Landlord takes post and shreds it? Is this ok

[Hannah135]

I have had some post arrive at an old address. This was a UK HMO rental, the landlord would let himself in the back door unannounced. Even at 8pm on a sunday to pick up his wifes mail.

Anyway I moved out and live down the road. A family member accidently posted a card with money in to the old address. I contacted the old tenants who i am still in touch with and asked them to hold onto it until I can collect. I went to collect a few days later and it had gone. I messaged the landlord and he said as with all old tenants mail he will have shredded it.

 

Where do I stand on this. I had made arrangements and it was now in one of the tenants possession. She left it in the dining room incase she wasnt in when I came for it. Is he allowed to firstly take it if it is in her possession and is he allowed to shred all old tenants mail without any efforts to return to sender/ to ask if arrangements had been made. Is there anything I can do? As I live close I pick up mail. There has been 2 letters arrive for me in total as I swapped my address  where I could.

 

 

 

Thank you

[BankFodder]

I don't know what the specific law is but I'm quite certain that it is unlawful for him to do this.

I suppose that he wouldn't be doing it dishonestly so it wouldn't be criminal damage but I can imagine that there are rules contained in one of the Post Office Acts which prevent it.

I don't have time to do the research at the moment but if I were you I would Google interfering with mail and you will probably find an answer. It will be helpful if you would come back here and let us know what you discover in order to help others.

I'm sure other people will join this conversation and maybe give you the answer immediately

[BankFodder]

 

Quote

 

84Interfering with the mail: general.

(1)A person commits an offence if, without reasonable excuse, he—

(a)intentionally delays or opens a postal packet in the course of its transmission by post, or

 

 

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/26/section/84

 

[Ethel Street]

He should put the mail into a postbox marked 'Addressee doen't live here' or similar. Royal Mail then attempt to return it to sender. Otherwise he breaches the law linked above.

 

Mind you, that doesn't mean you'd ever have received it. If the sender has not put their address on the envelope or in card you wouldn't have got it back anyway.

 

Maybe you should have told the landlord what you wanted to happen to any post sent to your old address?

[whitelist]

Do not think the Postal Services Act will apply as Royal Mail has delivered the mail as addressee, so no interference in transmission.

 

Totally agree, the letter should have been put back into the Royal Mail system and marked gone away. They will the open the letter if no return address to return the correspondence.

 

As the landlord took deliberate possession and destroyed property not belonging to him, he has dishonestly appropriated that property with the intention to permanently deprive

 

That is theft and should be reported to the police 

Edited March 27, 2023 by whitelist

[stu007]

Hi

 

I have to agree with what has been said and I do hope you have kept that message from the Landlord that they shred all old tenants mail but how do you know they have actually shredded it and not opened it first and had a good read.

 

The Landlord should have written on any mail 'Return to Sender Not Known at this Address' and put it in a post box that simple.

 

The actions they have taken is interfered with Mail not intended for them and illegally destroyed it if they have so I would report it to the Police.

 

Also as it is an HMO I would consider contacting the relevant Councils HMO section and informing them of the Landlords actions as well as the coming in without notice to collect wife's mail (why is wife having mail delivered to an HMO if they don't live there)