ethical question

redshoegirl

The house we're renting has been used as a rental for some time. None of the three previous tenants have forwarded their mail. This means I get 8+ pieces of mail that do not belong to us every.single.day.

I know it's illegal to toss someone else's mail, so I just keep return to sender-ing it, but I'm getting pretty fed up with the amount of mail I have to return (and will likely continue having to return for the next 6-12 months).

Tell the truth, now...

[Poll]

eacerna

I voted for #2. We're in the exact same predicament. We've been receiving mails for the same people probably since we moved to this house and it's been 3 yrs!! For the past couple of years, we've been returning it to sender but now, I am tired of it.They are not junk mail. They are actual phone bills! Wouldn't they wonder why they are not receiving any of the bills? Obviously, they don't care enough. Out of curiosity, I opened one bill and it is past due and the account is close to  getting cancelled.

Now, I just toss them in the recycling bin :-).

parrotgirl

I was doing that for some renters I had and eventually I started shredding their mail. I think I was scared that someone might find mail in the trash/recycle and I didn't want the paper trail  

redshoegirl

eacerna:

I voted for #2. We're in the exact same predicament. We've been receiving mails for the same people probably since we moved to this house and it's been 3 yrs!! For the past couple of years, we've been returning it to sender but now, I am tired of it.They are not junk mail. They are actual phone bills! Wouldn't they wonder why they are not receiving any of the bills? Obviously, they don't care enough. Out of curiosity, I opened one bill and it is past due and the account is close to  getting cancelled.

Now, I just toss them in the recycling bin :-).

Yes! This is the thing! We're getting bank statements and power bills and such - aren't they wondering why they aren't getting this stuff wherever they're living now???

Parrotgirl - I may need to buy a shredder. 

PugTails3602

Not sure how things are in Australia, but could you leave a note for the mailman?  I usually stick a label in the mailbox with the current residents names (my husband and me), then I tell the mailman that mail to other names should be RTS/forwarded.  If that didn't work and I still got all kinds of mail, I'd probably start tossing 'em too...

Oh, and maybe the people get electronic bills or auto pay there bills so they don't really care about the paper statements?  Or for the past due one, they probably don't even realize they still have that account? 

mrspresley

I didn't know it was illegal to toss it LOL even the mail order catalogs??

redshoegirl

PugTails3602:

Not sure how things are in Australia, but could you leave a note for the mailman?  I usually stick a label in the mailbox with the current residents names (my husband and me), then I tell the mailman that mail to other names should be RTS/forwarded.  If that didn't work and I still got all kinds of mail, I'd probably start tossing 'em too...

I thought about doing this, but unfortunately it seems that's not done here. If the former tenant hasn't set up mail forwarding, the post office isn't going to take care of it for them. The onus is on the sucker currently living at the address - in this case, me - to continue returning everything ad infinitum. Boo.

mrspresley:

I didn't know it was illegal to toss it LOL even the mail order catalogs??

Yep, if it's specifically addressed to another person, it's technically illegal. It's considered "mail interference" or something.

PugTails3602

redshoegirl:

PugTails3602:

Not sure how things are in Australia, but could you leave a note for the mailman?  I usually stick a label in the mailbox with the current residents names (my husband and me), then I tell the mailman that mail to other names should be RTS/forwarded.  If that didn't work and I still got all kinds of mail, I'd probably start tossing 'em too...

I thought about doing this, but unfortunately it seems that's not done here. If the former tenant hasn't set up mail forwarding, the post office isn't going to take care of it for them. The onus is on the sucker currently living at the address - in this case, me - to continue returning everything ad infinitum. Boo.

mrspresley:

I didn't know it was illegal to toss it LOL even the mail order catalogs??

Yep, if it's specifically addressed to another person, it's technically illegal. It's considered "mail interference" or something.

I think most catalogs and junk type mail say the person's name "or current resident".  I get a lot of mail addressed to the former residents of our house, but the mailman circles the "or current resident" part to show why he's still delivering it.  For those items, I would contact the sender and ask to be taken off the mailing list.  Maybe you could even do that for some of the bills and stuff?  It is annoying that you have to do it, but maybe it would help alleviate the tons of mail you have been getting.

vanilla15

I do get mail for the former owners of our house & I always write RTS/no such person at this address.  (but it is always junk mail & it isn't a terribly large amount) My thought is the sender will take the address off of their list if they know it is a bad address.  Maybe I am wrong about that?  I just thought that is what was done when you wrote RTS on the envelope.

redshoegirl

vanilla15:

My thought is the sender will take the address off of their list if they know it is a bad address.  Maybe I am wrong about that?  I just thought that is what was done when you wrote RTS on the envelope.

So did I, but - for example - one guy has received probably 7 or 8 letters from a government agency. I've sent them all back with RTS/not at this address, but they're still coming here. Same thing for phone companies, power companies, etc.