dead letter drop
Author
Discussion

condor

Original Poster:

8,837 posts

279 months

Wednesday 8th September 2010
quotequote all
How do you stop letters arriving at home being addressed to a deceased loved one?
The registrar's office said it's normally sorted...but it hasn't been.

Jasandjules

72,681 posts

260 months

Wednesday 8th September 2010
quotequote all
Write to the people who are sending them?

ewenm

28,506 posts

276 months

Wednesday 8th September 2010
quotequote all
Jasandjules said:
Write to the people who are sending them?
That would be my action, I wouldn't expect it to be done automatically in any way.

condor

Original Poster:

8,837 posts

279 months

Wednesday 8th September 2010
quotequote all
He says he's already registered with the MPS and mum had obviously signed up for all these newsletters etc.
She died in May earlier this year and he just keeps sending them back with the message' passed away return to sender'.

ewenm

28,506 posts

276 months

Wednesday 8th September 2010
quotequote all
Unfortunately he (or you) needs to contact them to get her name off their mailing lists. I can't imagine they even look at the returned post. Open the post and call/write to the senders.

Edited by ewenm on Wednesday 8th September 19:16

Jasandjules

72,681 posts

260 months

Wednesday 8th September 2010
quotequote all
condor said:
He says he's already registered with the MPS and mum had obviously signed up for all these newsletters etc.
She died in May earlier this year and he just keeps sending them back with the message' passed away return to sender'.
Ok, what about (thinking laterally) something like paying for a "redirecting" of her mail to you for six months........... That way your dad doesn't get them and you can have this running whilst you write to all these places and tell them to shove it. I would NOT just put RTS on the letters but write a short note to them stating that she has now passed on and to remove her from their list.

philthy

4,697 posts

271 months

Wednesday 8th September 2010
quotequote all
My experience, was having to open the mail, phoning those concerned, and explaining how distressing it was for us.

They were all very apologetic.

pinchmeimdreamin

10,915 posts

249 months

Wednesday 8th September 2010
quotequote all
contact royal mail and inform them of the circumstances they will hold/return all mail addressed to the deceased person.

Well it worked for me when my wife passed away.

philthy

4,697 posts

271 months

Wednesday 8th September 2010
quotequote all
pinchmeimdreamin said:
contact royal mail and inform them of the circumstances they will hold/return all mail addressed to the deceased person.

Well it worked for me when my wife passed away.
Good advice if you live in a small town/village, and know the posties. Ours were as good as gold.

Mobile Chicane

22,027 posts

243 months

Wednesday 8th September 2010
quotequote all
Sign up for The Bereavement Register. The majority of organisations which send out junk mail screen against this.

Don't bother writing 'deceased' on junk mail and posting it back - you'd be surprised at the number of companies which just bin these.

condor

Original Poster:

8,837 posts

279 months

Thursday 9th September 2010
quotequote all
Thanks for the replies - he's already signed up with the bereavement register, but will now contact the Royal Mail.

ewenm

28,506 posts

276 months

Thursday 9th September 2010
quotequote all
pinchmeimdreamin said:
contact royal mail and inform them of the circumstances they will hold/return all mail addressed to the deceased person.

Well it worked for me when my wife passed away.
Is that in perpetuity or does it have an end date? Much as it is painful, my mum found the best way was to open my dad's post and respond individually to each asking them to take him off their mailing lists or change it to her name.

O/T did anyone else think this was a spy contact method thread? No? Just me in the Cold War then hehe

RedLeicester

6,869 posts

276 months

Thursday 9th September 2010
quotequote all
We still get letters addressed to the previous owner, who died 12 years ago. Even calling some of the senders and/or writing to them hasn't stemmed the flow. Stupid really, but just feeds the recycling bin.

stitched

3,813 posts

204 months

Thursday 9th September 2010
quotequote all
ewenm said:
pinchmeimdreamin said:
contact royal mail and inform them of the circumstances they will hold/return all mail addressed to the deceased person.

Well it worked for me when my wife passed away.
Is that in perpetuity or does it have an end date? Much as it is painful, my mum found the best way was to open my dad's post and respond individually to each asking them to take him off their mailing lists or change it to her name.

O/T did anyone else think this was a spy contact method thread? No? Just me in the Cold War then hehe
yes

BigBen

12,161 posts

261 months

Thursday 9th September 2010
quotequote all
philthy said:
My experience, was having to open the mail, phoning those concerned, and explaining how distressing it was for us.

They were all very apologetic.
ditto.

RedLeicester

6,869 posts

276 months

Thursday 9th September 2010
quotequote all
BigBen said:
philthy said:
My experience, was having to open the mail, phoning those concerned, and explaining how distressing it was for us.

They were all very apologetic.
ditto.
Quite the contrary. One was from some Catholic Mission School down south. Having written to them twice and still being sent letters, I called them.

"He's dead? Oh. Would you like us to send you a direct debit for to complete to donate?"

"No I fking wouldn't".


They still keep sending them....