Stupid mailman
April 12, 2011 5:41 PM Subscribe
Help me get my postman to stop delivering my mail to the neighbors and vice versa.
I live in an apartment and we have typical mailboxes that are all lined up in one big room (mail is not delivered to the individual apartments).
Our mailman has delivered my neighbor's mail in my box several times before and recently he has been dropping my mail in my neighbors box. Most recently, I found one of my bank statements (with account numbers inside!) in the envelope resting against the wall...someone had taken it from their box and since they can't access mine, they just laid it out in the open for me to grab. Appreciate the jester, but it isn't exactly safe to do. How do I get this mailman to actually read the envelopes and stop mixing up the mail. This mix-up happens at least once a month that I'm aware of and it is absolutely unacceptable!! There is no pattern -- he switches my mail with different apartments, not the same person. There are four post offices in my area so I'm not sure who to complain to. And I don't want him to seek retribution at all, so I'm thinking of giving my address without the apartment number.
What is the most effective way to have someone at the post office pay attention and actually care to fix the problem?
I live in an apartment and we have typical mailboxes that are all lined up in one big room (mail is not delivered to the individual apartments).
Our mailman has delivered my neighbor's mail in my box several times before and recently he has been dropping my mail in my neighbors box. Most recently, I found one of my bank statements (with account numbers inside!) in the envelope resting against the wall...someone had taken it from their box and since they can't access mine, they just laid it out in the open for me to grab. Appreciate the jester, but it isn't exactly safe to do. How do I get this mailman to actually read the envelopes and stop mixing up the mail. This mix-up happens at least once a month that I'm aware of and it is absolutely unacceptable!! There is no pattern -- he switches my mail with different apartments, not the same person. There are four post offices in my area so I'm not sure who to complain to. And I don't want him to seek retribution at all, so I'm thinking of giving my address without the apartment number.
What is the most effective way to have someone at the post office pay attention and actually care to fix the problem?
Call the main postal service phone number, have your ZIP+4 ready, and they'll be able to get you where you need to go.
posted by SMPA at 5:46 PM on April 12, 2011
posted by SMPA at 5:46 PM on April 12, 2011
Do you have your name and address written inside your box on a sticker? For example:
LastName
APT 3-B
or even
LastName
3-B
I used to have my number in big bold letters so that when the mailbox front was angled out, it was un-missible.
If you already have this, then your best bet is to talk to the postman first. I'd couch it as 'Is there anything we can do to help you avoid accidentally misfiling the mail? Some of our neighbors don't check their mail as often, so accidents aren't always caught in time to get our bills paid on time." If you can't be there when he's delivering mail, I'd leave a letter for the mailman, again super polite and courteous.
posted by julen at 5:49 PM on April 12, 2011
LastName
APT 3-B
or even
LastName
3-B
I used to have my number in big bold letters so that when the mailbox front was angled out, it was un-missible.
If you already have this, then your best bet is to talk to the postman first. I'd couch it as 'Is there anything we can do to help you avoid accidentally misfiling the mail? Some of our neighbors don't check their mail as often, so accidents aren't always caught in time to get our bills paid on time." If you can't be there when he's delivering mail, I'd leave a letter for the mailman, again super polite and courteous.
posted by julen at 5:49 PM on April 12, 2011
Get the number of our local dispatching station and be prepared to raise hell. The 1-800 number does nothing, in my experience in LA. Once I called our Congressperson's office, and things got better. Alos, get to know your regular carrier.
posted by Ideefixe at 5:50 PM on April 12, 2011
posted by Ideefixe at 5:50 PM on April 12, 2011
Best answer: Can you put up a very friendly but firm sign asking that they pay special attention to the addressee?
posted by baronessa at 5:50 PM on April 12, 2011
posted by baronessa at 5:50 PM on April 12, 2011
This mix-up happens at least once a month that I'm aware of and it is absolutely unacceptable!!
I've had various luck at various points in time getting the post office to do a better job delivering my mail. You aren't clear whether you've tried to complain to anyone. You should be able to call one of the post offices, tell them your address and they can tell you who the main office is that handles your mail. I think you can also do this online. And then you can file a complaint. And they will work with you to make sure this is worked out. They will probably send you test mail [where there is a dated card inside and you mail it back and you can report any irregularities] and/or working with your delivery person. You're unlikely to get anyone in serious trouble unless this is a pattern they're seeing with that same carrier elsewhere.
Stick to facts: my mail regularly gets misdelivered to my neighbor resulting in my mail sometimes being left in the hallway. I get my neighbor's mail and don't know what to do with it. Avoid drama. Be polite and use a "I'm sure we all want to get this resolved with minimal hassle" approach.
And at some level you need to figure out what to do to solve the problem on your own as well. I agree that this situation sucks, but I think people are often a little more understanding of occasional screw-ups. So, I know you're just stressed out now, but if having your bank statement misdelivered ever is totally unacceptable to you, then you may want to take steps on your own end to mitigate risk such as getting your bank statements delivered electronically or getting a post office box at a post office or mail services place near you.
posted by jessamyn at 5:50 PM on April 12, 2011 [5 favorites]
I've had various luck at various points in time getting the post office to do a better job delivering my mail. You aren't clear whether you've tried to complain to anyone. You should be able to call one of the post offices, tell them your address and they can tell you who the main office is that handles your mail. I think you can also do this online. And then you can file a complaint. And they will work with you to make sure this is worked out. They will probably send you test mail [where there is a dated card inside and you mail it back and you can report any irregularities] and/or working with your delivery person. You're unlikely to get anyone in serious trouble unless this is a pattern they're seeing with that same carrier elsewhere.
Stick to facts: my mail regularly gets misdelivered to my neighbor resulting in my mail sometimes being left in the hallway. I get my neighbor's mail and don't know what to do with it. Avoid drama. Be polite and use a "I'm sure we all want to get this resolved with minimal hassle" approach.
And at some level you need to figure out what to do to solve the problem on your own as well. I agree that this situation sucks, but I think people are often a little more understanding of occasional screw-ups. So, I know you're just stressed out now, but if having your bank statement misdelivered ever is totally unacceptable to you, then you may want to take steps on your own end to mitigate risk such as getting your bank statements delivered electronically or getting a post office box at a post office or mail services place near you.
posted by jessamyn at 5:50 PM on April 12, 2011 [5 favorites]
Once a month? It happens to use once a week, and we live out in the suburbs where the mailman is driving from box to box. You can politely complain to the postmaster, and hope that your mail delivery professional is not the vindictive type. Just like in any other job, some people care, and some don't really give a damn. If your mailman doesn't give a damn, there isn't much you can do but grin and bear it, or move your mailbox by getting a PO Box.
posted by COD at 6:03 PM on April 12, 2011
posted by COD at 6:03 PM on April 12, 2011
Something else you can do is stop getting anything with confidential information through the mail. It won't solve your problem, but will help protect you from the consequences. I think any bank or credit card company will send you electronic statements and stop the paper ones.
posted by still_wears_a_hat at 6:32 PM on April 12, 2011
posted by still_wears_a_hat at 6:32 PM on April 12, 2011
Please talk to him - I don't see in your question that you've actually talked to the mailman. Letter carrying is a customer service position and it is possible to develop a good relationship with your carrier. The most effective thing to do is to bring it up with the person who is making the mistake and without assuming that he is stupid or mean-spirited.
posted by Danila at 7:01 PM on April 12, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by Danila at 7:01 PM on April 12, 2011 [3 favorites]
This is why I always give my postman a Christmas gift, if he thinks of you as a person maybe there would be less mistakes :.)
posted by sandyp at 7:47 PM on April 12, 2011
posted by sandyp at 7:47 PM on April 12, 2011
I used to live in a complex that was amalgamated from a bunch of smaller complexes and apartment buildings, and then had a curbside gang mailbox placed on the street. Within the complex were a number of different buildings, each with their own addresses. Each building, with its own address, would then have its own set of apartments, starting at 1 for each building. Everyone's mailbox had a card with their exact address, apartment number, and resident names facing the delivery side of the box. My building had two apartments in it, 1 and 2.
At least once a week, our normal carrier would get a day off or something, and we'd get some guy who'd just toss everything with an apartment number 1 into any box that had a 1 on it, or deliver mail for the whole building to one box, so I'd get mail for five different apartments in my complex. After this happened a couple times, and I redelivered the mail myself, I just started putting the misdelivered mail back in our box with a note telling the mail carrier what he'd fucked up with (in much more polite language), and put it way at the back of the box facing the delivery side. I don't know if the guy making the mistakes saw the note, or if the regular carrier did and got on his case, but the problem stopped pretty quickly.
posted by LionIndex at 8:11 PM on April 12, 2011
At least once a week, our normal carrier would get a day off or something, and we'd get some guy who'd just toss everything with an apartment number 1 into any box that had a 1 on it, or deliver mail for the whole building to one box, so I'd get mail for five different apartments in my complex. After this happened a couple times, and I redelivered the mail myself, I just started putting the misdelivered mail back in our box with a note telling the mail carrier what he'd fucked up with (in much more polite language), and put it way at the back of the box facing the delivery side. I don't know if the guy making the mistakes saw the note, or if the regular carrier did and got on his case, but the problem stopped pretty quickly.
posted by LionIndex at 8:11 PM on April 12, 2011
Best answer: You can call the USPS at 1-800-ASK-USPS and file a complaint. Do this EVERY TIME there is a mis-mail. They supposedly keep track of these things and take action.
That being said, we've had these same issues with our mail carrier since we moved here in 2001, and we've spoken several times to his direct and local supervisor who says he's powerless to do anything about his performance for various reasons, so it might just be that you're in this mess until you move or your carrier does.
posted by Addlepated at 8:24 PM on April 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
That being said, we've had these same issues with our mail carrier since we moved here in 2001, and we've spoken several times to his direct and local supervisor who says he's powerless to do anything about his performance for various reasons, so it might just be that you're in this mess until you move or your carrier does.
posted by Addlepated at 8:24 PM on April 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: You know what got our mail fixed at our last-but three house, when the mail person would sometimes deliver the mail and sometimes not? My wife wrote to our Congressperson's office. Someone there called the local PO and we had the local postmaster on the phone to us about six seconds later. And the problem was fixed. No guarantees, but sometimes a big hammer works.
posted by maxwelton at 12:31 AM on April 13, 2011
posted by maxwelton at 12:31 AM on April 13, 2011
Is it usually the same neighbor who gets your mail? I don't know how friendly you are but you could ask them to slip it under your door. I also think the online bills is a good suggestion plus talking to your carrier. This happens in my apt to and it's annoying!
posted by SpaceWarp13 at 1:38 AM on April 13, 2011
posted by SpaceWarp13 at 1:38 AM on April 13, 2011
Response by poster: Thanks everyone for the replies. I have not talked with the postman because I work during the day. Based on guidance above, I'm going to:
1) Post a small, polite sign asking him to please be extra careful when placing the mail in the boxes.
2) Call the post office and ask that they talk with him and ask him to be extra careful when delivering our mail.
Call me the pessimist, but I don't expect much positive change to happen. I've worked with the government long enough to know there is only so much supervisors are willing to say/do to correct a problem like this.
posted by Yunani at 3:37 AM on April 13, 2011
1) Post a small, polite sign asking him to please be extra careful when placing the mail in the boxes.
2) Call the post office and ask that they talk with him and ask him to be extra careful when delivering our mail.
Call me the pessimist, but I don't expect much positive change to happen. I've worked with the government long enough to know there is only so much supervisors are willing to say/do to correct a problem like this.
posted by Yunani at 3:37 AM on April 13, 2011
Just wanted to jump in and say that going to post office box delivery may not solve the problem. I get far more misdeliveries there than I do at my home address -- most recently, a lockboxed package! Unfortunately, talking to the postmaster has been about as effective as you might guess.
posted by gnomeloaf at 5:45 AM on April 13, 2011
posted by gnomeloaf at 5:45 AM on April 13, 2011
I have not talked with the postman because I work during the day.
Mail is also delivered on Saturday. The simplest solution is to just talk to him.
posted by anastasiav at 7:00 AM on April 13, 2011 [1 favorite]
Mail is also delivered on Saturday. The simplest solution is to just talk to him.
posted by anastasiav at 7:00 AM on April 13, 2011 [1 favorite]
//Mail is also delivered on Saturday. The simplest solution is to just talk to him.//
That assumes that the Saturday mailman is the same person. That is not the case for us.
posted by COD at 8:08 AM on April 13, 2011
That assumes that the Saturday mailman is the same person. That is not the case for us.
posted by COD at 8:08 AM on April 13, 2011
We had a problem with our mail carrier carelessly shoving the mail into our slightly awkward box, ripping our magazines. I called and complained, and it cleared up.
posted by radioamy at 10:18 AM on April 13, 2011
posted by radioamy at 10:18 AM on April 13, 2011
I talked to my dad who has been a letter carrier for a few decades (and he is an awesome, much-beloved mailman). He disagreed with me about talking to the mailman because misplaced mail "once a month" is human imperfection that cannot really be eliminated from the letter carrier's end of things. I still think finding a way to talk to him (or her!) would be good because it humanizes you for the carrier and the carrier for you. As I said, this is a customer service position.
He said you could talk to the supervisor, who would in turn just talk to the letter carrier but it is highly unlikely there would be other sanctions. However, simple awareness of your complaint might make it more present in the carrier's mind, so it could help.
My dad wondered if your boxes are the kind that open at the top, because if so it is very easy to drop in the wrong piece of mail.
I don't know anyone who doesn't have their mail given to a neighbor sometimes. I don't know if it helps to know just how very common this is. I agree with my dad that it's to be expected as long as it's people and not robots delivering the mail (and the computers that do the presorting also get it wrong sometimes). But I also think taking a more proactive approach is good if at least to alleviate your concerns, so do what you gotta do.
posted by Danila at 6:28 PM on April 13, 2011
He said you could talk to the supervisor, who would in turn just talk to the letter carrier but it is highly unlikely there would be other sanctions. However, simple awareness of your complaint might make it more present in the carrier's mind, so it could help.
My dad wondered if your boxes are the kind that open at the top, because if so it is very easy to drop in the wrong piece of mail.
I don't know anyone who doesn't have their mail given to a neighbor sometimes. I don't know if it helps to know just how very common this is. I agree with my dad that it's to be expected as long as it's people and not robots delivering the mail (and the computers that do the presorting also get it wrong sometimes). But I also think taking a more proactive approach is good if at least to alleviate your concerns, so do what you gotta do.
posted by Danila at 6:28 PM on April 13, 2011
Response by poster: @anastasiav, you said: Mail is also delivered on Saturday. The simplest solution is to just talk to him.
Do you really think I'm going to sit in the mail room are of my apartment building for hours on a Saturday morning/afternoon just waiting for him/her arrive so I can talk with them? There's usually a four hour window and there is no way I will spend that entire time sitting there.
@Danila, thanks for the suggestions. I understand human error, but this frequent (once/month for me) is unacceptable when you figure how much we are forced to trust USPS with our mail delivery. Thanks again.
posted by Yunani at 3:22 AM on April 14, 2011
Do you really think I'm going to sit in the mail room are of my apartment building for hours on a Saturday morning/afternoon just waiting for him/her arrive so I can talk with them? There's usually a four hour window and there is no way I will spend that entire time sitting there.
@Danila, thanks for the suggestions. I understand human error, but this frequent (once/month for me) is unacceptable when you figure how much we are forced to trust USPS with our mail delivery. Thanks again.
posted by Yunani at 3:22 AM on April 14, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Daddy-O at 5:45 PM on April 12, 2011 [1 favorite]