Post opened and not sent on

[chrism1]

Can anyone advise me on what to do: I had some post sent to my old work address this was clearly marked private and confidential but was opened. I left this employer over a year ago and have just recieved the post (05.11.11) which inclued bills that I was unaware of which are now so late that I am being threatened with county court. Obviously my previous employer was aware of the content but still failed to pass the letters on to me, what's the best course of action?

[FindLaw_Maya]

Hi chrism1,

Thanks for your post. Since the law states that "a person commits an offence if intending to act to a person’s detriment and without reasonable excuse, he opens a postal packet which he knows or reasonably suspects has been incorrectly delivered to him" it's quite likely that the person at your old address is acting illegally.

However, taking legal action against this person could be costly and troublesome, especially when you are facing legal action from the people who sent the bills.

It might be wise to concentrate on the threats of court for now by using the delayed bills, and especially the dated envelopes they came in, as proof of why you did not pay your bills on time.

If you do decide to take legal action, try contacting the Citizens Advice Bureau for further information.

Good luck,
-FindLaw Moderation Team