Why is it Illegal to open somebody else's post?

alvin f

The Postal Services Act 2000:
"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."

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts2000/ukpga_20000026_en_8#pt5-pb1-l1g84

Sam G

it's also illegal for me to break into your house lol
same thing, smaller scale

Ruth S

It's a matter of privacy. which we have little of, these days! How would you like it, just suppose, you received a letter from someone who was giving you important and vital information, and that information got into the wrong hands? My father opened one of mine, and I refused to accept it! To this day, I don;t know what the letter was about! I hate it, when someone starts peeking over my shoulder when I am typing something on my computer ----- SUCH AS RIGHT NOW!!!! Grrr! What I am writing to you, is nobody's business but ours!!! See my point!?

Bourgeois Happy Feelings

right to privacy is actually a very contentious area. In England, judges are very reluctant to even admit that such a right exists.

but opening other people's mail can be taken as misappropriating or converting to one's own use property belonging to another [only the person to whom it is addressed has the right to open it-when you open it, you are usurping the right of the addressee] or even, technically, damage to another's property [damage to letter in opening it].

also, there must be some law regarding access to the info in the letter. i'm not sure what exactly. something in the area of right to information maybe.

Ermentrude

It is an invasion of privacy.

Like any other personal property that does not belong to you, you need permission from the owner to have it/borrow it etc.

Adam R

Without consent, yes.
Why? Invasion of privacy.

mummy fi

pretty obvious why really, its not yours, BTW, its also illegal to open, without permission someone elses:

door
window
undies
can of beans
garage

they also seem obvious but you know.....

Gerry M

Well you don't want important bank details falling into the hands of selfish, thoughtless individuals who try to use them to steal money from your account. But on the other hand it's also up to the postmen/women to make sure that the letters people recieve are the right ones and a lot of the time when someone recieves other people's mail it can get pretty infuriating.

Lily B Talus

It belongs to someone else...so it is theft

Colin S

are you stupid

Mad as a Cat in a Bomber Jacket

If you have Power of Attornay over some one elses legal & financial affairs, then it is not illegal to open that person's mail, if you don't have a PA document drawn up then it is.
Opening another persons mail is an infringement of their civil liberties, their human rights & a gross invasion of their privacy, just like phone tapping, computer hacking etc.

samantha r

I don't care, if its sent to my house and not belonging to anybody within the house then its mine and I will open it.

betty boop

INVASION OF PRIVACY it could be private (very private)

momof3granof1

Once a letter is posted it becomes the Queen's post until opened by the person who it is sent too this is one reason old Lizzy would have your head off! lol
Invasion of privacy is the other but think it is more to do with queen

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