Mailbox Issue
I have a three family brownstone, I live in the bottom apartment and rent out the top two. The mail for all three units is dropped in my downstairs gate by the mailman and I put the mail for the two tenants out in the secure hallway in unlocked boxes. My new tenant has an…
I have a three family brownstone, I live in the bottom apartment and rent out the top two. The mail for all three units is dropped in my downstairs gate by the mailman and I put the mail for the two tenants out in the secure hallway in unlocked boxes. My new tenant has an issue with not having his own locked mailbox and with me touching his mail. Am I legally obligated to install and give him his own locked mailbox? I think there are maybe two 3-family buildings on my block with those ugly silver units with separate locks, everyone else does it the way we do. Anyone?
“you know what, i take that back. i believe MDL allows you to deliver the mail to your tenants – don’t think USPS does though…”
They sure do.
If the mailman (person) is Ok with the “through the gate” situation, this tenant is going to have to navigate through the USPS to get any enforcement of anything else. Good luck with that.
Talk to your regular mail carrier, tip him/her and ask their opinion. That’ll front run this tenant’s likley confrontational demeanor with the mail carrier.
you know what, i take that back. i believe MDL allows you to deliver the mail to your tenants – don’t think USPS does though…
My friend once got sued by his drug dealing tenant because he hurt himself falling down the stairs, running from the police. It eventually got tossed out of the courts, but cost him big bucks in legal fees. It was one of the reasons he got out of the landlord business for a while. Who needs the aggravation some people can cause you?
Just because he’s a jerk doesn’t mean you don’t have to provide a mailbox.”
‘Oh, but it does mean exactly that.’
No. USPS and MDL require a mailbox. Put in the mailbox
young archi – The OP lives in a three family (two rental apartments) house. The requirement only applies to three or more rental apartment buildings. There is no obligation, legal or otherwise, in the case. Sorry.
“Just because he’s a jerk doesn’t mean you don’t have to provide a mailbox.”
‘Oh, but it does mean exactly that.’
No. USPS and MDL require a mailbox. Put in the mailbox.
fawn – I find that the regular route mailman does a higher quality job with delivery than do substitue/replacement mailmen. My building actually has an ugly box outside with a key for their access, but it sometimes isn’t used.
The tenant in question, whose inane requests started this thread, should take note of that. Mail privacy is pretty tough to ensure. thats what the brown wrappers on mail is for – but that is a giveaway too, isn’t it???
The guy who lived in my apartment before me, he got a student loan bill. I kept it for three months before deciding to open it and read it.
He owed $18,000 past due. the letter said, “Think very carefully before deciding what to do with this letter – your actions will have long-term consequences.”
fawn..they’re postal workers and they abide by the typical union mentality.