Is my landlady breaking the law?

Question

I live in the same flat as my landlady, our post/mail is delivered at the front of our bloack of flats to a small locked mailbox. There is only one key for this and my landlady keeps hold of this and wont let me have accsess to it at all, therefore i can only recieve my mail when she returns home, sometimes this can mean she is gone for 2 or 3 days, i need my post as part of my job and not having accsess to it everyday is making thing difficult for me, I have suggested she leaves the key on a hook in our flat so we can both use it but she wont do this, she has also told me when she is on holiday her parents will have the key and come round every few days to check the mail. I have been told that by doing this she is withholding my mail and is breaking the law? Is this correct?

Answer 1

She must be hiding something in her own mail - probably a benefit cheat or the like! I would report her and find somewhere else to live, she has no right to with-hold your mail.

Answer 2

Here is a solution. It is not what you were asking for, but it is one way to resolve your problem with minimum of hassle with land lady, or any risk that she might accidentally lose some of your mail, or look at it before you get it.



I suggest that you go to the post office, or to one of those mail box places, and get a post office box that is large enough to contain all your mail.



Then you file a change of address form with the post office to have all your mail go to the post office box, not to be mixed in with land lady mail arrangement.



The arrangement you have described is very unsatisfactory, but can be legal in some places.



The cost of the mail box may be a minor irritation, but this way you have your mail every time you go to the place to pick it up.



When you select the mail box, check very carefully what times and hours the place is open ... you want one where you can go any time you please and be able to access your post office box. If I was you, I would pikc one that is convenient to the route followed when commuting between home & work, so it is no big deal to stop there each day.

Answer 3

If the mail is addressed to you then it is yours and she has no right to withhold it from you. I know that when you post a letter, the second it goes into the post box it becomes the property of the post office and you cannot get it back. I believe that it is then their property until it is delivered to your letterbox when it become your property. Why not ask the police or the CAB? In the meantime, can you arrange to have your mail delivered elswhere? And why does she have the mail locked up anway??

Answer 4

It is illegal to withhold mail with no valid reason. So she is behaving illegally.

I think her train of thought is that her mail is in their as well and she doesnt want you getting to it, which is fine, paranoid but legal.

Ask her why this is. If she wont change her mind you could get your own mail box or demand your own copy of the key. If she refuses tell her politely but firmly that she is breaking the law and you will get the police and a solicitor involved.

Go to citizens advice in the first instance though and make sure of your position.

Answer 5

yes she is breaking the law,as its classed as withholding information to the relivent person who the mail is addressed to.if you still have problems with landlady you can go to either your nearest private landlords assosiation or somewhere like the c.a.b. and they will advice you.or as a last resort you could make other arrangments and get your own mail box put in and send the bill to your landlady,or arrange with your post office to give you a P.O. box

Answer 6

nobody can uphold your mail without your permission. In your case there are two things, firstly with mutual understanding you both share the same mail box as you said you also should have access to that mail box, secondly you or she arrange for an other mail box for you or her.



http://www.bayrozgar.com

http://www.apnigari.com

Answer 7

It's her house but retention of your mail may be a bit close toi the line.

What you can do is get a PO box and set these costs against your employment/tax.

Answer 8

I am sure she is breaking the law as it's an offence to tamper or meddle with any mail what so ever. Seek advice from CAB or local law centre. Both are free.

Answer 9

Build another mailbox next to hers and get your mail delivered to that one. Mark clearly with your name and address.

Steal her keys when she isn't looking and get a copy.

Just break into the damn box!!

She is being totally unreasonable and needs a damn kicking!!

Answer 10

Yes, it is correct. You could buy a new mailbox, replace the old one with the new one and then keep the key and ask her how it goes now.

Answer 11

Hi how are you yes she is breaking the Law and withholding your mail suggest that your mail is put in a different place ! good luck

Answer 12

Ask your Postperson to leave your post in a different place to your landlady's

Answer 13

I'd find another flat! No way in hell would I put up with this!!!



Could you get all your post directed to a PO box instead?

Answer 14

Yes, she is breaking the law, not allowing access when you want to get your own mail is punishable by time in prison. Report her, it is a Federal crime.

Answer 15

Absolutely, she is breaking the law. It's witholding your property and she isn't allowed to do that. I'd seek further legal advice either go to Citizen's Advice or a solicitor for this.

Answer 16

I think she has to give you access to your mail, what she is doing is very unfair and unethical. i would contact your Citizens Advice Bureau to find out where you stand, is there any mention of this in your contract?

Answer 17

It is, tampering with mail is a federal offence, punishable by law, if she is taking your mail, or denying you your right to legally access it, then she can be arrested. File a report, don't even warn her, just report it.

Answer 18

None of your enterprise! according to risk she is paying her taxes, according to risk she isn't. In her place would you opt for to grant out your account information? here we declare any lease paid, so as that they understand the place your funds would bypass to, funds or no longer

Answer 19

I once had trouble getting access to my landlady's box....

I took her out for a drink. It seemed to do the trick.

Answer 20

No she's not breaking any law. It's her mailbox.



If you're daft enough to let the post office put your post in her locked mailbox, that's your own stupid fault.



Get your own mailbox and mark it clearly so the postman knows where to put your post..

Answer 21

she is breaking the law its as bad as stealing your mail only letting you have it when she wants to which is illegal.

Answer 22

yes

Answer 23

get yourself a lockable mailbox with your name on it .

Answer 24

its not illegal, just annoying.

ask the post office to hold it for u to collect. or get a po box