Opening post question

Freefaller · 8 Oct 2010 at 17:30

The scene:

Our house is next door to a GP Surgery. However they have registered it 101-103 The Street.

We live at 103.

Our post keeps getting delivered to the surgery.

I've registered a new address with the post office and spoken to the local depot - our new address is 103a - just to make it stand out. I have put these letters up on the door. The landlord owns the surgery and the house in which we live so I have limited control over that portion of things - and the surgery is not going to change it's address.

We have given a nice laminated bit of card with our names to the Surgery so they know what letters to put aside and give to us in case it gets to them,.

However, this hasn't stopped the problem.

Recently my credit card statement was opened - containing sensitive details that I don't want others to read.

And most frustratingly a letter from work which contains even more sensitive data, especially as it contains where I work - something which I don't tell to people as it's not something I want to share.

The letter had my name clearly written on it with Private & Confidential in clear view within the letter window.

We've spoken to the practice manager, given them our names, registered our address. So 90% of the post gets to us ok unopened, but ANYTHING that is sent to the surgery is opened.

I'm not one to cause too much of a fuss, but surely they should be paying more attention? And is there any law regarding opening a letter, specifically stating private and confidential? I don't want to get work involved (they can sort out these sort of things) but just interested to see if anyone here can offer suggestions or if there's a bit of legalese I can use?

VFR_KID · 8 Oct 2010 at 17:34

Could you not set up a Po box and have it sent there? I'm not 100% sure on these things just my 2p worth.

Would annoy me to if it was me

Edit: Just had a look and at 95quid a year I wouldn't be to up for that.

http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/jump1?catId=400023&mediaId=400040

Strife212 · 8 Oct 2010 at 17:34

Why on earth did they register as 101-103?

xJcBx · 8 Oct 2010 at 17:36

I thought you were proud to work in a brothel?

JBod · 8 Oct 2010 at 17:37

Freefaller said:
Recently my credit card statement was opened - containing sensitive details that I don't want others to read.

Yea you need to catch those statements with pr0n payments early.

^TANK^ · 8 Oct 2010 at 17:38

Isn't it illegal to open other peoples post?

Westyfield2 · 8 Oct 2010 at 17:39

Surely if you live at 103 then they have no right to register themselves as 101-103, they're 101-102.

Efour · 8 Oct 2010 at 17:40

make your adress 103b ? and start getting it all sent there?

god knows how much effort that would be or the legalities

VFR_KID · 8 Oct 2010 at 17:44

Could also try contacting RM.

Not sure what they will do but link here advises to contact them

Deadbeat · 8 Oct 2010 at 17:46

Sounds like a case. Give that bloke off Eastenders a call, he knows some real lawyers.

Edit: On a serious note, I'd make an issue of it with whoever runs the surgery - opening post marked "Private & Confidential" is a serious matter, and I'd be livid over the principle alone. Whatever airhead decided to crack it open and have a look needs disciplining at the very least.

Semiskimmed · 8 Oct 2010 at 17:49

afaik its illegal to open a named persons mail?

LiE · 8 Oct 2010 at 17:51

If it's illegal, maybe a letter from the solicitor would sink in better.

Freefaller · 8 Oct 2010 at 17:55

JBod said:
Yea you need to catch those statements with pr0n payments early.

Absolutely! I don't want everyone getting the same deal.

xJcBx said:
I thought you were proud to work in a brothel?

I try and keep it to myself.

^TANK^ said:
Isn't it illegal to open other peoples post?

That's my question concern.

Thanks for the suggestions chaps.

To answer some of the other points.

PO box, yeah seems sensible, though it would be a pain registering all our mail and addresses again.

They had 101-103 because the whole building used to be the surgery - it's not anymore. However they've kept the address I guess for ease and admin/paper/stationary reasons?

No point in registering 103b as I've already registered 103a - and stuff 90% of the time gets to us.

The issue applies ONLY when the surgery gets the mail - they don't bother checking the name of the address (at a guess). I think we've done all we can no?

1. Given them our names
2. Spoken twice to the practice manager.
3. Registered a new address.
4. Spoken to the local RM depot.

I think what I need to do is to make sure the surgery's admin team pay attention - but I don't manage them. Maybe there's nothing more that I can do. I might just leave my work mail to be delivered to me via internal mail. It's just a pain as I'm regionally based so it might not always get to me on time!

JBuk · 8 Oct 2010 at 17:55

Section 84: Interfering with the mail: general127.Section 84(1) provides for it to be an offence if persons intentionally delay or open postal packets without reasonable excuse. It amalgamates the content of offences previously included in the Post Office Act 1953.
128.Subsection (3) makes it an offence for a person, intending to act to a person’s detriment and without reasonable excuse, to open a postal packet which he knows or suspects has been incorrectly delivered to him.
129.Subsections (2) and (4) specify a number of cases that are not to be regarded as offences under the

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/26/notes/division/4/5/2

Freefaller · 8 Oct 2010 at 17:57

Oh JBuk - maybe a quick word to the Practice Manager with that detail might put some impetus onto them to be more careful... Thanks. I'll have a careful read.

SourChipmunk · 8 Oct 2010 at 18:01

So in the UK lot numbers (addresses) aren't pre-assigned? Here in the US all property has it's own address. Anything built on that property takes on that address. It would be impossible for someone to have an address that belongs to someone else.

Wow. According to the Wiki it is really confusing. :eek:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Address_(geography)#United_Kingdom

Deadbeat · 8 Oct 2010 at 18:01

Freefaller said:
Oh JBuk - maybe a furious word to the Practice Manager with that detail might put some impetus onto them to watch their backs...

Fix'd

Amnesia · 8 Oct 2010 at 18:05

have you tried using an email address instead ?

Participant · 8 Oct 2010 at 18:08

I don't know the legalities but if there's any route to force them to change their registered address to be 101-102, I'd use it.

Freefaller · 8 Oct 2010 at 18:11

Amnesia said:
have you tried using an email address instead ?

Yes - it's rather good, did you know you don't even need a stamp?!!!!!!

Robbie G said:
I don't know the legalities but if there's any route to force them to change their registered address to be 101-102, I'd use it.

102 is on the other side of the street (but strangely a lot further down the road).

It is something worth chatting to them about - they should just have their address as 101. There's only 1 front door to the surgery - if there were 2 and it had been split into divisions of flats then I could understand - but the number is proudly displayed on the door - furthermore, the surgery has "Surgery" written on it!