Q&A for How to Stop Mail for Previous Residents

Return to Full Article

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    What do I do if someone has their mail forwarded to my address?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Assuming you don't want that mail coming to you, return it to your post office marked "unknown at this address" or "UNK."
  • Question
    The old tenant is telling me that I'm responsible for holding her mail for one year.
    Community Answer
    You are not responsible for holding mail. Tell the old tenant to file a change of address. Continue to write "return to sender" on the mail and place it back in the mailbox.
  • Question
    I'm receiving mail for someone who hasn't lived here for over 13 years - how long do I need to be responsible for a former tenant's mail?
    Community Answer
    Talk to your local post office about this. They can put a hold on it, if no forwarding address was filed, and stop delivering that person's mail to your address.
  • Question
    A letter wrongly addressed to me contains a check. What should I do?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    If you have opened the letter, put it and the check in another envelope and mail it back to the sender with a note explaining the error. If you have not opened the letter, you can forward it for free to the addressee if you or the Postal Service know his/her correct address. If you don't know the correct address, just return the letter to the Postal Service marked "addressee unknown" or "undeliverable as addressed."
  • Question
    My ex-husband did not change his address so I am still receiving his mail, including bills he's responsible for. I have held them, but I feel it's his responsibility to contact the senders. What do I do?
    Adrian
    Top Answerer
    Tell your ex-husband to change his address. Otherwise tell the post office that he no longer lives in your house and his mail should be held.
  • Question
    What should I do if I filed a change of address without permission?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    If your filing a change of address has created a problem for someone, you can cancel the change. Talk to a clerk at your local post office.
  • Question
    Can a person fraudulently contact the postman and request that someone's mail delivery be stopped?
    Community Answer
    Someone can contact the post office and file a change of address to redirect someone else's mail. However, USPS ha systems in place to catch this. If you think this has happened to you, contact your postal service directly.
  • Question
    Can I electronically submit that a person no longer lives at this residence online? If so, where on USPS can I fill out this electronic form?
    Community Answer
    There is no online form for notifying USPS that the person no longer lives at your residence. Additionally, you cannot submit that form on behalf of another person unless you have the legal authority to do so.
  • Question
    My previous renter thinks he can get his mail held at my address without my permission. Is this true?
    Community Answer
    No. You have no responsibility for holding someone else's mail. Either write "return to sender" on it and put it in outgoing mail, or contact the post office and explain.
  • Question
    How do I stop mail addressed to a deceased person arriving to my address?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    If the estate of the deceased person has filed a change-of-address form with the Postal Service, cross out the address (and bar code) on the mail, write "change on file" on it, and return it to your mailbox or to the post office. If you do not know whether a change-of-address has been filed, simply mark "deceased" or "DEC" on the envelope, and return it to your mailbox or post office.
  • Question
    Is there a way to find out who lived in an apartment before me?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Not through the U.S. Postal Service. You may see mail for them occasionally, or maybe the manager or neighbors could tell you.
  • Question
    Can I pick up old mail at the post office?
    Community Answer
    The United States Postal Service does not hold mail unless the customer authorizes it, and then for only up to 30 days. If you have moved but failed to file a forward, your postal service will send the mail back to the sender.
  • Question
    A vagrant who was never a resident at my house decided to use my address so they didn't get in trouble for having no address to report to their probation office. What do I do to stop getting their mail?
    Community Answer
    Follow the guidelines in the article. The backstory behind the situation does not make a difference. It would be best to go to the post office and explain the situation, as described in Step 4.
  • Question
    Why am I getting mail for people who have never lived at my address?
    Community Answer
    There are companies that sell mailing lists to advertisers. The cheaper lists have poor quality addresses. Alternatively, some corporate data entry clerk may have made and error. Mark as “Not at this address” and dump it back into the mail.
  • Question
    I rent a condo form the owner. What should I do with the mail that is being delivered in her name?
    Community Answer
    Hold onto it, let her know so she can update her address with the sender or so she can sign up to have her mail forwarded, depending on the situation. But she must do this for herself, so it's important you inform her.
  • Question
    I moved out, and some letters posted to my previous address. The landlord didn't inform me. What should I do?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    If you know who sent the letters, contact them and provide them with your new address. Otherwise, make sure your post office has your forwarding address, and let it know what happened.
  • Question
    I've followed all steps listed in this article without results. Are there any additional steps I can take to stop mail for previous residents?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Collect the mail for a while; you are under no obligation to deal with it immediately. Once you have a large handful of the previous residents' mail, bundle it up and take it to your post office. Ask for the supervisor or postmaster. Hand the mail to him/her and explain (again) the problem. This is your last recourse. If you still don't get results, just throw the mail away. You are under no obligation to see that previous residents' mail gets to them, especially if you have already made a good-faith effort to do so.
  • Question
    How do I stop mail being sent to my address by someone using it to commit tax fraud?
    Community Answer
    Let your letter carrier know that the person claiming to live at your address does not in fact live there, and if you're sure about the tax fraud, call the IRS and report it.
  • Question
    Can I go to the post office to inform them that the last tenant does not live at my location anymore?
    Community Answer
    Yes, you can, if you have some of their mail, take it with you and they may be able to contact the companies sending the mail and get them to desist.
  • Question
    I have been receiving mail for five or six different people since I moved into my new home. I have written return to sender many times. They wont stop, and it's quite a bit of mail. What should I do?
    Community Answer
    Tell your mailman that those people do not live in your house. The postal service can hold the mail.
  • Question
    How can I stop receiving mail at my house?
    Community Answer
    Sign up for the National Do Not Mail List. Other preventions are informing your family, friends, colleagues that you do not wish to receive mail at your place of residence. When you sign up for a store membership program or something similar, do not fill in your home address when prompted. If possible, leave the address line blank.
  • Question
    Is it legal for me to give the post office a copy of the previous resident's eviction notice?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Yes, it's legal. However, if you want to do this just to show the postal service that the previous resident is no longer at your address, don't bother. They don't need to see an eviction notice. All they need is a change-of-address order signed by an authorized agent. That's you, if the former resident didn't bother to file such an order him/herself. If you don't know their new address, mark "Return To Sender" or "Forward Address Unknown" on all future first-class mail - or just throw it away. You are under no obligation to see that mail gets to the former resident. That's his/her responsibility.
  • Question
    My ex-husband has still not filled out the change of address form to have his mail sent to his new address. I have been writing, "return to sender," and I still get his mail. What is my best option?
    Community Answer
    Take the mail to the post office and let them know in person the mail shouldn't come to your address. That should stop it completely.
  • Question
    I keep receiving letters addressed to a prior tenant, can I pay the postage and mail the letter back to the sender?
    Community Answer
    Many offers use business reply envelopes. If one is included, return the offer to the originator in their envelope and tell them this person is no longer at this address.
  • Question
    How can I forward mail coming to my address if I know the recipient's new address?
    Community Answer
    Tell the person that moved to put in a change of address request. Mark any spurious mail that may arrive as “moved” and put it back into the mail so the post office knows of the problem.
  • Question
    How do I stop recieving junk mail for previous residents?
    Community Answer
    Since most junk mail is addressed “or for current resident” you’ll have to contact the sender or try one of the direct marketing organizations to get it to stop.
  • Question
    I am receiving mail for people who don't live at my address. I have done a change of address and spoken to the mail carrier. What else can I do?
    Community Answer
    Write “not at this address” on the items and put them back into the mail. It might take a few pieces for the mailers to get the message. However, this won’t stop mail for “...or current resident” junk mail. In those cases, you’ll have to contact the sender to get your address off their list.
  • Question
    I have followed all the suggestions in this article and yet I receive mail for residents from five years back. I've contacted the post office several times. What else can I do?
    Beth Kocab Harrelson
    Community Answer
    Letter carriers have no way to know every person living in every home. Leave a note for your carrier explaining exactly who is to receive mail at the address. If mail has a name plus "resident," "current resident," "occupant," or another type of generic name, the mail is actually directed to a house and its occupants, not a specific person, even if there is a name on it.
  • Question
    How do I stop mail for previous residents?
    Community Answer
    Leave a note for your letter carrier, write, "Return to sender -- does not live here," on the envelope and leave it in the mailbox to be taken away.
  • Question
    How do I stop mail for previous residents if the mailman ignores my notes?
    Community Answer
    Usually the letter carrier is not ignoring your notes. Usually it is because your mail is being delivered by multiple letter carriers who do not know every person who lives at all 300 to 1600 houses on a route that they only carry once in a while. Try writing the names of all persons who receive mail at your house and put a note on your mailbox. This will not always work because a letter carrier is supposed to attempt the delivery. It can also help to get to know your letter carrier and always be friendly.
Ask a Question

      Return to Full Article