The end of a tenancy can be a stressful time for landlords. Not only do you need to ensure your
property is clean and in good condition, but also have to work on
putting it back on the market. The last thing you’d want to deal with is mail left behind by your former renters.
Ideally, when a tenant vacates your property, they’ll make sure to inform you and the USPS of their address change. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always happen and it’s up to you, the landlord, to figure out what to do with their mail. To better help you better deal with these situations, the experts at Advantage Realty Services will go over the best strategies to deal with mail from former tenants, as well as tips on how to avoid this problem in the future.
What Not to Do with Mail from Previous Tenants
While it may seem like a simple solution, throwing away a former tenant’s mail is not recommended. And you shouldn’t try to open or destroy it either as this is illegal. This is considered an obstruction of correspondence and a person can be fined for this felony or even face up to five years in prison.
So, what happens if you accidentally opened mail from previous tenants thinking it was for you? In such a situation, you’re not likely to be liable. So, instead of worrying, you should re-seal the package or envelope, write “return it to the sender,” and leave it in the mailbox.
Additionally, it’s important that you know that you, as a landlord, don’t have the responsibility to hold a former tenant’s mail for any extended period. After all, storing letters and packages for long can become an inconvenience. Instead, it’s best to
return the mail so it can be sent to the original sender or your tenant’s new address.
What to Do with Mail from Previous Tenants
Moving out can be stressful, so it’s normal for tenants to forget things like giving the USPS their new address. If you receive mail from a former renter, the best course of action would be to contact said tenant. After you inform them of the issue, you can work to find a solution and ask them to change their address to stop this from happening in the future.
If you’re not able to contact the former renter or have contacted them and the issue persists, don’t worry! Here are some things you can do to stop receiving mail from former tenants:
Send it to the Tenant’s New Address
If a landlord knows their pervious tenant’s new address, they can forward any mail that arrives to their property. The only thing a landlord will have to do is cross out the USPS barcode and the tenant’s old address, then they simply have to write in their new address, and put the mail or envelope back in the mailbox. The drawback is that it’s not a permanent solution as it’s not sustainable in the long run.
Return it to the Sender
If you don’t have your previous tenant’s new address, you can return their mail to the sender. To do this, write “Return to Sender” on the package and put it back in the mailbox. The post office will then try to forward the mail to your tenant’s new address. If they don’t have it, they’ll return it to the sender. In most cases, both the sender and
the post office will update their records and stop sending mail to your property.
Put Up a Sign
If you don’t have time to return the mail, you can simply leave a sign in the mailbox that says, “[Previous tenant’s name] no longer lives at this address.” The mail carrier will take note of this and sort out any mail addressed to said tenant. The only drawback is that signs can be easily destroyed or misplaced. So, you’ll have to check it constantly to ensure it’s in its place.
Reach Out to Postal Services
If you want to ensure there are no misunderstandings, you can talk directly with the mail carrier or to the station manager at your local post office. Let them know that the former tenant no longer lives in the property and that you don’t want to keep receiving their mail. This way, they can sort out the mail from your previous tenant before it arrives at your home.
How to Stop Receiving Mail from Previous Tenants
The best thing you can do to avoid getting mail from a previous tenant is to ask them to change their shipping address by their
move-out date. All they’d have to do is fill out a Change of Address form at your local post office. This simple act can you a lot of time and effort in the long run.
If your renter forgets to change their shipping address, you can easily contact them and make the request again. But you should never try to make this change for them. To fill out the
Change of Address, you must be the receiver, guardian, or authorized agent. If you fill out said form without authorization, you could be fined or even go to prison.
Bottom Line
No one wants to deal with someone else’s mail. Unfortunately, this is a common issue for landlords. It’s best to return any packages sent to your address, forward them to their new address, or contact your local postal services to resolve this problem.
Do you need help managing your rental properties? Contact
Advantage Realty Services! With our property management services, we’ll ensure that your investments are properly taken care of!
