Previous tenants mail

JohnK

This is probably a really stupid question but is there any obligation on the current tenant of a property in regard to the mail of a previous tenant?

Almost a year after moving in I'm still getting stuff for previous tenants and frankly I'm sick of putting them back in the post with a "not known at this address" notice. Now I'm pretty sure theres laws against opening other peoples mail but what about simply dumping it? Does it matter if its government issued like polling cards? What about if there are bills? Could there be any liability on me if a previous tenant didnt receive, and thus didnt pay, a bill because I dumped it rather than notify the sender?

thanks.

listermint

JohnK wrote: »

This is probably a really stupid question but is there any obligation on the current tenant of a property in regard to the mail of a previous tenant?

Almost a year after moving in I'm still getting stuff for previous tenants and frankly I'm sick of putting them back in the post with a "not known at this address" notice. Now I'm pretty sure theres laws against opening other peoples mail but what about simply dumping it? Does it matter if its government issued like polling cards? What about if there are bills? Could there be any liability on me if a previous tenant didnt receive, and thus didnt pay, a bill because I dumped it rather than notify the sender?

thanks.

I used to leave a bunch of them at a time, with Person not at this address. Left it out for the postie. The eventually stopped sending to my address as the knew they didnt live there anymore. I effectively made it An Posts Problem. Putting them in a post box doesnt make it the local postmans issue but leaving it out for him did.

Milk & Honey

You should put it back in the post marked "gone away". It is an offence under the Post office Act 1908 to dump it.

JohnK

listermint wrote: »

I used to leave a bunch of them at a time, with Person not at this address. Left it out for the postie. The eventually stopped sending to my address as the knew they didnt live there anymore. I effectively made it An Posts Problem. Putting them in a post box doesnt make it the local postmans issue but leaving it out for him did.

Thats an idea alright but I'm in an apartment building and theres a sign by the postbox warning everyone not to leave stuff thats addressed to others around the postboxes. The management crowd seem to like giving out fines to people so I dont want to draw that on me either.

Milk & Honey wrote: »

You should put it back in the post marked "gone away". It is an offence under the Post office Act 1908 to dump it.

Thats what I was afraid of but it seems ridiculous that I'm the one having to constantly inconvenience myself because some muppets didnt bother updating their address. Is there any sort of reasonable time limit before you can quit doing it?

BostonB

Is there a time frame in which you have to return it? I mean could you just leave it in a box at the door and leave for the post man once a year?

Coriolanus

If the management co won't let you leave them out for an post turn leave them in the management office for them to deal with.

JohnK

BostonB wrote: »

Is there a time frame in which you have to return it? I mean could you just leave it in a box at the door and leave for the post man once a year?

thats a good point actually except for having to find somewhere to keep it

Nevore wrote: »

If the management co won't let you leave them out for an post turn leave them in the management office for them to deal with.

they dont have an office in the building so bringing the post to them is even less convenient than re-posting it.