The Post Office won't deliver my mail!!!

[spykesfaythe]

OK, guys, this is long but please bear with me and read through it. I am almost in tears since I can't get my mail. They did actually deliver for a couple of days but now it's stopped again. I KNOW that I should have gotten mail yesterday because Netflix always comes 2 days after I mail in the last set. Tell me if this is even legal:

Approximately two to three weeks ago my family's mail began to be delivered with "please add A" written across the address (and sometimes on the mail piece itself). Our address is 104 ***. We share this address with our elderly neighbor. The address has always been the same and we have never had correspondence from the Post Office regarding a problem with delivery of mail.

On August 13, 2010 I used the USPS web site's customer service link to comment on this issue. Since we had received no official notification from the Post Office, we did not see a need to change our address. I commented on the "scribbling" on my mail and on the fact that we would prefer not to be "104 A" since it creates the misconception that we live in an apartment or trailer park.

I received no response from the Post Office, but I did notice that no mail was being delivered. No mail was delivered from Saturday, August 14 through Wednesday, August 18. This is highly unusual since we receive the usual bills, several magazine subscriptions, a Netflix subscription and also have signed up with numerous companies for coupons, etc. We receive mail daily in most cases.

I revisited the USPS web site on Wednesday, August 14 and this time logged a complaint about not receiving mail. I mentioned the previous problem we had and asked that someone contact me. On Thursday afternoon we still had not received any mail but I did receive a phone call from D*** at the Post Office. He informed me that they were indeed holding all of our mail and it would be sent back "return to sender" after ten days. Keep in mind, it had been held without any notice since Saturday. I asked him why, after approximately 20 years of mail being delivered to both occupants, was there suddenly a problem with mail delivery. He stated that mail cannot be delivered to both of us (the neighbor and my family) at the same address and that the mail carrier had, without his knowledge, been writing "please add A" on the mail because she does not get paid for delivering to two addresses if we both have the same number. He instructed the carrier not to write on the mail and placed a hold order on our mail. I told him that this was very problematic for us in that the my family now had, in effect, less than a week to contact any and all companies with whom we have correspondence and attempt to get our mailing address changed (since they will return any mail marked simply 104 N Avery Rd. NW). He stated that he would instruct the carrier to deliver mail for a month before it was returned to sender--in order to give us time to have our address changed to reflect "A." I then asked him if they had a hold on the neighbor's mail who has the same address. He stated that they did. He then asked her if we "speak" to the neighbor. After being advised that we did speak with the 80-some year old lady (who is disabled), he stated that we should advise her of the problem and have her mark her mail "B."

My husband spoke with the carrier on Friday, August 20. She brought our mail for the last week as well as the neighbor's mail. She apologized for the trouble. She also stated that our neighbor's address will remain "104 ***" and that ours would need to have "A" added to the address. This is in direct conflict with what I was told by D*** on the phone on the 19th.

I have two major issues with this whole debacle:

1. No correspondence was received from the Post Office by me or by my neighbor instructing us to change the way our mail is addressed. I did not feel then, nor do I feel now, that it is appropriate for a carrier to leave notes on mail instructing individuals to change their address. In my opinion, it would have been more appropriate for an official notice to be sent from the Postmaster when there are needed changes to mailing addresses.
2. No correspondence was received by me or my elderly neighbor informing us that our mail was being arbitrarily held at the Post Office and would be returned to sender. Had I not have complained the second time via the web site, neither of us would know this and our mail would have been returned. The Post Office, apparently, did not intend to inform us of the decision to hold the mail. Our neighbor had no idea any of this was taking place. When we asked her if she had noticed that she had not been receiving mail she replied that she had noticed but just assumed she hadn't received anything.

We have to attempt to change our address with numerous agencies, companies and organizations and hope that the changes take effect within the next 30 days. Additionally, our neighbor does not know if her mail should be addressed to "104" or "104B." In addition, in my opinion, it was not appropriate for D*** to ask me, an individual, to instruct a neighbor to change her mailing address. I am quite concerned that none of our mail will be delivered properly even after the changes are made.

I want to end by saying that my intent is not to "tattle" on the carrier. It is my opinion that she is just doing what she is told and she just wants to keep her job--which is totally understandable. I do not wish any ill effects for her due to this fiasco. My problem and complaint is with the Post Office in general and particularly with D****. I think his approach to this situation was not what it should have been and certainly not a shining example of "customer service." I believe an apology is appropriate, especially to my elderly neighbor who did not complain and had no way of knowing that her mail had been disrupted.

[CW&M Mom]

so there are 2 house on the same property?

I honestly would find it confusing to have 2 people in 2 different houses having the same exact address.

how about 104.5?

[reezz]

Theyre two seperate houses/land/property and not a duplex? Ive never seen anything like it before. I would definitely check deeds to confirm...what if she dies and her family tried to claim digs on your house/land/property?

The nerve of them, to decide to stop delivering. Whether "A" or "B" she still has to deliver at both houses?

Good luck with straightening it out, I once had a delivery problem and it was like pulling teeth with the USPS.

[spykesfaythe]

No, she owns her own property and so do we. I don't know why both have the same addy, but it has always been so. I just think that if the USPS wanted us to change our address, we should have received an official notice. Then, for them to hold our mail without notice or consent seems wrong. Especially for the elderly neighbor who didn't even know anything about my original comment regarding "Add A." They held her mail, too. I have lots of rebates, etc. plus a BZZ kit coming and I doubt I'll get any of it. Not to mention I have $50 worth of gift cards to redeem on My Points and I'm scared to ask for them!!!

[spykesfaythe]

Good luck with straightening it out, I once had a delivery problem and it was like pulling teeth with the USPS.

Amen! I'm so fed up with this. The only real option I see is to rent a box at the UPS store--that's $120 a year!!!

[collectorofbells]

was the person you spoke to the Postmaster? if not I'd go to the post office and speak directly to the postmaster....

a po box is not a bad idea....but be aware some places (freebies especially) do not mail to po boxes...

[spykesfaythe]

was the person you spoke to the Postmaster? if not I'd go to the post office and speak directly to the postmaster....

a po box is not a bad idea....but be aware some places (freebies especially) do not mail to po boxes...

No, I suppose he is just the customer service supervisor. I did sent the above text in a letter to the OIC (Officer in Charge) of the PO here--our Postmaster is away on military duty. I have received no response.

If I get a box at the UPS store it will have a street address--not a PO box #. I just don't think I should have to pay for a place to get my mail when I have a mailbox right in front of my house!!!

[motherofmolly]

i am guessing you live in a rural area and have a mail carrier that really isnt an employee of the postal service but gets paid per house she delivers too. you need to find out who your local postmaster is. not a customer service guy, but postmaster. if you local little post office does not have one, find the one for the county you are in. go and speak to him/her directly.

and i would ask your postal lady to give it more than one month if she could. let her know that you believe you have contacted everyone but that there might be that one that slipped thru...either she can mark the mail so you can correct or you will look yourself. if she refuses to do such, log a complaint with the postal inspector (different from postmaster) the inspector can track your mail and find out where it is going.

let your letter carrier know that you would hate for a rebate check or a payment from someone else to get lost in the mail.

and every day you do not get mail, i would log a complaint.

have you checked with the county to see if the post office can arbitrarily change your address? your tax bills will go to the legal address on file would it not? and what address does the fire dept have for you?

[hburnette3]

tell them you don't want to be A. Now that you think of it you don't want to share an address either. you want to be 105! It's still going to inconvenience you but will inconvenience them a WHOLE LOT more.

[Merczilla]

I was going to say check with your Public recorders office, or borough or county or whatever it is you have down there and see what legal address they have for both of you. I don't think the PO can arbitrarily change your address without the "legal" entities knowing and/or being instructed by them. Could be wrong, but when they renamed the street my mom lives on (had the same name for 50 years), a letter was sent out to all residents giving them "x" amount of time to get their address changed.