QLD Continual mail for abusive ex

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Miss C

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30 December 2017
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My ex moved out over 8 months ago. Since then i have continued to receive his mail. I mark every one with return to sender, not at this address but they keep coming. I have asked my ex repeatedly to change his address but he won't. Some of the mail is from the USA and even after sending it back it keeps coming because this is his last known address on federal record over there. I was in a domestic violence situation and he requests that i keep it and he pick it up (which i refuse to do). I have contacted the post office and those that i know (because of logos on the envelope) but they say there is nothing they can do unless he contacts them. Short of moving I'm out of ideas.
 

Tim W

Lawyer
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28 April 2014
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If you know where he is,
then the price of peace of mind
is exactly the same as the fee for having his mail redirected.

You might, at a pinch, get legal advice about
whether or not his failure to redirect his own mail
amounts to harassment sufficient to be a breach of any existing order.
 

Miss C

Active Member
30 December 2017
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Unfortunately i don't know where he is. The only communication i have is via email. Thank you for your response.
 

Rod

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27 May 2014
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1. Take all mail to PO explaining addressee is no longer living there. Leave on counter if necessary.
2. Bin all mail. Not your responsibility to worry about.
3. Txt ex saying ALL his mail being returned to sender.
4. Open mail, put letter inside to sender saying addressee has moved, and if they send again they will be liable for your costs in a harassment and domestic violence lawsuit. State they have ignored all previous request to stop sending the mail. Re-seal letter and send it back.
5. Move.
 

Tim W

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  1. This is what Australia Post says.

  2. Outside of exigent circumstances (this isn't),
    I do not recommend opening mail addressed to others.
 

Miss C

Active Member
30 December 2017
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I never open the mail. I just return to sender. If it has a company logo on the envelope i call to let them know he no longer lives here.
 

Rod

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re: point 1. Just because this is what they prefer, it doesn't mean a person is bound to follow their advice.

re: point 2. I'm not convinced this is a criminal offence under Cth laws (Crimes Act or Criminal Code). Note I'm not suggesting the mail be read, just opening, sliding in their own correspondence and sending it back to sender. Just a modified version of return to sender (NATA).

I think people say 'never open other people's mail' as it is normally the wrong the thing to do, and can result in criminal charges if material/goods/information is misused.

This situation with a person misusing a postal service because he is either lazy in changing address details or more likely harassing his ex, is not a normal situation, and failing to find a criminal charge likely to apply then the person receiving incorrectly addressed mail seems to be within their rights to do as I suggested. This behaviour by the ex may in itself be an offence.

Criminal Code:
471.12 Using a postal or similar service to menace, harass or cause offence
A person commits an offence if:
(a) the person uses a postal or similar service; and
(b) the person does so in a way (whether by the method of use or the content of a communication, or both) that reasonable persons would regard as being, in all the circumstances, menacing, harassing or offensive.
Penalty: Imprisonment for 2 years.
 
Last edited:

sammy01

Well-Known Member
27 September 2015
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You have an email address? Easy, send him an email.... Dear ex, please give me your residential address and I will organise for your mail to be forwarded on at my own expense for 3 months. After that I will cease to forward on mail and I will put the mail in the bin, unless you advise differently.
Kind Regards
Blah blah.
 

Rob Legat - SBPL

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I in no way condone or advise this, or even guarantee it will work, but I have heard of people in similar situations writing "Return to sender. Addressee deceased" on mail and returning it. The mail apparently quickly dried up. I wouldn't try it myself.
 

sammy01

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27 September 2015
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I'd just bin it... I'm still getting mail in my letter box for people I've never heard of.. I have lived here for 4 yrs