Forwarding Mail & Abandonment Correspondence

[pcgumshoe]

What is the name of your state? FL

I'm the Landlord and Tenant disconnected power with power company 16 days ago. I've gone in, taken photos, boxed and stored the remaining few items tenant abandoned. Tenant lives in a legal apartment that is numbered 1/2 of the main address, (i.e. "1300 1/2").

No second mailbox is on the property and postman delivers mail to main address. Tenant and I had agreement that I'd place his mail in the garage/laundry room common area for his collection. Now tenant has several pieces of mail in there AND I must send him an itemized list of all the property and where and how he can pick it up.

Tenant left no forwarding address and appears not to have done so with the post office since I am still receiving his mail. He does still work at the same place of employment.

Two questions:

1) Should I forward all his mail (and any legal correspondence) to his last no work address, or should I just say, "MOVED, No Forwarding Address?"

2) Concerning abandoned property, does Tenant have to pay JUST for storage, or storage and cleaning/moving fee, or storage, cleaning/moving/ and back rent?

Thanks

 

[fairisfair]

you should just mark the mail, not at this address. leave a note in the mailbox for the postal carrier, that this person has moved and not to deliver their mail to that address, and let them take it from there.

 

[Ozark_Sophist]

Mail the itemized list to the last known legal address. When it get sent back to you, retain the unopened letter.

 

[pcgumshoe]

Hmm... that's sort of the problem...

I live at address 1300 Main Street USA... Former Tenant lived at 1300 1/2 Main Street USA.

If I draft and mail a letter to my address (at a post office, let's say), and the letter comes to 1300 1/2 Main Street, normally, I'd take it and put it in the garage. NOW, he's gone, so sending it to myself might trip things up, I think there are a lot of smart postal people out there, but I've already been to the post office TWICE for misdirecting my mail AND I live in the South (no offense).

Any suggestions on that? And was that a "NO" to sending anything to his job?

 

[fairisfair]

Hmm... that's sort of the problem...

I live at address 1300 Main Street USA... Former Tenant lived at 1300 1/2 Main Street USA.

If I draft and mail a letter to my address (at a post office, let's say), and the letter comes to 1300 1/2 Main Street, normally, I'd take it and put it in the garage. NOW, he's gone, so sending it to myself might trip things up, I think there are a lot of smart postal people out there, but I've already been to the post office TWICE for misdirecting my mail AND I live in the South (no offense).

Any suggestions on that? And was that a "NO" to sending anything to his job?

you are talking about two different things here.

If you are sending mail to him, send it where ever you want. Send it to the work address, heck, send it to the moon.

You are NOT the post office, and do not have the legal right to redirect the US Mail, so the mail that he receives should be directed back to the post office. not to any one or any place else.

 

[Ozark_Sophist]

I was addressing the second question OP had in his original post. I would send all tenants mail back marked moved, no forwarding address. To cover OP as for deposit and belongings, I would also send a notice to tenants last known mailing address. Of course it would be kicked back to OP but if tenant ever tried to sue for damages, the letter is evidence.

 

[fairisfair]

I was addressing the second question OP had in his original post. I would send all tenants mail back marked moved, no forwarding address. To cover OP as for deposit and belongings, I would also send a notice to tenants last known mailing address. Of course it would be kicked back to OP but if tenant ever tried to sue for damages, the letter is evidence.

Exactly true...... It wasn't you that was confusing things.

 

[OHlandlord]

I agree with all the posters here. My question is why isn't there a second mailbox for the other 1/2 of the rental? This would solve all the mail problems now and in the future. A mailbox is cheap and only requires 2 screws. Put one up and save yourself the mail problems.

 

[Cvillecpm]

On your application you should have tenants "nearest relative"...send/mail whatever you need to to the tenant care of (c/o) that nearest relative.