so constantly yelling at it to get his GF to forward her post. I sold it and dumped the latest pile.
In one house I lived for 8 years snd still got an Xmas card for the previous owners. No return address. I wondered at their continual loyalty to people who either hadn't told them they'd moved or that had not received a card in all that time.

Tallisimo · 09/07/2022 15:29

I would write ‘return to sender’ on everything and drop it in the postbox. It’s rude and unnecessary to ask someone to keep post for them for any length of time - they knew they were moving house and should have made proper arrangements for their mail.

Cuckoochime · 09/07/2022 15:48

We have been told by the police NEVER to forward post or keep it for the previous occupant to collect, just repost 'gone away' or 'return to sender'. ... 3 weeks after we moved in to our previous home in a smart area the police arrived on our doorstep to arrest the (former) owner for a major motoring offence.
Turned out one of the letters we had forwarded was car insurance renewal- he had deliberately left the address unchanged. He was later in the local press after he beat up his wife too. Nice chap.

B0ssAssB1tch · 09/07/2022 15:49

Id just write "not at this address" on them all and put them back in the post box.

romatheroamer · 09/07/2022 17:45

easyday

I've had the same experience with Xmas cards incl. for people who were three owners before me and I wonder about it. Doesn't the fact that they never get one back make them try to contact by phone or email to see if who they're writing to is OK.....or perhaps they do get one back without realising/forgetting there's been a change of address.

DelurkingAJ · 09/07/2022 17:50

I almost died when the people from our house we moved from six years ago forwarded two Xmas cards. Tbf, the people in question had been told we’d moved and had suddenly had the urge to send cards for the first time this year! The sellers should be mortified!

Twiglets1 · 10/07/2022 14:24

You need to put a time limit on it - say you will only keep the post for 2 more weeks so if they want it after that they need to set up a postal redirection service.
If they don’t reply just put letters in recycling after 2 weeks.

CloseYourEyesAndSee · 10/07/2022 14:28

GiantKitten · 08/07/2022 15:37

They wanted you to drop it off??? 😡
Tell them from now on you’ll leave all the current post, and any you receive in future, hanging on the front door in a plastic bag for them to collect at their leisure.

Yes do this!
what a bunch of entitled wankers!

Mellowyellow222 · 11/07/2022 18:42

you will never catch everything. - I have been in my new house a year now and the post redirect has just lapsed. I Have changed everything. I can think of - and every item or redirected post I received over the last year I changed. There was junk Mail I would never had caught.

bit the previous owners of my house clearly haven’t bothered. They redirected for three months and the post has been coming thick and fast. DVLA, health insurance, bank statements. Really important stuff.

I don’t have a forwarding address so it all goes back with not known at this address.

I know you should always expect to get the odd letter - but surely people can notify their bank and the dvla!! That pretty bloody obvious.