My family and I recently sent some birthday cards to an uncle down South. He moved house (only next door) and we got the number wrong. We put 194 when it should have been 192. Anway when my uncle realised what had happened he went next door to ask the lady for his cards and she'd thrown them out !! He went round on the same day as his birthday and taking into account when the cards were posted they would have been received either on that day or the day before.

Thankfully and unusually there was no money in the cards but what a blumming cheek. Anyway when I contacted Royal Mail they weren't interested. I thought it was against the law to throw out people's mail but apparently not. When I said I would have thought the postman might have delivered them to the correct address as he would know by the name that the number was wrong, Royal Mail said the postman must deliver to where the letter is addressed. Obviously that is down to the individual postman because I have had mail delivered to me that was mean't for me but addressed wrongly.

I'm really angry at this lady and thought of writing her a letter but I'm not quite sure how to put it. Anyone any thoughts or ideas on what I could do or do I just accept that she's a fool and I'll get over my anger? Apparently she's not a very nice lady anyway but I wouldn't want to make her a worse neighbour for my uncle by my writing to her. Ooooh I just had to sound off somehow.

Thanks for listening

Claire, I know it must be really annoying, but i have to say that we get post delivered all the time that does not "belong" to people who live in the flats (i am based in london) If i do not recognise the name as someone who used to live hear i throw the post away - what else can we be expected to do? Not sticking up for the lady who threw the post away (especially if she knew of your uncle) but as far as she was concerned this may have been addressed to someone who now lives in scotland! I still get mail delivered to people who lived hear over 5 years ago - and you've got to think that they would have told all the people who they wanted to know that they had moved. I hope that that last bit actually makes sense.
I know that this probably doesn't help you very much, but it's just as well to look at this from the ladies point of view - how was she to know your uncle only lived a couple of doors away?

I think it's nasty that the lady didn't save it for a while to see if anyone knocked for it or even asked your Uncle if it was his since he was new to the area and she probably didn't know him like she would have known the name of someone who's lived round there a while. Fair enough she didn't have to but what a nasty c*w to throw it so quickly. Especially since she could tell it was obviously cards which are quite personal. I think she's a c*w bag and if your uncle see's any birds pecking at her milk- tell him to leave them and not scare them or if she leaves her milk out in the sun- don't take it in- I'd do it:D :D

I'm in a bitchy mood today- can you tell:)- I felt a sore throat coming on since Thurs and yesterday I started sneezing by last night I'm full of it- and to top it all off- I couldn't even go to bed early and feel sorry for myself because my 4 yr old had me up all night being sick- so I can't even lounge today while they're all at school at Nursery because he's at home today- I've put Tarzan on in the room so I can come on here for a break. Why are the male species such whiners when ill

Stacey x x x

My uncle has lived in the area for some time now. When he moved house he moved from number 196 to 194 in the same road. The lady knew his name. Having said that what's wrong with handing the cards back to the postman the next time she saw him or writing on not at this address and putting them in the mail box next time she was out? What's even more annoying is my gran actually wrote her name and address on the back of the envelope so the card could have at least been sent back to her should it get lost.

I still receive mail for people who used to live in our house and I simply write on not at this address and re post. Okay they may still not receive it but at least I can say I tried. It's not a major problem for me to do it, don't rush out to the post box, I simply post them next time I'm out or whatever. Common Courtesy? Maybe I'm too nice for my own good then??

I'm still

If this lady knew your uncle, or at least his name then you have every right to be , very With birthday cards i do agree that it is slightly different, especially as your gran put a return to sender address. I also used to do the "no longer lives at this address" when i first moved in, but the flow of unknown post is endless (a few letters a day), and now it just goes in the bin - guess i'm just not nice enough
Hope you feel better soon, and like you said at least their was nothing valuable in them...

I agree Claire- In my last house I received mail all the time for the past owners- if it had a sender on the back- I'd write 'Return to Sender- No longer at this address' and if not I simply put 'No Longer at this Address'- if your Gran even put her name and address on the back then there's no excusing her for what she's done. I do exactly the same as you Claire. In this house if I just threw it I'd have thrown insurance documents, driving licences etc away (no I don't open it- you can tell by the sender on the back). And in my mind birthday cards are just as important with them being personal;)

Thanks Toodles- it's appreciated and needed- just trying to think what Disney video to put on next as Tarzan's nearly over;)

Stacey x x x

Guess maybe it's a bit different for me, as i live on the ground floor flat of a 3 storey block (+basement) and none of the flats have numbers - hence all post is addressed with the house number, and comes in in front of my door, i sort it for what goes to what flat... So i am left with unknown people from 4 flats with equals one hell of a lot of post - call me lazy but it got too much and now it gets dispached...

I had a rather official letter sent to my address (but not for me) and I didnt recognise the name at all so I openned it and it was a solicitors letter with a £5,000 or so cheque with it. I rang the solicitors to ask them who it should have been sent to. They sent their client round to get it!

Stacey,
I hope you're feeling better soon. Oodles of sympathy & kindness being sent from over here... You could really make everyone feel guilty. Yesterday was Mother's Day in the US. Tell everyone you need to feel appreciated!!!! :D :D :D
toodles

Claire, as a Royal Mail employee can I say this is a no win situation for the postman, we are told to deliver as addressed and if it is the worng address then that doesn't help the customers, but a colleague many years ago had a letter to a lady with the wrong house number on it, so decided to put it though the ladies door, husband got home first and it was a letter from the boyfriend purposely sent to a neighbour, divorce proceedings followed and the postie got in big trouble. My advice to any one not sure of an address is to just put the name and street on it without the house number, we do try our best and a post code helps even more. Ingrid

Ingrid- What a scandal:D :D :D- Ha ha- you've just cheered me up:D :D

Stacey x x x

What time is it over there anyway Toodles?

Well, since I don't know what time you posted. I can't say....
I took the girls on about a 4 mile bike ride.... I just got their cart all spiffied up & tightened down. They loved the run & then the ride, & then Chienne ran along some more :D Samma was slightly miffed that she stayed in the cart after the first mile, but we went out yesterday & I was just looking out for her health. Anyway, here in Germany, I'm always an hour ahead of you all in GB.

Thanks Ingrid for explaining it all. I guess I don't really blame Royal Mail as such but they certainly weren't very helpful when I rang them for advice. It's the blumming nasty neighbour that's got me annoyed. I'm still stewing over what to do. Knowing me I'll calm down and forget about it in a day or so.

You are welcome Claire, it is a difficult situation and I can appreciate how annoyed you must be, customer care departments for any large firm are often not very helpful. they don't have to deal with the person face to face. Ingrid