What to Do with Mail Sent to the Wrong Address: The Ultimate Guide

Often, postal mail is misdirected to the wrong address, leading to confusion and inconvenience. This article provides a comprehensive guide on how to handle such situations, ensuring compliance with USPS policies and minimizing annoyance.

Understanding USPS COA: Change of Address

When a change of address (COA) is submitted, USPS adjusts the delivery to the new address. The COA can be an active status (forwarded for 12 months, then reduced to 6 months via RTS - Return to Sender). However, if the COA has expired or has never been submitted, the mail is delivered to the old address, leaving the resident to deal with it.

Non-First Class Mail and Wrong Addresses

For non-first class mail, if the wrong address is printed on the mailer, USPS policies require that the current resident at the address decides what to do with it. They can choose to return the mail to USPS or dispose of it. If the wrong address is correct (like a neighbor), the resident of the mailbox should not remove the mail but should raise a flag.

Handling Misdelivered Mail Appropriately

When dealing with postal mail sent to the wrong address:

Wrong Address (Misaddressed): If the wrong address is due to a single bungle (such as your neighbor's name or house number), do not remove the mail from the mailbox. Do not make any marks on the mailer and raise a flag for the mail carrier. If the carrier is trained, they will retrieve the mailer and either retry delivery or treat it like outgoing mail, hoping for correct delivery next time. Correct Address, Wrong Name (Past Resident Mail): If the mail is addressed to a past resident, you should write "NOT AT THIS ADDRESS" on each mailer, place them inside the mailbox with the flag up. If you are in a CBU cluster and dealing with misdirected mail, place the mail in the CBU outgoing mail slot or in the USPS collection bin. Neighboring Address Confusion: If mail is addressed to a neighboring property, place the mail item inside your mailbox with a flag up, and if in a CBU, place it in the relevant slot. Avoid removing or altering the mail to prevent any further issues.

Submitting a COA for Past Residents

To prevent future misdeliveries and ensure proper sorting, you can submit a COA for past residents. You can take the mailers to your local USPS location and give them to the clerk. They can help you complete a Form 3575Z/MLNA to request a manual COA. This form helps USPS sort mail correctly based on first and last name variation, such as Thomas vs Tom.

Important Notes

Do not cross out barcodes on mailers. This information is crucial for postal carriers to process the mail correctly. USPS may require a handwritten note that the mail is not for your address to ensure it's properly routed. Promptly submitting COAs for past residents helps avoid future mail misdeliveries.

In conclusion, understanding USPS policies and procedures for handling misdelivered mail can significantly minimize the inconvenience of receiving correspondence at the wrong address. By following these guidelines and reporting the issue to USPS, you can ensure that your mail is delivered to the correct address and that your community's postal operations run smoothly.