Receiving Mail from The Previous Tenants

LGMANagan on 09/05/2020 - 17:56
Last edited 09/05/2020 - 21:59

We've been receiving a lot of physical mail from a tenant who no longer lives in our building.

The mail is unwanted by this tenant, and they are unwilling to contact all the senders to update the address, as they consider it non essential (mostly junk).

According to the website, Australia post will not be able to halt mail coming to our address unless this ex-tenant contacts all these senders and updates his details.

Originally we were redirecting the mail, but Australia post was charging us to do this. So we've been trashing the mail since then (yes, this is legally questionable, if not outright illegal, we're well aware).

It seems like a terrible waste, and is frustrating to have to deal with this.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

EDIT:
With an overwhelming number of responses telling me to use the RTS method, I'll go ahead and start doing this. I'll close this thread for now, many thanks for your input!

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closed Comments

  • cbol55 on 09/05/2020 - 18:01
    +5

    surely you mean "for" a previous tenant

    • [Deactivated] on 09/05/2020 - 18:05
      +2

      Maybe it's like "The Lakehouse"… just less sexy and more desperate creepy.

  • [Deactivated] on 09/05/2020 - 18:02
    +25

    Just write RTS on the front and drop them in your local mailbox.

    • dtxau on 09/05/2020 - 18:19
      +4

      ^This. I've been doing this and have noticed a massive reduction in mail. Looks like it was a sharehouse prior to me moving in.

  • cbol55 on 09/05/2020 - 18:02
    +4

    but marked "not at this address" or "address unknown" and reposted fixes it very easily

  • bobbified on 09/05/2020 - 18:03
    +1

    Draw a line diagonally across the envelope and write RTS in big letters and place it on top of the mail box (or take bundles to the post office). Some companies will update their records accordingly.

  • trex on 09/05/2020 - 18:04
    +2

    For envelopes with sender’s address, use a sharpie to cross out the addressee and write “Return to sender, no such person”. Drop envelopes into nearest Auspost mailbox. No new stamps required.

  • Mechz on 09/05/2020 - 18:17
    +4

    Harvest their information and ruin their credit rating, that should motivate them.

    • toristo on 10/05/2020 - 00:54
      +1

      In this economy? rolls dice

  • outlander on 09/05/2020 - 18:33
    +2

    Just go ahead and burn it Vernon, you muggle

  • DashCam AKA Rolts on 09/05/2020 - 18:38
    +1

    Print a sheet of stickers saying "Not known at this address."
    Place the sticker over the address on the front, put in the nearest postbox/return to nearest post office.
    Some firms/senders are persistent and you may need to repeat, hence sheet/s of labels. Has worked for me.

  • Blue Cat on 09/05/2020 - 18:41

    I have a somewhat related issue with my new neighbor.
    He throws all mail not addressed to him away… on the ground.
    He seems friendly overall so I just casually asked him why he keeps doing this - his response was that there's no fines for this and "someone will clean it up eventually".
    He keeps doing this after many months and the mail eventually gets cleaned up by mystery someone.
    Are there any laws for this and why is this allowed? I don't want to confront him as he is friendly overall and does not cause any trouble as a neighbor so I want to keep our good relationship.

    • JimmyF on 09/05/2020 - 18:45
      +2

      He throws all mail not addressed to him away… on the ground.

      Let me guess….. From a overseas country? I have a neighbor who does the same thing. Really pisses me off. Sure throw it out, but put it in a bin!

      Are there any laws for this and why is this allowed?

      Littering laws?

      I don't want to confront him as he is friendly overall and does not cause any trouble as a neighbor so I want to keep our good relationship.

      But his already caused trouble, and is a strain on the relationship? So why not say something or put a note in their mailbox,saying please stop littering.

    • JIMB0 on 09/05/2020 - 19:25
      +1

      I think there is a law against this. Something to do with tampering with another person's mail.

  • JimmyF on 09/05/2020 - 18:43
    +3

    Any advice would be much appreciated.

    Cross out the address, write return to sender on it, pop it into the post.

    They'll slowly stop.

    Bonus info - If you're too lazy to write this, you can get a stamp from ebay.

    • Donaldhump on 10/05/2020 - 08:03

      too lazy to order the stamp

  • holdenmg on 09/05/2020 - 19:07
    +1

    Call up ACA and let them do another story about deadbeat tenants that leave their mail behind… ACA need a story for
    Tracy for Monday night, people are over the whole Toyota Corona Covid-19 thing, plus there are
    no weight loss clinics open so they can't do stories on diets.

  • bazingaa on 09/05/2020 - 19:14

    Just cross the recipient address and write "RTS - Unknown at address" and put into nearest post box, most of the time senders will update their database and stop sending mail again.

  • Almost Banned on 09/05/2020 - 19:28
    +1

    I have been getting mail from AMP for a previous tenant for about 18 years.
    I have been marking it 'return to sender' for about 17 years.
    I no longer mark RTS - now it just goes straight in the bin.
    There is some poor shmuck out there who hasn't had a super statement in 18 years - but I think he probably deserves it for putting his super with AMP in the first place.

  • kahn on 09/05/2020 - 19:32
    +4

    Could we have a few more 'return to sender' suggestions? I don't think the OP has got the message.

    • iforgotmysocks on 09/05/2020 - 19:54
      +2

      I'm on it, kahn.

    • JimmyF on 09/05/2020 - 20:05
      +1

      well its pretty straightforward thing to do, isn't it? but yet here we are…… another thread about something that shouldn't have been a thread in the first place.

  • brendanm on 09/05/2020 - 19:39
    +1

    Collect them for a couple of months and then use them for a fire in winter.

  • iforgotmysocks on 09/05/2020 - 19:54
    +3

    Write return to sender not at this address and whack it in a post box.

  • [Deactivated] on 09/05/2020 - 20:08
    +2

    Originally we were redirecting the mail, but Australia post was charging us to do this.

    What? Why? Just RTS like everyone has said so far and place the item in a red street posting box or hand it to staff at any Post Office for return. It's free.

    Edit: Technically , you're meant to write "return to sender - unknown at this address".

  • Godric on 09/05/2020 - 20:18
    +1

    Use it for fuel for a fire

  • Eeples on 09/05/2020 - 20:31
    +5

    Reading through all these comments I am surprised that no-one has suggested writing RTS or similar and putting it in postbox.

  • Pumpkin_rrr on 09/05/2020 - 22:26
    1. Forward the mail to the Tenant’s new address
    2. Email to those companies or Government, tell them that the person has moved and please stop sending any mail.

    I’ve done both and it did work, not 100% but some success.

    RTS didn’t seem to work and a waste of resources.

  • sss333 on 10/05/2020 - 00:58

    Address it to Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and put it in a post box.

  • Moderatorscotty on 10/05/2020 - 08:08

    Thread closed requested by OP.

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