Two years, what IS his problem

[celticdragonfly]

I just wrote a rather cranky email for Karl to forward on to the guy who used to own this house. (They both work at the Lockheed facilities here).

As I understand it, they moved out of this house TWO YEARS ago. We're still getting their mail. Including packages. I know the Christmas fruit package got tossed, it was sitting too long. Today we got a package for, we think, one of his stepdaughters, from a teen shopping website. This is not junk mail. If it was her ordering it, you'd think she could use her new address. And if it's a gift, you'd think they'd give their friends and family the correct address.

I'm cranky because the doorbell ringing woke sleeping Jamie from his nap, scared him and made him cry.

This guy better convince me he's going to DO something about this or I'm throwing it away. Every time I've sent mail to him via Karl I've told Karl to tell him to get this fixed, and I've lost patience.

Comments

[selenesue.livejournal.com]

There may not be much that Karl can do, nor the previous owner either. Often times, the sender of the package is the one with outdated information.

WE just had an annoying time with Earthlink, who insisted that they had sent us the new modem they owed us, over a week ago. Turns out they had the previous address, two years out of date. A test of wills ensued and Jim prevailed, of course. All customer service phone jockeys fear him.

I keep getting business calls for my aunt Evelyn, who used to be part of our company. She has been dead for nearly three years and I'm squicked as hell. IF I keep telling the callers that, maybe eventually the calls will dry up... but no time soon, I fear.

[celticdragonfly.livejournal.com]

But who would be sending these? Presumably friends and relatives. It's not like a total stranger is going to shop for a present for you, is it? And he bloody well ought to let his friends and relatives know he's moved.

[selenesue.livejournal.com]

If the daughter is ordering online for from a catalog company, that company may have outdated information that she has forgotten to change. And you know that catalog shoppers often have a LOT of different catalogs from which they shop. Sooner or later, they will all get updated, but sometimes it takes many years. I think that my parents have stopped getting mail for Peter Leeds... 35 years after they bought the place.

At least you are in contact with the guy and can hand the parcels off to him. If this is the worst problem you're having with the house, you are doing better than most!

[celticdragonfly.livejournal.com]

If we weren't in contact with him, I'd just throw them away, which might be preferable.

Every time I've ordered from a catalog, I *see* the address, even if I don't have to change it. So yeah, she might have ordered without changing it, but it's STUPID.

It just makes me cranky because I don't want to deal with it, the doorbell scared Jamie, and then when I am dealing with their mail it's one more thing I have to nag Karl to take care of, and I hate doing that.

[wolfrick.livejournal.com]

Dr. Rick prescribes a lump of felt or wool jammed into the doorbell's chime to mute it down a bit.

Hmmm.

[archangelbeth]

Plaque on the door: X family does not live here anymore. They live at ADDRESS. Please do not ring doorbell unless this is a package for Y family. The baby is sleeping.

Might work? Oh, hmmmmm.

There are "deaf" doorbells, right? Where it's wired into the lights instead of sound? I wonder if it would be possible for someone to rig up yours like that, or even more, rig it up so you can flip a switch and change it from sound to light.

Re: Hmmm.

[yesthattom.livejournal.com]

I like the plaque (or even a paper sign) on the door idea!

I propose that you consider any mis-delivered items to be early holiday gifts. Open 'em up and put them to good use. If anyone complains, just say it was near your birthday and you assumed it was for you. They'll be pissed enough to be careful in the future.

Re: Hmmm.

[celticdragonfly.livejournal.com]

I think you can get in legal trouble if you do that.

Karl thinks I am okay legally to throw it away, but not to open it.

Which is a shame, since the incredible curiosity of what IS it? is part of what ticks me off.

Re: Hmmm.

[yesthattom.livejournal.com]

It's worst to throw something out that has a battery or something that shouldn't be put in the trash.

i sez open it!

Re: Hmmm.

[celticdragonfly.livejournal.com]

The deaf doorbell idea is intriguing!

Civil disobedience - er, "slow code"

[bkseiver.livejournal.com]

You've heard of a "slow code" - where you W-A-L-K S-L-O-W-L-Y to the code room pushing the crash cart. Well, that's my policy for mail that I have to mark "does not live here". Especially, checks and government envelopes that look like they could be a court summons. Takes about a month to walk to the mailbox. Heh!

Re: Civil disobedience - er, "slow code"

[celticdragonfly.livejournal.com]

Heh indeed. I certainly wouldn't hurry. But the *^$*(&^ mailman here doesn't even pick stuff up from the box - there isn't even a flag to raise. I'm certainly NOT wanting to drive to the post office and drag two toddlers in to stand in line for this guy!

And I don't want MORE clutter around, either.

Re: Civil disobedience - er, "slow code"

[the-blue-fenix.livejournal.com]

Heh indeed. I certainly wouldn't hurry. But the *^$*(&^ mailman here doesn't even pick stuff up from the box - there isn't even a flag to raise. I'm certainly NOT wanting to drive to the post office and drag two toddlers in to stand in line for this guy!

Toddler related annoyance, I copy. Tricky in post offices. I have to do that myself tomorrow, to pick up one of my own packages. But odds are that it contains either "Dead Beat" by Jim Butcher or "Science of Discworld III - Darwin's Watch" so I can live with that.

I have you beat on timing. We moved here in August 1999, and still get mail for the former residents. On the one hand they've just moved down the road. On the other hand, their house has been intermittently for sale so I never know if they still live there or not.

First couple of years I'd redirect mail, since I knew their new address. But recently I've taken to throwing away everything but first-class from individuals, like obvious xmas cards. Now I write RETURN TO SENDER, ADDRESSEE HAS MOVED, FIVE YEARS AGO on those and send them back. They have declined over time. Mind you, this has all been small items, and our postman does pick up from our box.)

I know this is 'staircase wit,' but the best intervention point probably would've been to refuse to accept the package when you opened the door. (If postman hadn't scarpered, of course.

Re: Civil disobedience - er, "slow code"

[celticdragonfly.livejournal.com]

I know this is 'staircase wit,' but the best intervention point probably would've been to refuse to accept the package when you opened the door. (If postman hadn't scarpered, of course.

You're quite right - but the postman had scarpered. They never wait, just drop it, ring the bell, and go back to the truck and drive off.

At this point I am insisting we throw away everything but packages, and I'm dithering on those. If he gets tax documents here, well, that's his problem, isn't it?

[limejellogirl.livejournal.com]

Try calling the post office. They may have some suggestions.

[technomom]

Refuse delivery of anything requeing a signature. Anything not delivered by USPS, call 'em back to pick it up. And postal stuff, mark "not at this address, return to sender" and have Karl stick it in a PO box on his way to work. No reason to go into the PO yourself :-)

[celticdragonfly.livejournal.com]

Sadly, at least around here, there's nasty signs insisting you can't put packages in the PO boxes any more.

I tried taking the last one to a mailing place I go to, where I can dash in with the car parked right outside the door, but they weren't supposed to take them either.