Mail keeps arriving for a former tenant: what a landlord should do
Do not open it, keep it or throw it away. Federal law makes it a crime to take mail to obstruct correspondence or to open, hide or destroy it, with up to five years in prison under 18 U.S.C. 1702. The safe path is to hand it back to the carrier or mail it back, tell the former tenant to file a change of address, and keep a short record of what you did.
What the law says about other people’s mail
Mail belongs to the person it is addressed to until it is delivered to them. 18 U.S.C. 1702 covers anyone who takes a letter, postal card or package before it reaches its addressee and does so to obstruct correspondence or pry into another person’s business, and also anyone who opens, hides, embezzles or destroys it. The penalty on that page is a fine, up to five years in prison, or both.
A landlord is not exempt because the tenant left. Owning the building does not give you rights over mail addressed to someone else. Leave an envelope sealed even if you suspect it is junk.
What you can do
- Do not open or discard it. If it looks personal, financial or official, treat it with extra care.
- Send it back through the mail. USPS treats mail as undeliverable as addressed when the addressee has moved, and the Domestic Mail Manual describes endorsements such as “Moved, Left No Address” for pieces that cannot be delivered. You can give it to your carrier or put it back in a collection box, and the post office handles the return.
- If you know the tenant’s new address, you may be able to give it to them directly or send it on in a new envelope. Do not alter the original.
- Ask the former tenant to file a change of address with USPS. The Domestic Mail Manual notes that forwarding is generally available for the first 12 months.
- Tell senders you know about, such as the utility or bank, that the person no longer lives there only if the tenant asked you to or the law requires it.
- Keep a dated note of what arrived and what you did.
Common cases
| Situation | Safe step |
|---|---|
| Junk mail and flyers | Recycle or return; ask the sender to remove the address if you can |
| Personal letters and bills | Return to the carrier or send on; do not open |
| Court papers or legal notices | Do not open; contact the sender if you can, return to the carrier, and tell the tenant if you can reach them |
| Packages | Return to the carrier; if it was left for a former tenant, write to the sender if you can |
| Mail for a tenant who died | Talk to the family or executor first. See what a landlord does when a tenant dies |
Mail addressed to a deceased person may be received by anyone who would normally receive that person’s mail, according to USPS, but a landlord should still ask the family before handling it.
How to stop it next time
- Add a move-out line to your checklist asking the tenant to file a change of address and update banks, employers and subscriptions.
- Send a short email after move-out reminding them to do it, with the date.
- Collect a forwarding address at move-out. It also helps with the deposit. See no forwarding address and the deposit.
- Put a labeled bin or a note for the next tenant explaining where misdelivered mail goes.
This is general information, not legal advice. Check with the post office or a local attorney if you receive legal papers.
How DoorKeeping handles it
The move-out checklist and the email to the tenant go out from DoorKeeping after your one-tap approval, so the change of address reminder is dated. Ask Claude or ChatGPT to draft that email in your tone. The notes live with the unit’s documents.
Sources
- 18 U.S.C. 1702: Obstruction of correspondence (Cornell Legal Information Institute), read Oct 31, 2026
- USPS Domestic Mail Manual 507: Mailer Services (undeliverable-as-addressed mail and forwarding), read Oct 31, 2026
- USPS Domestic Mail Manual 508: Recipient Services (who may receive mail), read Oct 31, 2026
Questions
- Can a landlord open a former tenant’s mail?
- No. Opening, hiding or destroying another person’s mail can violate federal law, with penalties of up to five years in prison.
- What should I do with mail for someone who moved?
- Return it to your carrier or put it back in the mail, and ask the former tenant to file a change of address.
- Can I throw away junk mail?
- Junk and flyers are low risk, but anything personal should go back into the mail rather than into the trash.
- How long does USPS forward mail?
- The Domestic Mail Manual says forwarding is generally available for the first 12 months after a change of address.