Landlord gets his mail at our house, YIKES!
July 7, 2009 8:56 PM Subscribe
How we get our landlord to stop getting his mail at our house?
Our landlord lived in our rental house years ago and has his own big mailbox at our house. This means that either he, or his wife comes to our house every day to pick up their mail. We are not the first tenants to have to handle this.
We have casually talked to them about this before, and they say that they "live way out there". They only live 10-15 miles from the city and would receive their mail on the same day as any city residents.
We're pretty sure that they're keeping the mailbox for one/several of these reasons:
- the landlord is a lawyer and uses our address as a tax write-off for a business
- He's too lazy to change his mailing address to where they've lived for a few years.
- He's emotionally attached to his old house. . . .
He's already commented to us that we take good care of the house and are much better than previous problematic tenants, so I don't think it has anything to do with us.
Bottom line: How we can use gentle persuasion to get the landlord to stop receiving mail at our house?
Our landlord lived in our rental house years ago and has his own big mailbox at our house. This means that either he, or his wife comes to our house every day to pick up their mail. We are not the first tenants to have to handle this.
We have casually talked to them about this before, and they say that they "live way out there". They only live 10-15 miles from the city and would receive their mail on the same day as any city residents.
We're pretty sure that they're keeping the mailbox for one/several of these reasons:
- the landlord is a lawyer and uses our address as a tax write-off for a business
- He's too lazy to change his mailing address to where they've lived for a few years.
- He's emotionally attached to his old house. . . .
He's already commented to us that we take good care of the house and are much better than previous problematic tenants, so I don't think it has anything to do with us.
Bottom line: How we can use gentle persuasion to get the landlord to stop receiving mail at our house?
echoing Brockles, but also: does it all arrive in the same box, i.e. do they get to look at your mail? I would consider that a pretty grievous invasion of privacy, but separate boxes would help.
posted by Billegible at 9:03 PM on July 7, 2009
posted by Billegible at 9:03 PM on July 7, 2009
Snails. We have voracious snails in our letterbox, and if we don't get the mail out promptly, it gets half eaten. These are regular garden snails. I think they like the glue on the envelopes.
This might persuade them to use their own letterbox.
posted by AnnaRat at 9:08 PM on July 7, 2009
This might persuade them to use their own letterbox.
posted by AnnaRat at 9:08 PM on July 7, 2009
It might be easier to help you craft a plan if we knew exactly what the arrangement was. It seems like he has his own box at your place [i.e. no touching your mail] but someone from his family is at your house very day. It's unclear if they're coming in, coming on to the porch or what. It's unclear if they have any other personal property there [like basement storage for example] or if the entire house and yard are rented to you.
If the landlord is more friendly with one of you, I'd let the other person maybe be your excuse in some sort of decent way.
"Hey my wife works at home and she's a little freaked out to hear people clambering on and off the porch while she's working, would it be possible for you guys to arrange to get your mail elsewhere like maybe at a PO Box in town?"
If the landlord is squirrely, you might be able to more generally ask the folks at the post office what the protocol is, if there is one.
You might also want to think abotu compromises that might work for you, in case this becomes a thing.
- a mailbox that was on the edge of the property?
- a mailbox where the mail was picked up once a week and not once a day?
- you putting the mail from their mailbox into some other receptacle someplace on the property that is theirs [if such a place exists]
In short, I'd think about what the objection to the current situation is, and think about what could be done to mitigate it ranging from "hey guy stop getting mail at our house" to the status quo. Best of luck.
posted by jessamyn at 9:23 PM on July 7, 2009
If the landlord is more friendly with one of you, I'd let the other person maybe be your excuse in some sort of decent way.
"Hey my wife works at home and she's a little freaked out to hear people clambering on and off the porch while she's working, would it be possible for you guys to arrange to get your mail elsewhere like maybe at a PO Box in town?"
If the landlord is squirrely, you might be able to more generally ask the folks at the post office what the protocol is, if there is one.
You might also want to think abotu compromises that might work for you, in case this becomes a thing.
- a mailbox that was on the edge of the property?
- a mailbox where the mail was picked up once a week and not once a day?
- you putting the mail from their mailbox into some other receptacle someplace on the property that is theirs [if such a place exists]
In short, I'd think about what the objection to the current situation is, and think about what could be done to mitigate it ranging from "hey guy stop getting mail at our house" to the status quo. Best of luck.
posted by jessamyn at 9:23 PM on July 7, 2009
I don't really understand why this is a problem for you?
has his own big mailbox
So he's not messing with your mail in any way? Does he have to come into the house to get it?
I'm not really sure of the laws where you are, but generally it's his house and he can do whatever he wants as long as it's not illegal or against the lease.
Also, is it really enough of a problem for you to want to possibly piss your landlord off and make him want to be a dick about other things?
posted by teishu at 9:29 PM on July 7, 2009 [1 favorite]
has his own big mailbox
So he's not messing with your mail in any way? Does he have to come into the house to get it?
I'm not really sure of the laws where you are, but generally it's his house and he can do whatever he wants as long as it's not illegal or against the lease.
Also, is it really enough of a problem for you to want to possibly piss your landlord off and make him want to be a dick about other things?
posted by teishu at 9:29 PM on July 7, 2009 [1 favorite]
If he uses your same mailbox, bring it in before he gets there and start to delay some of his mail for a day or two. THe only way he changes is if this is more inconvenient than getting it directly himself.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 9:45 PM on July 7, 2009
posted by JohnnyGunn at 9:45 PM on July 7, 2009
Keep in mind that many people live in the same building as their landlord. In rare cases (in the US; probably more common abroad) they effectively share a house.
The situation did exist before you moved in; did you know of it before you signed the lease? If so it will be harder to object now. It may be something you could bring up at lease renewal, though.
I sympathize both ways; I don't like to intrude on my tenants' privacy, but on the other hand, it's important to keep tabs on the property. They may have devised this arrangement less as a postal convenience than as an excuse for daily inspection of their investment. As such, they may be more reluctant to give it up than you expect.
Finally, review your lease language and the rental laws where you are. If he comes inside the building in any way, you could plausibly argue it's a violation of the "quiet enjoyment" aspect of your lease, and just may constitute an illegal entry without notice. That will be more difficult to argue if it's an open porch, but this line of argument may be used to persuade a relocation of the mailbox per jessamyn's suggestion above.
posted by dhartung at 9:49 PM on July 7, 2009
The situation did exist before you moved in; did you know of it before you signed the lease? If so it will be harder to object now. It may be something you could bring up at lease renewal, though.
I sympathize both ways; I don't like to intrude on my tenants' privacy, but on the other hand, it's important to keep tabs on the property. They may have devised this arrangement less as a postal convenience than as an excuse for daily inspection of their investment. As such, they may be more reluctant to give it up than you expect.
Finally, review your lease language and the rental laws where you are. If he comes inside the building in any way, you could plausibly argue it's a violation of the "quiet enjoyment" aspect of your lease, and just may constitute an illegal entry without notice. That will be more difficult to argue if it's an open porch, but this line of argument may be used to persuade a relocation of the mailbox per jessamyn's suggestion above.
posted by dhartung at 9:49 PM on July 7, 2009
A couple of my neighbors have a similar setup. I'm not sure what the story is where you live, but in some municipalities, there are significant tax benefits to being a homeowner who resides on the property, versus a landlord or investor. If this is the case, your landlord continues to get mail there to establish full-time residency... even though he's not a full-time resident.
I'm sure the setup is annoying to my neighbors, as well, but presuming they benefit indirectly by having a happy landlord and a place to live, they don't mind the periodic (albeit not daily) pickups. If your landlord doesn't even have to trouble you to pick up his mail, even better.
posted by pzarquon at 10:09 PM on July 7, 2009
I'm sure the setup is annoying to my neighbors, as well, but presuming they benefit indirectly by having a happy landlord and a place to live, they don't mind the periodic (albeit not daily) pickups. If your landlord doesn't even have to trouble you to pick up his mail, even better.
posted by pzarquon at 10:09 PM on July 7, 2009
Response by poster: Whoops. Should have clarified more the first time around. He has his own mailbox outside, next to our mailbox, right in front of the house. It's just a very awkward thing to see our landlord every day, especially since he lives 15 miles away.
posted by mtphoto at 10:54 PM on July 7, 2009
posted by mtphoto at 10:54 PM on July 7, 2009
You've already tried gentle persuasion and it sounds like he pretty much blew you off. For whatever reason, he likes getting his mail there. You now have to decide if this is something worth making a stink over. If this is something that really, really bothers you, just flat out tell him. "Mr. X, we value our privacy and, no offense, but it's unsettling to have you dropping by every day to get your mail."
If it's just a minor annoyance, close the blinds when he drops by and don't stop what you're doing to chit-chat -- just as you would with any other unwelcome visitor.
posted by LuckySeven~ at 11:13 PM on July 7, 2009 [1 favorite]
If it's just a minor annoyance, close the blinds when he drops by and don't stop what you're doing to chit-chat -- just as you would with any other unwelcome visitor.
posted by LuckySeven~ at 11:13 PM on July 7, 2009 [1 favorite]
Legally and ethically? No, I don't think there's a way. You've already tried gentle persuasion and pointed out the benefits.
What if you started delivering their mail to them? After a bit maybe they'd get annoyed with you being around their house every day and take the hint.
Talk with your postman and see if you can get delivered later in the route so they'll actually get the mail a day late.
You could also manually delay their mail by a few days but that would be mail tampering... But if you're willing to go that far there's ton's of stuff you could do if you were a jerk.
You could fill out a change of address form for them directing mail to their house, but a) it'd be fraudulent, b) they'd still come by to pick up the junk mail, and c) they'd know it was you.
Hose down the inside of the mailbox when it rains so they get tired of damp mail.
Get some predator urine that they use as an animal repellent (you're in the country, right?) and keep a fresh coat on their box. If they ask "Idunno, I see raccoons out there all the time."
Plant a big bush in front of their mail box.
Yeah. Not really good options.
posted by Ookseer at 11:22 PM on July 7, 2009
What if you started delivering their mail to them? After a bit maybe they'd get annoyed with you being around their house every day and take the hint.
Talk with your postman and see if you can get delivered later in the route so they'll actually get the mail a day late.
You could also manually delay their mail by a few days but that would be mail tampering... But if you're willing to go that far there's ton's of stuff you could do if you were a jerk.
You could fill out a change of address form for them directing mail to their house, but a) it'd be fraudulent, b) they'd still come by to pick up the junk mail, and c) they'd know it was you.
Hose down the inside of the mailbox when it rains so they get tired of damp mail.
Get some predator urine that they use as an animal repellent (you're in the country, right?) and keep a fresh coat on their box. If they ask "Idunno, I see raccoons out there all the time."
Plant a big bush in front of their mail box.
Yeah. Not really good options.
posted by Ookseer at 11:22 PM on July 7, 2009
My landlord has three buildings on one piece of property, his house, his business and my apartment, and mail for all three share the same address and get dumped off in the same place, the business when it is open and the house when the business is closed. He sets my mail on the side and drops if off in the evening, but I'm welcome to stick my head into his shop and grab it from the table next to the entrance whenever I'd like. It was weird at first, but now I'm used to it. And it's nice to have someone sign for packages when I'm at work.
posted by Brian Puccio at 12:20 AM on July 8, 2009
posted by Brian Puccio at 12:20 AM on July 8, 2009
It's just a very awkward thing to see our landlord every day, especially since he lives 15 miles away.
I'm sure he wants to get back in the car and drive home as soon as he can; he probably doesn't want to chit-chat any more than you do. If you see him, be pleasant but have something to do and go do it. Turn it from a daily conversation into a daily hi-how-are-ya and it will get noticeably less annoying.
Also: he is most definitely doing it to get a tax benefit. Nobody drives an extra 30 miles a day because they're attached to the house. That's just silly.
posted by davejay at 2:21 AM on July 8, 2009
I'm sure he wants to get back in the car and drive home as soon as he can; he probably doesn't want to chit-chat any more than you do. If you see him, be pleasant but have something to do and go do it. Turn it from a daily conversation into a daily hi-how-are-ya and it will get noticeably less annoying.
Also: he is most definitely doing it to get a tax benefit. Nobody drives an extra 30 miles a day because they're attached to the house. That's just silly.
posted by davejay at 2:21 AM on July 8, 2009
It's just a very awkward thing to see our landlord every day, especially since he lives 15 miles away.
To be honest, this is kind of a good thing - if you ever have any issues, you know you're going to see the guy the next day. Having dealt in the past with landlords who never return calls, having one you can guarantee will be around when the pipes burst or your cooker conks out would be a godsend.
posted by Happy Dave at 4:06 AM on July 8, 2009 [3 favorites]
To be honest, this is kind of a good thing - if you ever have any issues, you know you're going to see the guy the next day. Having dealt in the past with landlords who never return calls, having one you can guarantee will be around when the pipes burst or your cooker conks out would be a godsend.
posted by Happy Dave at 4:06 AM on July 8, 2009 [3 favorites]
It's really none of your business where your landlord gets his mail. There's nothing you can do about it, except move.
posted by FergieBelle at 7:17 AM on July 8, 2009
posted by FergieBelle at 7:17 AM on July 8, 2009
Your landlords own the house and maintain a mailbox there, for their convenience. Seems unlikely this will change. Perhaps you can address the issue of why it's awkward to see your landlords.
posted by theora55 at 8:00 AM on July 8, 2009
posted by theora55 at 8:00 AM on July 8, 2009
Seems to me that a simple solution would be to offer to deliver their mail to their home.
posted by kindall at 8:49 AM on July 8, 2009
posted by kindall at 8:49 AM on July 8, 2009
It's just a very awkward thing to see our landlord every day
I'm not sure what you mean by "see" here. Surely you don't stare at the mailbox all day? If the problem is that your landlord knocks on your door and wants to visit, let him know that you won't be able to continue doing that.
Your landlord is likely using the address for some sort of business or tax purpose, rather than harboring some desire to visit the old house every day. He may be glad to grab the mail ouf of his box and leave rather than stopping to talk.
posted by yohko at 9:10 AM on July 8, 2009
I'm not sure what you mean by "see" here. Surely you don't stare at the mailbox all day? If the problem is that your landlord knocks on your door and wants to visit, let him know that you won't be able to continue doing that.
Your landlord is likely using the address for some sort of business or tax purpose, rather than harboring some desire to visit the old house every day. He may be glad to grab the mail ouf of his box and leave rather than stopping to talk.
posted by yohko at 9:10 AM on July 8, 2009
Don't think of him as a landlord, think of him as another tenant on the property. Of course he's always around, it is still his place.
posted by blue_beetle at 10:59 AM on July 8, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by blue_beetle at 10:59 AM on July 8, 2009 [2 favorites]
I think you just need to suck this up. There's no polite, non-offensive way to tell a guy he can't get mail at his own house (even if you live in it) if he wants to.
posted by jenfullmoon at 3:54 PM on July 8, 2009
posted by jenfullmoon at 3:54 PM on July 8, 2009
Not recommended: filling out a USPS change of address form on his behalf
posted by ijoyner at 9:15 PM on July 8, 2009
posted by ijoyner at 9:15 PM on July 8, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
Do you mean that they come into your house? Or that they stop at a box at the end of your drive and collect mail without even coming onto the property?
The difference is significant, to me.
posted by Brockles at 9:01 PM on July 7, 2009