ARGH! Keep getting packages! (insurance, house, Texas, checks)

[sheenie2000]

That's so odd. You'd think the previous owners would want their mail and especially packages! The items in packages can be so expensive. You can go to the post office and let them know. You can also leave a note in your mailbox saying so and so person does not live here. One of the two ways should take care of it.

[middle-aged mom]

Ten months is a long time. I would have probably opened a few of these packages, by accident, of course.

I have visions of drugs, guns or cash.

[Barking Spider]

We have a sign in our mailbox that shows the different names that we might get mail for (Us, my business name, my Mother's and Mother in law's names). Maybe this will work in reverse. Put a sign that you will ONLY accept mail for the following names.........

IF you do know their address, maybe send them a letter telling them that you will no longer forward the packages to them, and they need to give out their correct address.
Then if something comes, just mark it refused and send it back, or let it sit on the porch.

[wanderintonc]

For the mail, you can put your name in your mailbox like-'Smith family ONLY'-that way the carrier that day will know what mail to leave. I'm a carrier and fill in on many routes when the regular carrier is off-I don't always know that someone moved.

I don't know what all to tell you about the non-postal packages. Those companies do things their own crazy way. I've had them leave packages thrown over a fence into my backyard-which as an USPS carrier, I'd never do. Maybe you could drop off the UPS package at one of those pak-n-ship places? But really, you should not have the hassle, that's a drag.

[Racelady88]

Many years ago I had this type of thing happen. Not with the previous owner, but someone who was using my address to receive packages that they did not intend to pay for. Since I worked they were picking through the mailbox and retrieving packages for several months before I became aware of it.

I had to write a letter to the postmaster explaining the situation and she took care of the USPS end of it. Write the letter, explain in detail, address it to Postmaster-your town, and put it in your mailbox for pick up.

I opened each package that arrived via UPS to find the packing slip and called the sender and told them that there was no such person ever at my address. In each instance I was told I could keep the item for my trouble, and eventually one of the companies discovered that this person was using several addresses in my neighborhood to receive packages and none of them had been paid for. Once that discovery was made stuff stopped coming and I never had any more trouble with it.

[ShannonMilligan]

I will put a note in the box saying "X mail only" and hope that works. If I keep getting the UPS and such, I will just have to call the previous owner and tell her to get it fixed. Its just uncomfortable.

Racelady-that's CRAZY! Hope you did get some nice items for your trouble, but shame on the people doing the ordering!

[tony23]

Don't sign for anything.

If they continue to have their stuff delivered to your house, then you can't be responsible for its safety. I imagine if those packages started getting lost, they might change their tune.

Do you know what is in the packages? I've heard of people having drugs shipped to other houses and then retrieving the package through a variety of means. Maybe you should just start turning the packages in to the police, explaining that you want to make sure this isn't happening.

Whatever you do, though, I would find another address to have packages shipped to. It wouldn't surprise me if your packages started getting "lost" after you take any action about this.

[veuvegirl]

Being at the other end of this situation, it is frustrating also! I work from home and get boxes upon boxes shipped to my house. When we moved, I informed my office of my new address, but STILL they were shipping to the old address!

It took a few months to clear it up, but with getting a new server, the new address was dropped or not put in the correct place.

[carolina chick]

Oh that is annoying. I agree with the others in that you should tape a note on the door for UPS and email them so you have a time/date stamp should anything come of it. They sell doorbell covers. I'll DM you the link.

Also, what is UP with these delivery guys and their random placement of packages? I came home to find a 5" x 5" box sitting in the middle of my driveway. If I hadn't of been looking, I would've ran over it. They've done that twice. *grumble*

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

If a private courier(UPS,FedEx,DHL,etc.) drops a package at your home, you do not have any obligation to contact anyone regarding the status of the previous occupants. Furthermore, you can't be prosecuted for opening or damaging these packages. These deliveries are not afforded any federal sanctity protections.

If it's delivered by the postal service, it's considered to be mail and you're obligated by law to inform the P.O. of the error, and make a reasonable attempt to keep the package intact until the carrier retrieves it. Leaving it by the mailbox(whether on the house or the curbline) with a notation is sufficiently reasonable.

If you went through a 2 month stretch without getting USPS deliveries addressed to them, my guess would be that they filed a temporary change of address for a 2 month period. When a temporary lapses and the person(s) fail to file a new permanent change for that old address, it's presumed that delivery should re-commence at the previous address again. Maybe they moved from the apt. and filed a permanent change from that address, mistakenly believing that their mail from your new home would also be forwarded automatically.