Interception of postal mail
Interception of postal mail
"Does a postman have the right to deliver my personal mail to my sister-in-law without my knowledge if she asks on the grounds that we are related and that she lives nearby? What rights do I have towards these two people?
Laurent, Versoix
In accordance with art. 11 of the Swiss Federal Law on Postal Services, please refer to the General Terms and Conditions of Postal Services for the rules governing the use of postal services. Postal items must be deposited in the addressee's letterbox or in another suitable place, such as the post office box. The postman is also authorised to deliver items to people at the recipient's home. In principle, as your sister-in-law does not live at the same address as you, she does not have the right to take delivery of your personal mail.
Exceptionally, in the absence of the addressee and other people at home who are authorised to take delivery of items, the postman may deliver parcels and expedited items to a neighbour. In your situation, we assume that you are sending an ordinary letter and that these exceptions do not apply. In all cases, we reserve the right to receive instructions to the contrary from the sender or recipient. However, if the sender wishes a guarantee that the letter will be delivered to you personally, he can send your letter as "Registered" with the words "Hand-delivered".
Swiss Post's General Terms and Conditions exclude all liability for letters without proof of posting, i.e. ordinary mail. In the case of registered mail, Swiss Post is liable for damage resulting from improper delivery up to a certain amount.
As for your sister-in-law's action, if she had the bad idea of reading the intercepted mail, she would be guilty of the criminal offence of "violation of private secrets" (art. 179 CP) and could be fined on complaint.
