What Should You Do With a Previous Tenant's Mail?

There’s so much to keep track of when you move into a new apartment that the rental’s previous tenant is probably the last thing on your mind. However, if they didn’t give the post office a forwarding address when they moved out, then you’ll likely be inundated with mail that doesn’t belong to you. You may be tempted to ignore the issue, but unfortunately, this usually isn’t a problem that goes away on its own.

Getting an old tenant’s mail after they have moved out is a pretty common experience; as a renter, you may have even caused this problem for someone else. So, what are your responsibilities as the current tenant? How do you stop mail intended for a former tenant from coming to your apartment?

Read on for our guide, based on official guidance from the United States Postal Service.

No. Even if it’s junk mail, tampering with other people’s mail is a federal offense. Do not throw out or shred a previous tenant’s mail. You may be tempted to say “out of sight, out of mind” if you receive a piece of mail that doesn’t belong to you, but discarding mail that isn’t yours actually counts as willfully destroying another person’s mail, which is punishable by U.S. law.

No, it is a federal crime to open mail if you are not the intended recipient. Even if it was delivered to your address, if a piece of mail has someone else’s name on it, it’s best to write “Return to sender” or “Not at this address” on the front and return it to the local post office or to your postal worker. Just think: Would you want a stranger opening your mail if you moved?

Yes — although you may find this tedious after a while. To forward a former tenant’s mail to them, cross out the old address (but do not cross out the former tenant’s name) and clearly write the new one on the piece of mail. If there is a barcode on the piece of mail, then cross that out. Then, return the mail piece to the USPS by placing it in your mailbox with the flag up, handing it to your mail carrier, or placing it in a USPS Collection Box. If you have the prior tenant’s contact information, consider reaching out and encouraging them to fill out a change of address form or to set up a forwarding address as this may save you time in the long run.

No. While you may think you are doing a good deed, you cannot fill out a change of address form for a previous resident of your apartment. If you or your landlord have their contact information, use it to encourage them to fill out their own form.

If you’re consistently receiving mail that’s not yours, then it’s time to take action. Putting a stop to mail mis-delivery is as easy as writing “Not at this address” on the piece of mail and returning it to the USPS. Just make sure that you do not erase or write over the address on the mail piece. If you have a mailbox, then you can leave the marked mail piece in your mailbox with the flag up. If you don’t, then hand the marked mail piece to your mailperson or drop it into a USPS Collection Box. If it continues to be an issue, consider taping a sticky note to your mailbox that explains that the former tenant no longer lives at your address.

If you are moving, it's important to fill out a change of address form for your new place — otherwise, you'll be the tenant whose mail won't stop coming to the wrong apartment. You can also set up a forwarding address before you move to ensure that your mail gets delivered to your new place. If you neglected to do take either of these steps before your move, take the time to do them as soon as you realize. If you believe that your mail was delivered to your old address, you can also try going to your former apartment and asking the new tenant if you could collect your mail.

When you move into a new apartment, you may get mail intended for a former tenant for a period of time. Your options are to return the mail to the original sender, contact the former tenant and ask them to fill out a change of address form, or to let the US Postal Service know that the addressee no longer lives at your address. And remember, when you move, fill out a change of address form so that the new tenants of your apartment don’t have to worry about handling your mail!