What to do with mail being delivered for prior tenant?

General Landlording & Rental Properties
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What to do with mail being delivered for prior tenant?

Mindy JensenPro Member
BiggerPockets Money Podcast Host · Longmont, CO · Member since 2014 · 7k+ posts · 10k+ votes

This showed up in my facebook feed and I started wondering what responsibility the landlord or new tenant has for previous tenants mail? I'd write Return to Sender a few times, but then I'd get fed up. I would probably start tossing things in the trash, but it's a federal offense to tamper with the mail.

Who are my postal experts? Any mail carriers/postmen here?

My last real estate purchase I have a conundrum on. It has a been done for a while. Whole shebangy. 

New person has been living in it for 4 months now.... and they are still receiving previous tenants mail. Like lots, and lots, on the daily. All marked return to sender. Some taken in handfulls to the post office and explained to a manager. Just like the packages given back to the carrier. Just like the handfull I was there for and personally ran down the street to the carrier, explaining again and damn near begging for resolve over. Sounds petty I know but we’re both kinda like - “really??? come on man”. 

Now, the christmas packages have started arriving. New guy has kept up the “return to sender” routine but... apparently the rent was late cuz we got a shop-a-holic. They just 😳 keep 😳 coming 😳. Its hard not to feel somehow responsible for these items but I can see how this unpaid part time job is starting to wear thin and I totally get it. 

The bonus sad part here is that I know for a fact this woman still does and always has worked for the post office!!! She is a USPS carrier!! 🤦♀️ The update of the day I just recieved is: she showed up on the doorstep today asking for her “items that were delivered earlier”. Hearing the story, I’m already thinking - you mean shes been tracking a package to the point of knowing its going to her old address and is just cool with that? Sit back and watch it get delivered there, and ?

I digress.... my tenant is kind and says she was apologetic but I’m still under the impression this is not something she cares to resolve. I have a number for her and I suppose I could call? Let her know that her old house and its new occupant aren’t a ups store here to accept and keep her packages safe and sound til shes ready for an unannounced pick up but... the source and solution here.. is the post office which I would think she has some pull at?? though nobody there seems to be able to get it done.

Maybe I'm just not asking the right questions? Lol. Maybe I should copy, paste, print into a word doc? And 🤦♀️ mail it? 🤣 to the post office?? This is too stupid to spend time on - exactly why I need to fix it. Ideas?
I’m was gonna leave a note, ON the mailbox saying: mail for ____________ only. No other occupants here. Eh? To the carriers who don’t care?

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Jason Grimm
Real Estate Agent · Wytheville, VA · Member since 2017 · 21 posts · 28 votes
7y

I am a USPS carrier, and I run into this on the daily. There are several variations of this solution, but it ultimately comes down to the former tenant needs to put in a change of address form. If they're a postal worker, they should've done it (it takes literally less than 5 minutes). They may be trying to dodge debtors, as mentioned earlier. I would definitelt put a sticker on the box saying "(new tenant's name) only," because chances are there are carriers who rotate that route daily, and it's hard to keep up with all the forwards, especially on multi-family addresses. Another thing that will help is instead of writing "return to sender" on the mail, smply write "FWD." This will force the mail back into the system, and if there is a forwarding address on file, will send it on to where it should go (assuming it's first or second class mail). If there is a forwarding address on file, it will expire after 1 year, at which point you may have to start the proccess again. Another tip, which you may or may not want to bother with: if the mail says "first-class" or any version of "service requested" ie change service, it can be forwarded. If it simply says "standard," it cannot be forwarded, and most likely will end up in the recycling bin. But the safest bet is to rubber-band the whole bundle, mark it FWD, and leave it for the carrier. As for going to the post office to rectify the situation, I would request to speak to the actual Postmaster or a Supervisor, as they will have the most accurate information, as well as the most influence over the situation.

I know this is probably an overly long explanation, but I hope it helps.

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  • Marelyn Valdes
    Investor · Ocala, FL · Member since 2016 · 299 posts · 110 votes
    7y

    Just stick a box next to the mailbox and throw the mail in that....if the old tenant shows up asking for her mail and packages just say they were left in the box.  After the packages keep disappearing she will get the hint.  I have had tenants move and get mail for lots of names I never heard of - I just write never at this address and return to sender.  If the tenant was evicted, I write evicted return to sender.  You don't know how many tenants are dodging bills and drive by to pick up mail after they have moved.  One accused me of stealing her mail - I had left notes a couple of times to the mail carriers that tenant had moved and then rubber banded the box closed so no more mail was delivered until the new tenants moved in.  By law in Florida, you send the security deposit or notice of intent to keep all or part of the deposit certified return receipt to the last known address.  If they don't give you or the post office a forwarding address it just goes to the rental and then gets returned to you.

    0Reply
  • Tracey G.
    Accountant · Baltimore, MD · Member since 2016 · 74 posts · 29 votes
    7y
    @Roger Steciak. I've had informed delivery for over a year now and it's great. Particularly since my mail is delivered really late in the day.
    1Reply
  • Michael Quarles
    Flipper/Rehabber · Bakersfield, CA · Member since 2008 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    7y

    What to do with mail addressed to a former tenant?

    1- If they owe you money write down and return addresses and names of the sender for future use in skip tracing. Christmas Cards from Aunt Margret will help find the person you will be looking for. NEVER open it, keep it or throw it away. It is not the property owners responsibility to find the addressee. 

    2- Whether or not they owe money Write No longer at this address and drop it in a mail box. 

    Happy House Hunting

    0Reply
  • Colleen F.Pro Member
    Investor · Narragansett, RI · Member since 2013 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    7y
    If you think USPS is difficult try to redirect UPS packages. You call and tell them to come back and they never come. My only luck has been physically taking packages to a UPS dropoff location to return them.
    0Reply
  • Ross Bernard
    Real Estate Agent · Durham, NC · Member since 2013 · 81 posts · 39 votes
    7y

    Someone who isn't me just throws it away. Someone who isn't me has been getting mail for no less than five former occupants for over four years now. Someone who isn't me would simply suggest that the items might have been lost/stolen in the mail if pressed.

    0Reply
  • Joy WRIGHT
    Member since 2019 · 2 posts · 0 votes
    7y

    New occupants should inform the mail carrier that they are the new tenants. The website has the accuracy information on how to handle this as well. USPS.COM

    The old tenants know what they should do.

    All mail that doesn't belong to the new tenants should be given back to a postal supervisor. Call them or go in person and speak only to a supervisor or postmaster.

    If none of that works just simply give it back to your mail carrier with a note, MOVED

    HOPE this helps. I hear a lot of negative talk but the USPS can only resolve it if the correct person is notified. They really want to help.

    0Reply
  • Timothy Lenz
    Real Estate Investor · Fort Thomas, KY · Member since 2016 · 1 post · 1 vote
    7y

    While I work on the newly vacant unit I immediately remove the mailbox.

    I love to receive texts or calls of former tenant asking where the mailbox went and I reply “you don’t live here anymore and shouldn’t be here looking for your mail”

    You know they are dodging creditors and I love this little source of annoying them!

    1Reply
  • Eli Lederman
    New York, NY · Member since 2018 · 215 posts · 50 votes
    7y

    just toss it. 

    0Reply
  • Andy Lau
    Brooklyn, NY · Member since 2017 · 1 post · 0 votes
    7y

    As a mail carrier myself, my advice is to talk to the regular mail carrier (not supervisor or postmaster)

    and put names on mailbox, so the mail carrier know who's mail to deliver.

    0Reply
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