My old landlord (whom I've griped about on here once before), has forwarded on some mail from my old place. Fine – exactly what he should've done as he'd said he would.

Trouble is, some of it is from British Gas (who knew my new address for postage), and the sod has opened every single bit of post from them.

In doing so he's found out that all my accounts are in credit – but still, what a cheek! One of the letters had a balance repayment/cheque from them as well.

It must be illegal to do this kind of thing?

No idea, I'd have just got a royal mail redirect myself.

Just go chuck a water bomb at him.

Yes, it is illegal. Anyone opening mail that they KNOW is not intended for them (or not instructed to open said mail) can be prosecuted under Postal Services Act 2000 (c. 26), Part V, Para. 84.

On the flip side, proving he opened it deliberately or with malicious intent is another thing; "Oops, I thought it was for me" tends to work…

As IanMunro says, get RM to redirect.

Or just own him with some Bo… forget it… 😛

He was told to forward all mail on to me, and it was addressed to me.

He has been a **** in the past too.

Sh1t in a box and post it to yourself at your old address……..leave him a nice note in there too

I constantly get post for previous occupants, I'm not wasting my time posting on someone elses post if they can't be bothered to set up a redirect and ensure all addresses are updated 12 months down the line.

WEll done coffeeking. Didn't read it there did we

I had set up a redirect with BG but that ignored it, and for your info – all other addresses were up to date. At it's 2 months down the line. Not a year. Would you open other people's mail though? that's the issue.

He should not be opening your mail.

He's a slimey toad that landlord. (no need for it)

Would you open other people's mail though? that's the issue

Of course not. I'd respect their privacy and just chuck it in the bin.

I had set up a redirect with BG but that ignored it

Pook: set up a proper redirect with Royal Mail:
http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/jump2?catId=400040&mediaId=600008&keyname=REDIRECTIONS

Anything in your name to the old address will be redirected by the Royal Mail without the landlord ever seeing it.

On the flip side, by opening mail from old tenants I've discovered baliffs orders, threats of impending CCJs and evidence of fraud. Many times. All of which I have then sorted myself, giving forwarding addresses etc and by doing so avoided being hit with other people's shit. If all tenants/people were trustworthy I wouldn't need to do this, but they arent

If you're that worried about the security of your mail have you ever wondered why there is such disparity between the high degree of mail you never receive against the very very rare occasions that you get other people's mail? A lot of RM employees, (most noticeably in the London area IME) are on the take and have been for years.

I'd ask him to not open any further mail addressed to you and then if he does report him to the post office, keep a written log of emails/letters/conversations etc.

One flip side to getting RM to redirect, is that you become more open to getting your identity copied. It's happened to a number of people I know. Not saying don't do it, but just keep an eye out for such things.

Whilst I wouldn't condone opening others mail normally, I can see why he did it in this case. It can be no fun being saddled with others debts if they leave the house with money owed to a 3rd party; the letter was clearly from BG so its was hardly going to contain precious family news or bank notes and coins stuck to the letter.

I think in his situation I might be tempted to open all post of this nature that might contain information that could well be pertinent to me – illegal or not; people just can't be trusted to do the right thing and settle their own debts these days and forewarned is forearmed.

He shouldnt have done it but you can see why he did to an extent, basically worried- saw the bill and thought 'what if hes cleared off owing me money'?

Landlords have been left with debts before on their properties- probably just being paranoid.

BTW- did you receive the naked series of Polaroids of me that I sent to your old address?

No Hora, he kept them.

Debts go with the tenant. Not the house. The landlord is a nob.

Debts might be meant to go with the tenant but if the company can't find the tenant they will be more than happy to try their luck with the next occupant or owner or refuse to supply the property again. I moved into a house before and had a services provider try to bill me (actually added it to my bill!) for unpaid gas from before I moved in. I also have friends who couldn't get credit/loans after moving into a house which transpired was because there had been previous bad debt associated with the property.

Debts go with the tenant. Not the house.

And there is no war, it never rains and I dont carry a spare inner tube because I never get a puncture 🙄

Also just for the record – can we clear up this rubbish about bad debt – I was in credit.

He should have just forwarded on the mistakenly delivered post as he'd agreed to do, and not sodding opened it.

We still haven;t cleared up the Polaroids. Someone somewhere is enjoying me posing in a tight catsuit 😯

I don't think anyone said you were in debt merely what most would fear if they were a landlord.

ok, fair enough

I think in his situation I might be tempted to open all post of this nature that might contain information that could well be pertinent to me

If you let a house to someone, would you be happy with them opening statements from your mortgage company? Thought not…

Calm down dear

What fool would have the mortgage statement sent to a rented house? Sorry, it might not be legal but I recon all post that looks like a bill related to the house addressed to vacated tenant is fair game.

Convert, as in the OP, if you lived in the house previously and redirected the statements but the bank made a mistake. Oh, and answer the question please 🙂

Sorry, I didn't realise you wanted a response as you did that smart arse internerd thing of making assumptions for me and putting my answer in for me!

As you have asked, I've got nowt to hide, a mortgage is a mortgage & I owe about what most do on my house so would not be too fussed. But then again I'm not the paranoid type. I guess the difference from my perspective would be that my mortgage situation would have little bearing on a vacated tenant whilst money owed by a vacated tenant on services related to a property would have some bearing on me as a landlord so your direct coralation is bit pants. Want try again?

we still occasionally get mail for the previous occupant.

We moved in here in 1998…

it goes in the bin now.

If they can't be bothered to tell their bank (as that's who it's from) that they've moved then I can't be bothered to redirect it. besides, in 12 years, how do I know they haven't moved again?

Convert, the example I'd be thinking of is of the landlord struggling to pay a BTL mortgage and their tenant finding this out, seems to be a reasonable mirror of the OP. Fair enough that you're happy with people reading your mail, can you send some to me? Preferably something with a cheque in it, even better, some cash 🙂

You see it dosn't work again, as I'd never open the mail of a sitting tenant. Not very good at this are you! You are welome to have a ferret around in my bin any time, tons of crap mail if you want it though I can't promise you any cheques/money. Plenty of offers for double glazing I'd be a fool to miss out on you are welcome to though.

What doesn't work?

OP, ex landlord opens tenants mail, you claim this is justifiable if LL thinks there's financial problems.

My example, tenant opens landlords mail, do you claim this is justifiable if tenant thinks there's financial problems?

Why would you be unhappy to open the mail of a sitting tenant? Afterall, it might contain information that could well be pertinent to you.

For me the crucial bit is the tenant having left. Would not give a rats arse if tenant was in debt until they had vacated and I might be left to clear it up. All your postulating is just muddying the waters.

Pointless Internet dicussion as I'm not planning on changing my position any time soon and neither are you. Let's leave it at that as I have a real life to lead and beer to drink.

My entire point was that he had a forwarding address, he said he'd use it. He did, after he'd opened my post.

ergo, he's a dick.

Fair enough, it just seems a shame that you can't respect peoples right to privacy. I can only hope that one of your tenants gets a killer deal on a conservatory and then retires to the West Indies on the proceeds of your gas refund 🙂

Here's somethng that might be of relevance.
2 and a half days per week I work in a council tax recovery department.
If somebody telephones the council to advise they are moving out of a property, we take their word for it, end liabilty and send a final statement.
If any amount remains unpaid (no response) when it's sent to the actual property or forwarding address and it carries on through liabilty order and still no response, I send it to commercial bailifs. They go to the property or forwarding address. They are not nice people. They have one purpose and that's get some money. They require evidence that you aren't the person owing council tax. It can and often does get very unseemly but I'm not allowed to carry out an Experian trace through Locktor unless the bailiff is sure you are not the person OR (and this could be the salient point) any of the reminders etc. issued are returned unopened marked as "Not known at this address" or similar.
I recommend any post not addressed to you but arriving with your property details be returned as above where possible.

No Pook you obviously haven't investigated the detail like Richpenny and convert 😀