Receiving Letters for Previous Tenant Who Is Supposedly No Longer Alive

Cyberninja on 27/08/2016 - 22:58
Last edited 30/08/2016 - 12:18

It is not unusual to see letters for previous tenants in your mailbox.. what may be unusual is to see letters for a tenant who you know is supposedly no longer alive. I usually throw such letters into the bin without opening. But this particular one had "URGENT" "OPEN IMMEDIATELY" stamped in red. So I got curious. opened. Those were overdue bills sent by the energy providers advising strict action… I ignored it. Thereafter I ignored all letters having those "URGENT" stamps as well assuming those would be similar.

A couple of days ago, I found another letter in the mailbox and it was addressed to "EXECUTOR OF <FirstName><LastName>".. I don't know what that means by the way. So opened it to see if I need to the whereabouts of that person just in case. The letter has a cheque from RBI of certain amount and addressed to the EXECUTOR. Should I through it? The neighbours told me that the person was living alone, no family.

Clarification: Many guys are questioning on my decision to open the letter. But I had only two option. 1. See If I can find anything about the person so that I can contact him/her. 2. Bin it coz I didn't know the "Return to sender" thingy before.
In regards to this particular letter, I just RTS'ed in the post box with 8 other such letters which were dumped in the bin by other people in my apartment. Did my part.

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Comments

  • hellbound on 27/08/2016 - 23:18
    +30

    Just mark it all 'return to sender' and drop it in the postbox. They'll stop soon enough.

    • diddy50 on 29/08/2016 - 16:21
      +16

      This. Why would you not do this?!

      • [Deactivated] on 29/08/2016 - 20:50
        +9

        Its illegal to open letter not addressed to you, you should return it to sender from first time.

        Now it is likely you are in trouble.

        • McFly on 30/08/2016 - 14:19
          +5

          Now it is likely you are in trouble.

          Yep, OP you'd better get yourself a good lawyer or you'll end up in max. security with the murderers and drug barons!

    • Jackson on 30/08/2016 - 22:07

      Or mark it as deceased

  • retiredfeline on 27/08/2016 - 23:34
    +14

    EXECUTOR

    Means the person(s) or trustee handling the estate (assets and liabilities) of the deceased. Looks like they know the person is dead and want to return money to his estate. Mark it Return to Sender, Not Known Here, and let them find his executor some other way, it's not your problem. That's what you should have done with all the other letters by the way, not bin them, it might have saved the sender some time, and they would have stopped sooner.

    • Kangal on 28/08/2016 - 09:29

      So it's not this guy…. or even this guy?

      Kangal on 28/08/2016 - 09:29 (Collapsed - Offtopic. Show)
      • StewBalls on 28/08/2016 - 12:21
        +2

        OP might be able to cash the chq dressed in a burquini! :P

    • CandyMan on 29/08/2016 - 20:44
      +1

      Can i volunteer to be an executor

  • garetz on 28/08/2016 - 00:09
    +1

    Actually, i would goto your local post office, and create a rule for them, when they receive anything to your address, addressed to the name of the person, automatically return to sender, then you dont have to manually do it yourself.

    its kind of like what you can do when you divert your current mail to a new address when you move.

    • bluesky on 28/08/2016 - 01:43
      +1

      Will a post office be willing to do that, if requested? Since it is easier for them to just send to the address on the envelope.
      In the case of mail diversion, they are doing it for a fee. Will they do this (automatically return to sender) free-of-charge?

      If yes, it is great.

      • garetz on 28/08/2016 - 04:23
        +1

        If you notify them that the person who the mail is addressed to is deceased, i believe they have no choice. They cannot charge the deceased, and obviously its nothing to do with you, so they cant charge you either.

        • MrTweek on 30/08/2016 - 10:09
          +1

          They still have the choice to not do it.

        • McFly on 30/08/2016 - 10:34
          +1

          obviously its nothing to do with you

          Which is why you can't divert mail that is not yours. Obviously…

    • retiredfeline on 28/08/2016 - 02:01
      +12

      It only takes 15 seconds to write Return to Sender on the envelope. Then leave it near the mailbox for the postie, or pop it into a mailbox when you pass one. You'll never recover the time spent standing in queue at a PO.

      • outlander on 28/08/2016 - 12:31
        +2

        Takes a dollar to create a stamp when cowcow has one of there special deals.

        • retiredfeline on 28/08/2016 - 12:42

          You won't recover the time taken to order a stamp either, unless you move house often.

        • outlander on 28/08/2016 - 13:12
          +1

          @greenpossum:

          Maybe, but then for me it would be worth the time. I would take great pleasure in stamping it "RETURN TO SENDER MOFO!" in a bold, powerful stroke, instead of just limply writing on the front something feeble like "This person is no longer here. Please don't be mad at me :("

        • retiredfeline on 28/08/2016 - 14:04
          +1

          @outlander: You write all that prose? :) Sometimes I just circle the printed Return to Sender and draw a big arrow to it.

        • outlander on 28/08/2016 - 16:11
          +1

          @greenpossum:

          nah mate, I have a stamp :3

        • retiredfeline on 28/08/2016 - 16:39
          +3

          @outlander: Why not stamp a URL to a YouTube video while you are at it so that you can change the message according to your mood? :)

      • gguu on 28/08/2016 - 18:18
        +1

        Post offices often have free stickers for it

      • rodinthink on 28/08/2016 - 20:24
        +1

        It takes 10 minutes to go back and try to find a pen back at the house

  • Charity on 28/08/2016 - 03:43

    Don't want to give you the heebie jeebies, but could the person have died in the house? Anyway to check?

    • danyboy on 28/08/2016 - 09:08
      +3

      Do you mean the body is still in the house?
      If not, then who cares?

    • mskeggs on 29/08/2016 - 10:51
      +13

      Imagine if people died. Spooky!
      Hope you don't die one day.

    • storeyv34 on 29/08/2016 - 11:43
      +19

      I dont wan't to alarm you but there is a spooky skeleton inside you right now!

  • Baysew on 28/08/2016 - 11:01
    +10

    I usually throw such letters into the bin without opening.

    Just do the right thing and mark the letters "Return To Sender" and also don't open other peoples mail (living or dead).

    • Cyberninja on 28/08/2016 - 12:09

      As I said, of course I don't open others' letters and I didn't know the "return to sender" thing before. Will do it from now onwards. Thanks all for your advices.

      • Baysew on 28/08/2016 - 12:34
        +11

        As I said, of course I don't open others' letters

        So I got curious.opened. Those were overdue bills

        So opened it..

        Video for how return to sender thing works.

        • Cyberninja on 28/08/2016 - 14:16

          Thanks. Will do it hereonwards.

        • Cyberninja on 28/08/2016 - 14:27

          I wonder how many people do this "return to sender" thing. Coz whichever buildings i visited so far had bins full of letters. :/

        • retiredfeline on 28/08/2016 - 14:35
          +3

          @Cyberninja: Whenever the letter has If Undelivered Return To Sender printed on it you should do it. If it's obviously junk mail…

        • StewBalls on 28/08/2016 - 15:42
          +6

          @Cyberninja:

          Coz whichever buildings i visited so far had bins full of letters.

          Kinda says something about our self-centred modern society…

        • [Deactivated] on 28/08/2016 - 21:34
          +1

          Thanks, very informative video

  • chumlee on 28/08/2016 - 12:31
    +8

    It's illegal to open someone else mail so you are better of writing return to sender and let the sender sort it out.

  • fruit on 28/08/2016 - 18:32
    +4

    Smells like a scam mail to be honest.

    "URGENT"
    "OPEN IMMEDIATELY"

    RBI

    Reserve Bank of India?

  • tj101 on 28/08/2016 - 19:36
    +1

    A lot of places continue to send mail to the last known address of the person, regardless of the fact that you write return to sender. I used to live somewhere where everyday we would get mail for others. Spent a long time returning them to sender. Eventually decided just to bin them.

    • McFly on 30/08/2016 - 14:18

      I was getting a ton of letters for the previous, previous owner of my house (~10 years before) for years after I moved in.
      It lessened after I returned them but there were a couple hardcore who just plain ignored 'not at this address since last century' coming back to them a dozen or so times.
      IIRC the worst was from a superannuation company - I even rang them up but they just kept coming. Eventually I wrote on them that I would be opening them up/throwing them out and it stopped pretty quickly after that.

  • peteru on 28/08/2016 - 21:17

    You don't need to go into as much effort as writing "Return to sender".

    Just cross out the address and pop it in a letter box. The mail sorting centre know what to do with it, including binning the letters that can't/don't need to be returned.

  • [Deactivated] on 28/08/2016 - 21:39
    +1

    Don't open our destroy others' mail!

    "85N. A person shall not knowingly or recklessly cause an article in the
    course of post to be delivered to, or received by, a person other than the
    person to whom it is directed or that person's authorised agent.
    Penalty: Imprisonment for 1 year. Stealing postal messages etc.

    "85P. (1) A person shall not:

    (c) steal, or fraudulently conceal, misappropriate or destroy, a postal
    message.

    • AssociatedWallyt99 @ Australia Post on 29/08/2016 - 16:56

      Not sure what legislation that is… But once its delivered is it still 'in the course of post'

  • veej on 28/08/2016 - 22:19

    I've never sent something back with "Return to sender" on it, I've always scribbled out the address on the front and then written in big letters on the envelope "Not at this address".

    I guess it achieves the same thing since I've never had someone send one of these back to me.

    • [Deactivated] on 28/08/2016 - 23:33

      Same thing

  • Daabido on 29/08/2016 - 15:15
    +4

    "RTS" works just as well as "Return to sender".

  • AssociatedWallyt99 @ Australia Post on 29/08/2016 - 16:53

    I think you should: 1. gather all the letters and documents. 2. present to the probate office to get probate for the deceased and assume the role off executor. 3. Then cash the cheque! 4. ???? 5. Profit!

    • Stphen on 29/08/2016 - 17:01

      Don't you have to pay all the bills as executor?

    • retiredfeline on 29/08/2016 - 17:13

      You're jesting of course but the executor is named in the will, a random person can't apply to take the role. And the executor has to follow the will's disposition of assets. If there is no will or no executor is capable then the public trustee takes over.

    • MrTweek on 30/08/2016 - 10:13

      Surely works.
      Consider getting a job as a bus driver. They get to keep the money they collect from passengers, right?
      Or work at a bank?

      • OzJD on 30/08/2016 - 22:00

        No, in-fact most companies don't even allow them to keep their tips.

  • Bnjam3 on 29/08/2016 - 18:58

    I take them to the nearest bin. If the previous owner didn't bother himself to change his address with everyone he deal with, why should i waste my time with return to sender?

    • retiredfeline on 29/08/2016 - 19:07
      +5

      I guess you missed the part of the story where he/she died? No need for letters where he/she went.

      • Bnjam3 on 29/08/2016 - 19:18
        +2

        RIP no need for more mail.

  • gstfree on 29/08/2016 - 20:56
    +1

    Mark "RTS" and drop into street box or post shop.

  • hell0 on 29/08/2016 - 21:12
    +1

    This is Ozbargain.. so I think the best suggestion I can make is to change your name by deed poll and take over the dead persons identity including any cheques, welfare, loans… and once you have lived the good life enough you can abandon the identity and go back to being yourself.

    • theStinge on 30/08/2016 - 21:30
      +1

      Ozbargain; not OzScam

  • knitwear on 30/08/2016 - 07:33

    Mark Return to Sender and drop it to the nearest post box.

    Unless it's addressed to "The Occupier", in which case you are legally obliged to open it (Energy Ombudsman requires you to do so).

  • neonlight on 30/08/2016 - 08:36
    +1

    Done a dozen of times for tenants no longer living here on return to sender. They never take the action I end up throwing them in yellow bin

  • brad1-8tsi on 30/08/2016 - 08:41
    +1

    You shouldn't be opening other peoples mail - even if they are dead. Who are you - Dorrie Evans?

    Just put "Deceased - No Longer this address" on them and put them in the post box. Eventually they will stop.

    It's up to the sender to ascertain who the executor or their legal council is and deal with them directly.

  • jasonbw on 30/08/2016 - 09:33
    +1

    Just recently heard there's a massive difference between:
    Return to sender
    And
    Not at this address.

    For a particular government dept (maybe more), not at this address means they can officially stop sending letters since its 'known' the intended recipient isn't there.
    If they get an RTS, they cannot remove that person from that address since there are other reasons for a RTS bar just not living at that address.

    Maybe best to not use RTS and use not at this address.

    • agentsmith on 30/08/2016 - 20:47
      +1

      You could always use both - that way you're returning the item to the sender, and informing them that the intended recipient is no longer at that address.

  • captobvious on 30/08/2016 - 09:38

    Can you find the deceased on facebook?

    • Baysew on 30/08/2016 - 10:02

      ..and message them.

      • captobvious on 30/08/2016 - 10:05

        Yeah msg them to tell them they have letters, maybe they will reply back from the dead.

        No, tell a family member if they have any.

  • worldwidehappiness on 30/08/2016 - 11:17
    -1

    "I usually throw such letters into the bin without opening."

    God, that's a shocking lack of social conscience.

    Anyway, I have a related story. I've been living here for over one year. The cops came and said they were looking for the previous tenant, who I knew had died. I showed them my drivers licence with current address. Incredibly, one of the cops pulled that caper that you see on US cop shows - he said, "I heard a noise inside." Since I was in a rush, I let him have a quick look inside. Regret that. But I wonder what he would have done if I didn't let him in?

    • Cyberninja on 30/08/2016 - 12:03
      -1

      God, that's a shocking lack of social conscience.

      Yep, you will be shocked at every instance you come across. I receive at least 3-5 letters a week for previous tenants. While its a social conscience to write RTS and post it back, its also the responsibility of the tenants to update their mailing addresses. If they needed the letters, they woulf have done that. Had I not know that the person is deceased, I would have assumed the same.

    • johnno07 on 30/08/2016 - 16:15
      +1

      I let him have a quick look inside. Regret that.

      Why? Did he find the body?

      • worldwidehappiness on 30/08/2016 - 20:14
        +1

        There was no body to find. I regret it because I let him break the law and intrude on my privacy just because I was in a hurry.

        • johnno07 on 31/08/2016 - 21:55

          If you let him inside, he didn't break the law.

        • worldwidehappiness on 01/09/2016 - 10:53

          @johnno07: You are really trying to defend the cop? Why? You really want Aussie cops to be more like US cops?

          The law is about having reasonable suspicion. If they invent reasonable suspicion, then they are breaking that law by lying. When the cops repeatedly lie like this, the public will gradually lose trust.

  • SpaceNinja on 30/08/2016 - 11:34

    thought for moment you were actually receiving letters From the dead guy.

    • McFly on 30/08/2016 - 12:12

      Dead letter?

  • goraygo on 30/08/2016 - 20:21

    Return to sender actually works. When we first moved in, we got crap load of letters from previous tenant and 3-4 generations of tenants before.

    By returning to sender for a good 6 months, out junk letter count reduced to zero.

    But recently some moron used our address for some silly account firm and we now have a new name to deal with.

  • Randxyz123 on 31/08/2016 - 01:36

    A couple of days ago, I found another letter in the mailbox and it was addressed to "EXECUTOR OF <FirstName><LastName>".. I don't know what that means by the way.

    You don't know how to use google? to find out what executor means? I find that really hard to believe.

    Most letters such as those have a return address and it says "if undelivered return to company/address".

    • Cyberninja on 31/08/2016 - 11:11

      Good point. I din't google it to be honest. I just combined that question with the other questions I wanted to ask.

  • MITM on 31/08/2016 - 07:31

    The Post Office has a "dead mail" room, where they store all the mail with no return address. Seriously, they have to hold the mail for a specific time in case the addressee turns up for it.

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