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Old 05-02-2019, 05:42 PM
 
3,602 posts, read 7,850,061 times
Reputation: 9174

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Quote:
Originally Posted by luv4horses View Post
I'm learning that HOAs make decisions by the seat of their pants. They don't know where to get a replacement so they make it the homeowners responsibility. I sincerely doubt there is something in any official document that you were given when you moved in.
Umm, yes, there was. In my case the HOA documents did not include mailboxes in the list of HOA-maintained items.

I had an issue and got the same info from the post office, namely, that it was my responsibility to repair and pay. Fortunately this turned out not to be necessary.

Some thoughts:

1. Remove mail promptly so the door doesn't get jammed.

2. Make yourself some spare keys.

3. Maybe a drop of lubricant from time to time?

4. Not specially relevant to over-55 communities.
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Old 05-02-2019, 05:59 PM
 
Location: Northern California
127,530 posts, read 11,757,700 times
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We are currently living in an apartment complex, & our mail box was broken into a few times, The management replaced the lock & keys each time. It should be a maintenance issue. I would ask them again to fix it.
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Old 05-02-2019, 06:34 PM
 
Location: Texas of course
705 posts, read 557,960 times
Reputation: 3831
Quote:
Originally Posted by Southern man View Post
Since you have a HOA, it probably has a section in the rules denoting what type of mailbox you can use. If it doesn’t, just pick out some ugly outlandish neon pink box and nail it up. I betcha someone will offer assistance then.
We do have rules regarding the mailboxes. It says they are all located by the clubhouse and it's our responsibility to repair them or we have the option to drive to the PO to get it. When we owned our home I was allowed to put my mailbox next to my driveway beside our back gate because I'm disabled but but since the move my husband is retired so the PO said he's home to get the mail.
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Old 05-02-2019, 07:14 PM
 
6,749 posts, read 5,425,677 times
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When we lived in a mobile home park, we had cluster boxes, but the delivery driver would drive around our circle and the Grumman truck had a distinct sound. This was often to deliver packages right to the door of the individual mobile home rather than just left at the common cluster box. So we would know when it was delivered. I also knew about what time it arrived and would often meet the mailperson at the box to get our mail.

If you have such a situation, its on you to be proactive, especially in a retirement community, where ideally you have the time to meet the delivery driver.

Where we currently live, we have the door to door service, which should save on driving costs, but can take its toll on the carriers hips, knees, and back walking from house to house. Packages are delivered door to door by a separate delivery driver during the busy holiday situation.

If you are concerned about the cluster box, you basically have 3 choices. 1) meet the carrier at the box at delivery time or get there close to it. 2) get a PO box and make a trip every day or every few days , assuming the local post office has boxes available. 3) ask the PO to hold your mail for a week and go to the post office to collect say once a week.

Im surprised many of you dont think you should bear the cost of any such box. Just like a box on the side of the house, just like a rural street side box, the HOMEOWNER recipient of mail is responsible for maintaining/ replacing the box if damaged.

We have the box on the house and i went to Lowe's and home depot in search of a LOCKED mailbox. Oh it can still be pried, but it would require a thief to walk up to the house, pry it open while anyone could look on, but still could do it if they wanted.

Another way to be sure theres little or no identity/ c c info stolen from mailbox is to sign up for online only statements. I like a paper copy, wait for it in the mail and know between which hours the mailman arrives with the mail. I check it frequently around those times, or look for his minivan parked up the street while he makes his walking rounds, knowing hes close. Hes always later on mondays or after a holiday, and earlier by the weekend. Hes always within a 2 hour window.

If you DO have a HOA, discuss the options for mailbox maintenance with the board. But most likely they will pass the cost of maintenance of the cluster boxes to the homeowner, or make a huge separate assessment when its time to replace the cluster. What surprises me is i thought most "retirement communities " were gated communities. In that case it would be one of your neighbors prying open your boxes, rather than some drive by thief in the night. And that would be the security of your home is threatened.

If your development is open to all, but has cluster boxes located in some central locale, see the ideas i posted above to secure your mail. Only certain mail of a security risk could be sent to your PO box, and pick it up only infrequently when you expect a statement, not every day.

Its a shame our society has come to this, where your neighbor or random person is a threat to your security . Just a part of the wealth inequality conondrum where they think your neighborhood has something to steal.

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Old 05-02-2019, 08:58 PM
 
Location: Texas of course
705 posts, read 557,960 times
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Our HOA doesn't want to get involved with the mailboxes, they made it clear it's our responsibility. We have 2 larger boxes for packages but they really aren't very big. If he leaves us a package in one of those he leaves a key to get it in our mailbox. If the package is too big for that he leaves a note to pick it up at the PO. At this time we're going a few times a week to get our mail since our door is now broken. Waiting at the mailboxes isn't really a good option. I tried that and I honestly have no desire to sit for hours each week with the AC running in the car waiting on him, it gets hot in Texas sitting in a car. He comes between 10 and noon each day generally. I guess I always took the mail for granted and never knew I'd have a problem getting my mail. BTW my mother retired from the USPS.
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Old 05-02-2019, 10:35 PM
 
Location: SoCal
6,418 posts, read 11,540,597 times
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I'm also in California, and for our complex it's the Post Office that owns the cluster mailboxes. They installed them, they replaced them after a bunch of years, and if they need repair we're to notify the Post Office.

Apparently different where you live.
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Old 05-02-2019, 11:18 PM
 
17,299 posts, read 13,042,795 times
Reputation: 32596
Take the key and commandeer one of the package boxes, just let the Post Office and Mailmen know
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Old 05-03-2019, 03:25 AM
 
Location: Pennsylvania
30,217 posts, read 15,980,059 times
Reputation: 43902
You could suggest the HOA put a security camera focused on the mail boxes. Some times just the presence of one will deter such activity.
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Old 05-03-2019, 07:33 AM
 
23,717 posts, read 14,826,704 times
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Who decided the community would have cluster boxes?

The USPS walks a route in older communities, drives in some and demands cluster boxes in newer communities. We all pay the same price for a stamp.

We have always lived in places that had a mailbox on the porch or at the curb. We now own a house in a cluster box community. The package box locks frequently are broken. Last time we had a package in one it took 10 days to get it out. Notes to the carrier and calls to the post office were of no use. We had to watch for the carrier. We are on a training route. Some days they come at 10Am, some days 7PM.

Can i decide to have a box at the curb? No.
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Old 05-03-2019, 09:43 AM
 
1,774 posts, read 1,175,695 times
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Oh. I guess it may have changed. We have group mailboxes in our subdivision in the Phoenix area and it was the Post Office that dictated that they be put up, as they are in most of the new [25 yr +-] subdivisions around here. It saves labor for the Post Office. When we moved in 14 years ago, we had to go through the Post Office to get the lock changed.

I wasn't aware it has changed, but I have not needed to talk to them, either.
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