I keep getting neighbour's post - how do I stop it?

[oceanauk]

Ok this is a bit of a wierd one I know but it's driving me mad - my neighbour keeps getting her post sent to my address - parcels, letters, invoices - usually all from one company - a shopping catalogue and I'm thinking that she is using my address as a credit rating. It is really annoying me and I've asked her on a number of occasions, very nicely, to change the address and nothing has been done. I've sent letters back claiming not know at this address etc. My concern is that of she decides she's not going to pay for items or gets bad credit it will be on my address and I will be blacklisted. What on earth can I do? I don't really want to fall out over this with my neighbour but she's not getting the message. Can the post office stop this somehow? Thanks for reading this!!

[coyn]

Inform the post office that you dont want her mail delivering to your address they will sort it out for you, meantime just return her mail to sender. You could also write to the mail order company and tell them to get their records updated.

[Le Chat]

This woman is really taking the p***! Yes, send them back to the post office but let her know you are going to do this if she doesn't sort it out! The cheek of the woman!!

[funnywebsite]

Send them back not known as this address. I have moved house and still getting the previous owners post. They normally come round once a week and said we told the post office but they are slow to divert their mail. I would think it would not take a month for them to change their address. I would think they would do it straight away. I don't believe they have done it because you have to pay the post office, they do not do it for free. For now I am not going to fall out with them but I get at least 10 letters/catalogues for them and get 1 letter for us. I will give them another month but then it has to stop and I have to send them back to sender for them to change their address. Then I will have to make a special trip to the post box. People are taking the ****.

[Narolines]

Last year we had a load of stuff, including insurance documents and all kinds of what looked like bills and statements, for a family we had never heard of. They were correctly addressed in that the house number, road and postcode were ours, but the name meant nothing. For a couple of months I marked them "Not known at this address" and sent them back, then I got fed up and just dumped tham allin the recycling bin. They stopped arriving after about a year.

[oceanauk]

Thank you to everyone for your responses. I have indeed been sending mail back stating not known at this address however, it doesn't stop the mail - which I have been receiving now for over a year. It also does not stop parcels coming to me etc. I am in the process of contacting both royal mail and the post office via their websites but as yet have had no response. To funnywebsite - when you move you pay the post office to redirect mail (about 12GBP for 3 months) and they will do it immediately or from a date you give them - so you are also being taken for a ride by these people!! I'll post again should this matter progress any!!!

[twopennorth]

Have you tried contacting the shopping catalogue company directly?

They might be quite interested to hear that she does not live at the address she has given. If they have decent customer care they will be concerned to make sure you are not inconvenienced.

As for the credit rating on your house, it might be worth contacting a company like Experian. They can give you a credit rating for a small fee. I'm not sure of the details but it might be worth checking out on the internet.

It is also worth checking out with the Citizen's Advice Bureau for their advice on the legal aspects.

[funnywebsite]

Thanks for that Oceanauk, I knew the post office would do it straight away. I have not moved into my new house yet so I will be contacting the post office when I do move. They are abusing our good nature. I only visit the house at the weekend and catalogues left outside look inviting to burglars. It is far away and I won't be moving in for about a month.

[Octavius]

Failing all the above, you could always speak to the police about identity fraud and voice your concerns. Maybe a letter or a visit from them would put a stop to it of noone else can.

[joko]

i would just keep all her mail. she will soon stop using your address if she never receives anything but still has to pay for it. if she comes round to collect it tell her you know nothing.

and a few freebies for you to make up for her cheek, and give the rest to the charity shop!

[dzug]

Legally the Post Office are obliged to deliver mail to the address that's on it so there's not a lot they can do except return to sender when you ask.

and if you don't return it, technically you are stealing it

Not an easy situation. Trying the catalogue company sounds the best way forward.

[oceanauk]

I've opened a can of worms here!! LOL! Just want to say that I've since spoken to my neighbour again - who now assures me she's told this catalogue company her address (I don't believe at all though I'm afraid!) - I have actually contacted the catalogue company myself about six months ago and legally they cannot change the address unless told to do so by my neighbour. Technically the Post Office do indeed have to deliver to the address and not the name on any given letter/parcel. I still have heard nothing from the post office / royal mail yet. Definately a case of being stuck between a rock and a hard place! I don't think contacting the police would get me anywhere since I can prove no actual crime!! I would also never keep somebody else's mail - it is stealing and not something I would even contemplate. All I can do is just continually return the mail - which means trips to a mail box regularly - and of course I'm really far from the nearest one!! LOL!! I'll still keep posting any further updates!! Thank you all!