What is what to do when mail from previous tenant?

When you receive mail addressed to a previous tenant, it's important to handle it properly. Here's a guide:

• Do not open it. Opening someone else's mail is generally illegal.

• Mark it as "Not at This Address" or "Moved, No Forwarding Address". Clearly write one of these phrases on the envelope.

• Return it to the Mail Carrier. Simply put the mail back in your mailbox or drop it off at the post office. This informs the USPS that the addressee no longer resides at your address.

• Consider Contacting the Previous Tenant (If Possible). If you have a way to contact the previous tenant (e.g., through a landlord or neighbor), you can let them know they are still receiving mail at your address. This can help them update their address with various senders.

• Persistent Mail Delivery: If you consistently receive mail for the previous tenant even after returning it, you might need to contact your local post office directly.

• Important Mail: Be especially diligent about returning mail that appears to be important, such as bank statements, legal notices, or government correspondence.

• Junk Mail: For obvious junk mail addressed to the previous tenant, you can usually just discard it. However, if you receive a large volume of junk mail, consider contacting the sender to request that they remove the previous tenant's name from their mailing list.

• Address Change: The previous tenant should have submitted a change of address form with the USPS. If they did not, that is the root cause.