IS IT ILLEGAL TO USE SOMEONES ADDRESS? : ezLandlordForms

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Santos R

started a topic about 8 years ago

MY HUSBAND AND I WE OWN A PROPERTY ON NEW BEDFORD ,MA. ALL OF MY TENANTS HOLD A LEASE WITH THEIR RULES AND REGULATIONS. THE OTHER DAY I WENT BY THE PROPERTY AND SAW A NAME ON THE MAILBOX THAT I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE SO I QUESTION THE TENANT.SHE ASK ME"ISIT ILLEGAL?GOOD QUESTION,I DIDN'T KNOW THE ANSWER. IS IT??

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David D

said about 8 years ago

It may not be illegal but it would certainly be reason for concern and further investigation. I would NOT use real estate people to obtain LEGAL advice. As I always write on these threads, all landlords need a good R.E. attorney to be able to call and ASK what to do. It's a $50-75 charge that is CHEAP compared to legal remedies or nightmare tenants. That said, my best guess (and we're all guessing since we don't know the exact situation going on here) is that she is taking in mail for a friend OR the friend is living there without your consent. At the very least, you should be taking a picture of the mailbox, and then writing to the tenant noting the section of the lease stating that occupancy on the lease is for ___ people and that any other persons living at the property is a violation of the lease. I would then speak to a trustworthy neighbor to find out if INDEED, someone else (female/male) matching description of the name on the mailbox, is at the property a lot. In the event you find the affirmative, I would send a second letter showing the section on "Guests". (Your lease should have a section stating how long guests may stay (usually 2 weeks) and that any guest staying longer must meet with the approval of the landlord. (At the very least submit to a criminal background check). You can also state you will begin eviction process if necessary but that you hope this will not have to occur as you value your tenants and hope this can be worked out amicably. As far as going as going to the post office and telling them to DELIVER to certain names, I do not believe the post office will abide by this. In fact, our post office informed me that the post person MUST deliver any mail to an address regardless of the name. I asked about this because my son had moved into his girlfriends home and mail that I sent to him was returned. The post office resent it again for me without charge. However, THAT is definitely worth a visit.

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Celeste T

said about 8 years ago

You must inform the post office that only those living in the home are allowed to have mail coming to the home. This is a squatter trick . They can prove that they were living at the home and had a legal right to be there sometimes by simply showing that their mail was being delivered to the home. Thereby forcing you to evict them regardless if they were on the lease.

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Patty H

said about 8 years ago

Who is the person if they are not a tenant and not living there. You will want to verify that. And if it is someone that doesnt have their own address that sounds suspicious. Be cautious and verify who the person is. You do not want to be pulled into someone who is running from collectors or the authorities. As for legality, as long as no one minds and you dont mind it really is not illegal, but again be cautious.