Old owner still comes by to pick up mail after 6 months?

Question

I bought my house 6 months ago. The old owner and the old tenants (it is a double) still comes over after 6 months to pick up their mail. Let me explain that these people had like 15 people living in this double, so you can imagine the mail that is collected. For the first few months I would just put all their mail in a big shopping bag and leave it on the porch. They would come over and sort through it and take what was theirs.

Well it is 6 months later and I just put their mail in the recycling trash bin. I refuse to sort through, collect, and store their mail. They are still coming over for it. I told them that I do not have it, that i just throw it away. They of course are upset.

I mean really how long is one suppose to keep ex-owners/ex-tenants mail?

Yeah like I am going to write on 10-20 pieces a mail everyday "send back to sender"!!!

Recycle bin sounds better but you are right it will stop a lot of mail from coming.

Thank you!

Answer 1

They are supposed to go to the post office and file a forwarding address form so you won't see their mail.

They might be doing this so bill collectors won't find them.

My solution wll take you an hour of work for the next two weeks but it will stop your problem.

1. The junk mail, coupons, etc., are yours if you want to use them, or put them in your recycle bin.

2. The first class and important looking mail:

Neatly type the word "Moved" on each piece and leave it in your mail box or give it to your mail carrier. If you leave it in your mail box put it in their so it stands out so the mail carrier knows you didn't just forget to get your mail yesterday.

Type the word "MOVED" in really really big letters above the address. Draw a line thru your address, in such a way that they can still read it. Your goal here is to make sure they don't re-deliver the mail tomorrow. But the post office needs to see what your address is, so don't block it out with a bold magic marker.

If you live in an area were your mail is delivered to a little box near your house instead of to your door, drop those pieces of first class mail into the out bound mail box.

In about a week, or two at the most, the post office will get the hint and stop delieving mail addressed to these other people.

The post office will then put the names of these people into their computer, along with your address and the computer which sorts the mail, when it finds THEIR name and YOUR address will mark the mail "RETURN TO SENDER" and you'll never see it again.

Another option is to save their first class mail for two weeks like you've been doing but keep the bag inside your house and then bring it yourself over to your local post office and explain to a clerk what you just explained to me and they will take care of it for you.

This way your hand writing does not appear on any of those envelopes.

If they still come knocking at your door, just tell them that for some reason, nothing else for you is being delivered.

If they harasss you after this you might need to call 911 and have the police tell them they cannot come back to your house looking for their mail anymore.

Technically speaking what they are doing is tresspassing.

Its one thing for people to do this for a few weeks until the post office implements the forwarding request that they filed.

It sounds to me like these people don't want those sending them mail to know what their new address is.

I moved two years ago and got a new phone number and I still get collection agencies calling me looking for the guy who had my current phone number before I had it.

The first three months it happened three or four times a day, now its down to about once a week.

Answer 2

You don't have to.
Put a note out front for the last people, to go to the post office and put in a change of address card for all 15 people. Hopefully you can do that right by the mailbox.

When the mailman delivers the mail and it is the other peoples mail, write on the front, Return to Sender, Don't live here, and then put it back into the mailbox. The mailman will get tired of carrying large amounts of mail back to the post office. He/she will notice it and they can hold it at the post office for the other people. That is their job, not yours.

I would also call the post office and tell them only your mail is to be delivered to your home, no one else's. Tell the post master what has been going on...

I wish you well.

Answer 3

I think even 6 months is way too long a time. The bottom line is that they didn't make the effort to notify the Post Office of their change of address--WHICH IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY.

You are doing the right thing, you shouldn't have to act as a servant to them just because they are being lazy.

On the subject I would say a month or so, if you are nice, would be long enough to keep the mail. Hopefully by then things would have been taken care of. If not, hello recycle box, in their mail goes.

Answer 4

Write on the envelopes, "Return to Sender. Person no longer lives here." Tell your postal inspector that you keep getting mail for the previous tenants and you will no longer accept it. Explain the situation (that the previous tenants keep having their mail sent to them at your address). Pick up cards in which the people can fill out their new address on it and give it to them the next time they come for their mail. Then, tell them that if they come by one more time, you will file a harassment/trespassing claim against them for coming on to YOUR PROPERTY. (Sometimes, you have to be a little mean.)

If the threat alone does not work, talk with a lawyer about your legal rights--whether or not you can get a restraining order against these people because they are preventing you from enjoying your new home in peace (they are stepping on your personal rights).

If all else fails, get a a dog who will not allow them on your property!!

Good luck!

Answer 5

I went through this same thing when tenants moved out of my upstairs. I would bundle all mail and put it back out for the mail man. I would not sort or store their mail either. I don't think you can legally throw it out though. I'd call the post office and talk to someone in charge as see if they can help you.

Answer 6

You don't have to and shouldn't write "return to send." Simply put a slash mark through the name and address and put it out to be picked up. When the mail is returned, that is the sender's notice that they no longer live at that address. Most of the mail will stop coming to you.

Unfortunately, informing the USPS that they no longer live there will not stop the mail from coming to your home due to USPS rules and policies.

Answer 7

30 days. Go to the post office, pick up some change of address forms and when they come by again, present the forms to them.

Allowing people to collect mail from your home sets you up for all sorts of problems. Are they using the address to take out credit with your address? To order goods with stolen credit cards? Etc Etc.

You have no responsibility to them at all.

best wishes

Answer 8

You aren't obligated to hold their mail..even for 1 day. They knew they were moving. Tell them to go to the post office and do a change of address request. If you get mail for them, send it back with "return to sender, no one by that name resides here." They are taking advantage of you.

Answer 9

Write return to sender on the letters & put back in mail box. That sound very fishy to me, you don't want trouble . They should have changed their address with the post office. Becareful.

Answer 10

Be nice but firm and inform them that this is ending immediately!
You have been quite patient but the time has come to end any further assistance.
Explain to them that if they want their mail that they, not you, will contact the post office and make the necessary changes.
All further mail will be not be your responsibilty or liability.
Thank them for their time and consideration and walk away.