New Home Owner Keeps my Mail

[mamamia2]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Illinois

We sold our home couple years ago, and after the Post Office stopped forwarding our mail, the new owner is holding it, or trashing it, or who knows what he's doing with it.... Our NEW property tax bill was sent to the old address, as I just found out (looking on-line), and I need the statement for payment, but the new owner does not respond to my calls, I'm asking him to let me know when he gets mail on my name, I asked him to just leave it between the doors, so I don't have to bother him, but I get no response.... This has been going on for the past 2 years.... Is he doing anything illegal? Isn't it against Federal law to keep, or open, or trash mail that belongs to someone else? Can I threaten him?

Thanks.....

 

[justalayman]

why do you expect a person that lives at an address you have not lived at for over two years to be your secretary?

If you haven't changed your address on everything important in over two years, it is your fault. Leave the guy alone and be responsible for yourself.

If you need a copy of your tax bill, while you are at the tax office changing your address of record, get a copy of the bill.

 

[mamamia2]

I'm here to ask a LEGAL question. I did not expect the guy to keep my junk mail for me, but there ARE a few pieces of mail that could have slipped between the cracks, and could land in this guy's mail box.

I'm still getting mail sent to the old owners of my home, and if it's first class mail I mark their new address on it and forward it.....

...But again, I'm asking a LEGAL opinion, none other than that**************.

Thanks.

 

[CdwJava]

If you can PROVE he is destroying mail addressed to you, consider calling the Postmaster or the Postal Inspector ... maybe the police (because very often after delivery, the USPS claims no legal responsibility for the mail). However, if the guy at the residence denies even getting the mail, then so much for any criminal charges being possible. Essentially he will have to confess to the act, and even then chances are he would most likely be admonished to just return it rather than prosecuted.

Speaking from first hand experience, you just are not going to get a DA to file charges on this. You just won't. Unless the guy admits to intending to cause you harm he or she is not going to go after some guy for tossing mail that is not his. If you have been damaged by his not returning such mail to the original sender, you are free to try and make your case in civil court - most likely small claims. Maybe he can be held accountable for actual damages you have suffered ... maybe.

Your best bet is to do as previously advised: Make sure your address has been properly changed all around, and consider talking to the local post office with responsibility for the old address and asking them if they could route/forward any o your old mail that might still show up there.

 

[mamamia2]

Thanks, CDW. I am not planning to sue, I'm more looking for a legal base to merely THREATEN the guy --- who's not too good at taking care of his own issues, I learned that already.

This guy is actually renting the house from the new owner who is also his friend.... We live couple blocks from the old house. Last time when I knocked on his door (that was about 6 months after selling the house) he said he got some mail of mine and handed it to his friend, the owner. I asked him to and he called the owner while I was there, and got a promise to send my mail to me. Nothing happened.

Of course, my mail arrives to my new address, but SOME stuff may not, and SOME does not, like this Property Tax bill for my NEW place --- that only the idiots at the county (I was there, I went thru the address change a year ago) know why they keep sending the bill to my old address....

 

[Zigner]

Thanks, CDW. I am not planning to sue, I'm more looking for a legal base to merely THREATEN the guy...

If you aren't going to follow through, then don't bother with any legal threats.

 

[mamamia2]

You know, this is not me against some giant corporation. It's me against some shmock who is a failure in handling his own life (his next door neighbors are still good friends of ours). All I want to make a note to him in kind of a BTW "you know, holding my mail is against Federal law"... I just want to know if there's ANY base to such a claim**************

 

[Zigner]

You know, this is not me against some giant corporation. It's me against some shmock who is a failure in handling his own life (his next door neighbors are still good friends of ours). All I want to make a note to him in kind of a BTW "you know, holding my mail is against Federal law"... I just want to know if there's ANY base to such a claim**************

At this point, I haven't heard any proof...

 

[mamamia2]

...As I mentioned before, "he said he got some mail of mine and handed it to his friend, the owner" -- that was last year. The guy is not a bad guy, just a bit helpless. Since I KNOW the county sent the bill to my old address, I am sure when I knock on his door he'll say something similar. I simply want him to realize this is bordering with violation of federal law, maybe that would frighten him a bit.... I just want to know if there is ANY validity to it.....

 

[Isis1]

...As I mentioned before, "he said he got some mail of mine and handed it to his friend, the owner" -- that was last year. The guy is not a bad guy, just a bit helpless. Since I KNOW the county sent the bill to my old address, I am sure when I knock on his door he'll say something similar. I simply want him to realize this is bordering with violation of federal law, maybe that would frighten him a bit.... I just want to know if there is ANY validity to it.....

There isn't. Leave the poor guy alone.

 

[Zigner]

As *I* said, I see no PROOF.

As you were told earlier, take care of YOUR business, then you won't have to deal with this.

 

[mamamia2]

Seems like some members here are less interested in the LEGAL aspect of issues here, but more spending their free time chatting.....

But that's OK, CdwJava was the one (and only) who contributed some helpful advice for me to consider.

Thanks to all. I know how to take it from here.

 

[Zigner]

But that's OK, CdwJava was the one (and only) who contributed some helpful advice for me to consider.

If you can PROVE he is destroying mail addressed to you...

What a maroon!
Cdw ALSO speaks to PROOF.

 

[Isis1]

What a maroon!
Cdw ALSO speaks to PROOF.

Heeeyyy! I love those coconut cookies!!!

 

[mamamia2]

It's OK, no worry, Zigner, I got the advice I need. Thanks.