Questions tagged [mail]
The mail tag has no usage guidance.
84
questions
32
votes
3
answers
131k
views
Is it illegal to throw away the previous tenant's mail?
Say I move into an apartment. And over the next months and years, I keep receiving mail for the previous tenant, whom I do not know.
This is understandably annoying. The easiest and most convenient ...
user43
24
votes
6
answers
7k
views
Receiving a certified letter and the contents is not address to you
I am in the United States and I have recently received a certified letter that was addressed to me (name and address).
It's about 80 pages actually. The cover sheet has a confidentiality notice, and ...
- 343
24
votes
1
answer
13k
views
Are U.S. mailboxes federal property?
A common claim seems to be that mailboxes in the United States are federal property (example, example, example). (To be clear, some mailboxes are owned and maintained by the USPS, typically cluster ...
- 363
19
votes
4
answers
6k
views
Can your neighbor search your mailbox?
I observed a CCTV recording of my neighbor going through the mailbox and taking items belonging to me. Is there a law against this?
- 199
19
votes
2
answers
6k
views
Are these unsolicited seed packages illegal?
I recently came across an article with the headline "Some mystery seeds illegally sent from China identified." It struck me as odd because obviously sending unsolicited junk mail isn't ...
- 293
19
votes
3
answers
14k
views
Is it illegal to throw away the previous tenant's standard mail?
Is it illegal to recycle standard mail addressed to, presumably, a previous tenant of an apartment?
Context: I have received the mail for someone who I assume is a previous tenant of the apartment I ...
- 291
15
votes
1
answer
3k
views
How long can I let other people's mail sit in my house?
I sometimes get first class mail addressed to other people. The right way to handle this is to write "not at this address" on it and send it as outgoing mail.
How fast do I need to do this? ...
- 3,511
10
votes
1
answer
26k
views
What is the proper way of handling non-USPS packages for long-gone tenants?
I moved into a rental home around 2 years ago immediately on the heels of a previous tenant. I experienced the usual "mail overlap" period of a few weeks, during which I was happy to pass letters &...
- 101
9
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Does filling U.S. postal service business reply envelopes with junk incur any legal peril?
Some companies that send junk mail include a "business reply" envelope. This allows the junk mail recipient to send a "reply" through U.S. mail at the originator's expense.
In fact these business ...
- 1,249
8
votes
3
answers
85k
views
Misdelivered merchandise -- can you legally (if not morally) keep it?
The FTC says:
If you receive merchandise that you didn’t order, you have a legal right to keep it as a free gift.
However (for example) Maine's website says:
A person is guilty of theft if the ...
- 1,556
7
votes
5
answers
28k
views
How to prove a party received a specific letter?
I signed up for a membership service with an HVAC company some time ago, and I've now decided its time to cancel my membership due to lack of use.
There isn't a nearby customer center where I live, ...
7
votes
3
answers
8k
views
Can a landlord use the delivery of U.S. mail as a method of surveillance?
This is an on-going struggle for me with the management of my apartment building.
In the past, the manager has instructed the USPS mail carrier to return-to-sender my mail, because it was addressed ...
- 171
6
votes
1
answer
922
views
If I accidentally send a package to the wrong person, is it still my property?
Suppose the following were to happen. I've got a package on my desk. I am planning to send it to person A with intent to give them ownership of it. Instead, by mistake, I send it to person B.
Is it ...
user1370
6
votes
2
answers
222
views
Sending mail to an inmate (USA)
I would like to send a letter to a childhood friend who has ended up in prison. He is turning 30 in a few days. His sentence is 18 years and he's served about 3, I think.
I have discussed this with ...
- 283
5
votes
1
answer
885
views
Postman signs for delivery himself. Any laws broken?
Suppose a Royal Mail worker knocks on the door to deliver a parcel which needs to be signed for. No one is home. He is supposed to leave a "Something for you" card and bring the parcel to ...
- 27.8k