Bob

Ok, here's the problem. When we moved here from the folks place, we did one of those change address forms for us, and didn't tick the family move box. That was over a year ago.

The problem is, the folks mail all got forwarded to us, after a while, they were able to sort that problem out, though we still get there junk mail, but anyway, over the last month, for no reason, we've started getting there mail again, sometimes with our address on it, but usually with there address and it is automatically being forwarded here.

I spoke to someone in our post office who investigated, and then the folks got a call from the maine central office and were told to call a certain number, which they did, turned out it was a complaints number and they had to lodge an offical complaint against there post master, which they didn't want to do, weren't his fault. But anyway, in the end, they filled in the details, now there local post master gets a call from the central office saying to close the case because they don't want to have an offical complaint on the books, saying that it was his fault because people shouldn't be filling in those notice to forward mail slips anyway...which makes no sense.

Now that's really stupid, and the problem still hasn't been sorted, so does anyone have any ideas?
It's really stupid because the folks have told the various places, mastercard and utilities what there address is, and are being told that it it either correct in there systems, or that it can't be changed because they use the offical address used by the post office so that it is harder for people to move and dodge bills...

What is worse, there tax return forms and everything gets sent here, even the social security statement thingy got sent here, happened last year, but they sent in the correction of address....still the cheque got sent here, and this years stuff was sent here...

snowbunny

I think what you are referring to as "companies using the address on file with the Post Office" has to do with many companies stamping their envelopes with "address service requested." This means that if you have filed a forwarding address with the PO, the PO will send that company the forwarding address, and they will update their records to the new address, all without your contacting them.

If you DID NOT tick the "family" box, then technically the PO should have ONLY forwarded mail addressed to the *individual* who filled out and signed the forwarding order. Your folks' mail should have stayed put, but so too should your wife's or kids' or whoever else moved with you. If their surname is different (the folks) it REALLY should have stayed put.

My advice?

1) Have 'the folks' contact all legitimate businesses they do business with and IN WRITING state their proper address.

2) Take a piece of non-essential business mail that has 'address service requested' on it and cross out your address, write "wrong address, please forward" and their proper address on it, and hand it back to postie.

3) Each of "the folks" should fill out an individual forwarding order to redirect any mail addressed to them at your place back to theirs.

4) Both of you should have talks not only with your posties but with the postmasters in charge of each city/town. If you've gotten crap advice and service from the underlings, go to the top.

Franklin

Bob, you might want to drop Lairdside a line; Lairdside works for the US postal service. Hope you get this sorted.

Pulaski

Sounds like the problem we had. The USPS just tries too hard to accomodate everyone's wishes, and sometimes it just isn't able to live up to its promises.

When we emigrated to New York my wife had mail redirected from her parents' home (A) to our address in New York (B). When we left New York we placed a redirection order, which the local USPS office lost, so we gave them a second one. Unfortunately we were moving to, .... my wife's parents home. So there were then two redirection orders in place - one from A to B, and one from B to A (which we tried to cancel, but I'm not sure that the USPS ever stopped using).

Two weeks after we moved to my in-laws (A) they moved to another state (C), and six months later we moved to another (different) state (D). More redirections were filed.

We had mail going from the UK to B, redirected to A, but when B got it back they sent it back to the sender i.e. we lost it. After my in-laws moved the USPS would send our mail to my in-laws (at C), then send their things to us (at A). Then after we moved (to D) my in-laws things would still be sent to us.

My wife made countless visits to the local (nr A) USPS office, and phone calls to New York, and the regional office (for A) to try to fix the problem(s). I'm not sure that everything was ever fully sorted out, and we still, two years later, occasionally get things addressed to my in-laws!

In short, Bob, you have no hope!

Bob

That's the problem, with the forwarding slips, when we moved here from the folks place, the missus and I both filled in a form as individuals.
As for the folks and their bills, they have contacted by phone, and in writing, but the recent bills still get forwarded here, even if they had the correct folks address on them...

Bob

nice...bit of a bugger then *lol*

Bob

Cheers

dbj1000

Which bit's that then?