Royal Mail ‘four-word rule’ when you receive someone else’s letters

Royal Mail ‘four-word rule’ when you receive someone else’s letters Royal Mail has issued advice for anyone receiving letters or parcels addressed to someone who doesn't live at the address Receiving post addressed to someone else or a previous resident can be frustrating, particularly if letters continue arriving months after you move into a new property. Royal Mail has a simple message that it recommends writing on the envelope before returning the item. The advice applies when the letter is addressed to someone else but has been delivered to your address. Royal Mail recommends marking the item so it can be returned to the sender, allowing the relevant records to be updated. All you have to write is four simple words: "No longer lives here". Royal Mail says the message should be written on the front of the item before it is put into a postbox. What to do with someone else's post - Previous resident: Write "No longer lives here" on the envelope and put it back into a postbox - Wrong address: Return the item to Royal Mail by putting it into a postbox so it can be dealt with appropriately - Do not open it: If the letter is addressed to someone else, leave it unopened and return it instead Royal Mail's guidance is intended to help deal with post that has been delivered to the correct property but is addressed to somebody who no longer lives there. The service is also designed to help return the item to its sender where possible. There is an important difference between receiving somebody else's letter at your address and having post delivered to the wrong address altogether. In either situation, returning the item through Royal Mail is preferable to simply throwing it away. People should also be careful about opening letters addressed to somebody else. Under the Postal Services Act 2000, intentionally opening a postal packet without reasonable excuse and with an intention to act to a person's detriment can be an offence. The law does not mean accidentally opening somebody else's letter automatically makes you a criminal. However, if you realise the post is not intended for you, the safest option is to leave it unopened and follow Royal Mail's guidance.