What is what to do when you get mail for previous resident?

Here's what to do when you receive mail for a previous resident:

• Don't Open the Mail: It's generally illegal to open someone else's mail.

• Mark the Mail as "Not at This Address" or "Moved": Clearly write "Not at This Address," "Moved," or "Return to Sender" on the envelope.

• Return the Mail to the Postal Service: You can do this in several ways:

  • Place the mail back in your mailbox with the flag up.
  • Drop it off at a local post office.
  • Give it to your mail carrier.

• For Important or Recurring Mail: If you frequently receive mail for the previous resident, especially for important documents like bank statements or legal notices, you may want to take additional steps:

  • Contact the Sender: Call the company or organization that sent the mail and inform them that the person no longer lives at your address. This is the most effective way to stop the mail from continuing to arrive.

  • Consider a Change of Address form: Though it's the previous resident's responsibility, you could fill out a Change of Address form on their behalf (with their permission, ideally) and submit it to the post office. This will forward their mail for a limited time. However, this is generally not recommended without the previous resident's explicit consent.

• Dealing with Packages: If you receive packages for the previous resident, follow the same procedure as with letters. Mark the package as "Not at This Address" or "Moved" and return it to the carrier or a post office.

• Junk Mail: For catalogs and other unsolicited mail, you can mark it as "Refused, Return to Sender." You can also contact the sender directly to remove the previous resident's name from their mailing list.