Previous residents might still be using address?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We had that happen. I sent the mail back. I opened it and called the agencies. Nothing. Now I just throw it away.

Technically it’s a crime to destroy mail intended for someone else, and given that some of it is very official, it’s probably not wise for me to do that.

But that’s why it’s so aggravating — it’s a pointless exercise. The city won’t fix the address, and the mail won’t ever get to the people.

If I knew where they lived or how to get in touch with them, I’d probably just box it all up and deliver it in a huge batch so at least in the end there was some point to this.

You tried. Just throw it away. That’s what I do. There is zero chance you will get in trouble for this.

[Anonymous]

OP let DCPS know - it's because the address is not changed on their central system.

[Anonymous]

I'd ask at the post office. The one that is your address's designated PO - don't go to just any PO. Ask to speak in person to a manager. Explain the situation. I suspect you will be told that the PO can't do a thing since they are required to deliver the mail to the address on it -- BUT you will at least know you did due diligence by checking and reporting the issue. A PP is correct that you can't fill in a change of address form for someone else, but you don't have a forwarding address anyway, right?

I am like you, OP, and would feel some concern about things like tax documents, school documents and medical bills, but after you have done all you can (which is much more than most people would), I think you can pitch it knowing that you are not obligated -- after eight years and thousands of pieces of mail -- to keep trying to get this stuff to them or at least back into the postal service's hands.

One thing that occurs to me: If you opened one of the ambulance bills or hospital bills, for instance, was the date of service recent? If so I'd wonder if the family was intentionally using their old address in order to avoid those bills. (And yes, I know it's a crime to open someone else's mail, as I'm sure one PP above will insist; however, I would have opened at least one of those bills "accidentally on purpose" to see if the charges were recent enough that they smelled like a deception was going on). I'd still pitch them, after calling the ambulance company or hospital ONE time only to inform them. After that, it's on the provider to get the right address. Unfortunately. Because unpaid bills turn into higher costs for everyone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We had that happen. I sent the mail back. I opened it and called the agencies. Nothing. Now I just throw it away.

Technically it’s a crime to destroy mail intended for someone else, and given that some of it is very official, it’s probably not wise for me to do that.

But that’s why it’s so aggravating — it’s a pointless exercise. The city won’t fix the address, and the mail won’t ever get to the people.

If I knew where they lived or how to get in touch with them, I’d probably just box it all up and deliver it in a huge batch so at least in the end there was some point to this.

Yeah, I am sure the federal government is really going to come after you after 8 years of this.

Anyway, if it's this big of a deal for you, gather up a month's worth and then take it to the post office and ask to speak with the manager. There is a form where you can designate who should be getting mail at the house even if you can't forward it to another address.

[Anonymous]

Throw it away. Not your problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd ask at the post office. The one that is your address's designated PO - don't go to just any PO. Ask to speak in person to a manager. Explain the situation. I suspect you will be told that the PO can't do a thing since they are required to deliver the mail to the address on it -- BUT you will at least know you did due diligence by checking and reporting the issue. A PP is correct that you can't fill in a change of address form for someone else, but you don't have a forwarding address anyway, right?

I am like you, OP, and would feel some concern about things like tax documents, school documents and medical bills, but after you have done all you can (which is much more than most people would), I think you can pitch it knowing that you are not obligated -- after eight years and thousands of pieces of mail -- to keep trying to get this stuff to them or at least back into the postal service's hands.

One thing that occurs to me: If you opened one of the ambulance bills or hospital bills, for instance, was the date of service recent? If so I'd wonder if the family was intentionally using their old address in order to avoid those bills. (And yes, I know it's a crime to open someone else's mail, as I'm sure one PP above will insist; however, I would have opened at least one of those bills "accidentally on purpose" to see if the charges were recent enough that they smelled like a deception was going on). I'd still pitch them, after calling the ambulance company or hospital ONE time only to inform them. After that, it's on the provider to get the right address. Unfortunately. Because unpaid bills turn into higher costs for everyone else.

I talked to the post office about it. They made. A note and the mailman put a note in the door of the mailbox that said “only the Larlos” mail and it has pretty much Stopped.

[Anonymous]

Anything that is marked as Standard Mail, you can throw out. USPS won't forward that. Write RTS on the rest. Or throw it out - after that many years, it seems like you've done your part and like there isn't another known address for these people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd ask at the post office. The one that is your address's designated PO - don't go to just any PO. Ask to speak in person to a manager. Explain the situation. I suspect you will be told that the PO can't do a thing since they are required to deliver the mail to the address on it -- BUT you will at least know you did due diligence by checking and reporting the issue. A PP is correct that you can't fill in a change of address form for someone else, but you don't have a forwarding address anyway, right?

I am like you, OP, and would feel some concern about things like tax documents, school documents and medical bills, but after you have done all you can (which is much more than most people would), I think you can pitch it knowing that you are not obligated -- after eight years and thousands of pieces of mail -- to keep trying to get this stuff to them or at least back into the postal service's hands.

One thing that occurs to me: If you opened one of the ambulance bills or hospital bills, for instance, was the date of service recent? If so I'd wonder if the family was intentionally using their old address in order to avoid those bills. (And yes, I know it's a crime to open someone else's mail, as I'm sure one PP above will insist; however, I would have opened at least one of those bills "accidentally on purpose" to see if the charges were recent enough that they smelled like a deception was going on). I'd still pitch them, after calling the ambulance company or hospital ONE time only to inform them. After that, it's on the provider to get the right address. Unfortunately. Because unpaid bills turn into higher costs for everyone else.

OP again. Going to the post office now to drop off some packages, so I’ll ask! Good idea.

RE: ambulance bill, one of my children is chronically ill, so I did accidentally open that bill! And yes, it had been a recent incident, not one occurring years ago. Which either could be because of an old or not yet unexpired driver’s license? The EMS always asks to see my DL during the transfer to the ER whenever we have to use an ambulance.

[Anonymous]

Filed without a second thought in the garbage.

[Anonymous]

My sister bought a house 6 years ago and still received personal mail regarding the pervious owner including checks, bills and life insurance documents. For the first year she kept getting his amazon deliveries because he forgot to change his address with them and to this day still has never put in a change of address with the post office. She's at the point of just trashing everything now because for how many years is she going to write return to sender.

[Anonymous]

Based on the ambulance bill or other info, can you google them to find a more recent address? And then complete a forwarding address form yourself.

[Anonymous]

One of the previous tenants for our house uses our address for all his medical providers and billing. He doesn't pay all of the bills and they all come to our house. I think he just goes from provider to provider, stiffing all of them. We also get the medical-related collection notices.

[Anonymous]

Personally, I would throw it all away at this point. These people are likely claiming your address so that they can claim city services (most likely their children attend a DCPS school). So if you care enough to get involved, send the stuff to the relevant agency and explain that these people have not lived here for x years and after years of marking mail as "moved" and still getting their mail you want to report to them directly, rather than just USPS. The "them" could be DC public schools, DC unemployment, DC tax and revenue...whatever the case may be. If they get in trouble, it's on them to sort out.

[Anonymous]

Idk why everyone is shitting on you for being annoyed after eight years of this. I once had a former resident of my house accidentally mail a Nordstrom package to our house and got all huffy with me that I changed the code to the garage keypad so that she couldn't just enter our garage while I was at work to get it (and I wouldn't give her the new code). I would contact the appropriate agencies and say "The Smiths don't live here anymore."

[Anonymous]

A few homes ago, I am almost certain the family who lived there before me continued to use the address so their kid could continue to go to the zoned school. Year after year, I got mail from the school regarding the child. I tossed it without giving it any additional thought. It was a good school zone, so I understand.