Forwarding Mail for previous occupier

[mrsgogg1ns]

Is it legal to not forward post at all if I receive something for a previous lodger? I'm on crutches and rarely leave the house, I don't want to make a special trip out just to post someone's mail that they didn't bother to get redirected. Is there anything stopping me from simply storing it somewhere on the off chance they come and ask for it? What are my legal obligations?

[BenacreNick]

Mrs Gogg, from a simple Google search I found this information :-

Many wonder whether they can discard mail if it is not for them. And the answer is—no! It is illegal to throw away mail items addressed to someone else. Otherwise, you may fall into trouble under the Postal Services Act 2000.7 Jun 2023.

[mrsgogg1ns]

Benacre, thank you I also found that information on Google. My question is whether I can simply store it without any attempt to forward it.

[fb1969]

What do you mean by forwarding mail? If you are crossing out your address and then writing on their new address, Royal Mail are quite within their rights (and increasingly more likely) to surcharge the item. It is then possible that the recipient doesn't pay the surcharge, and it will be returned to sender.

If it was me, I would be putting a line through your address and writing "not known - return to sender" on it and then popping it in a post box as and when you can.

Royal Mail guidance is here https://personal.help.royalmail.com/app ... %20records.

[Dorset Plodder]

You could take the previous advice and cross out the address with "Return to sender Not known at this address" but that doesn't solve the problem of getting it to a letter box.

Alternatively you could just Bin It! Especially if it's just Holiday Brochures & Catalogues.

I tell my customers to treat their address like their PIN, nobody should be using it apart from them. We've had a lot of scams that stress out a lot of older customers. Do what YOU feel comfortable with, I certainly wouldn't worry about the Postal Services Act

I've got one customer that opens everything that's NOT Addressed to him, phones up the sender and bends his ear..... he is retired though with a lot of time on his hands.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Benacre, thank you I also found that information on Google. My question is whether I can simply store it without any attempt to forward it.

Technically, no that would come under delaying the mail.

However, if you took reasonable steps to return all the letters to the sender, by endorsing the envelopes and then either handing them to the posties or by popping them into a red pillar box every 7 to 10 days I can't see that would be a problem.

Also if you ask nicely the posties may take note of the name, and RTS them before they get to you. Technically this is not allowed so don't be upset if they refuse, but if they do call the delivery office and ask to speak to the manager (just don't go full Karen ) and they may authorise the posties to do it because of your particular situation.

[mrsgogg1ns]

Thanks for all the replies! Really appreciate everyone weighing in here. I think I will go the route of forwarding this mail as and when I am going past a postbox as part of my normal day, not making a special trip. Perhaps that causes some small delay but it hardly seems like a crime that I would be reasonably punished for if someone decided to try - I have been threatened by my recently departed lodger (before even receiving any of their mail I might add!) with legal action unfortunately, that's why I came here to check what can really be done if I don't make a big effort to forward things - I'm not jumping up and down to help this person as they've already made my life miserable!

[gfte]

If they do make contact, tell them to set up and pay for a redirection themselves.

https://www.royalmail.com/personal/rece ... edirection