being charged a fee to get my mailbox key??? (apartment complex, lease, tenant)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm relocating about an hour and a half away and signed a lease on my new apartment yesterday. I've lived in apartments for years, and I've always received a mailbox key along with my apartment key. This time, I was informed by the apartment manager that I will have to go to USPS, provide them a copy of my lease, and pay USPS $15 for my mailbox key. This is a mailbox that is ON the apartment complex property.
I'm in my 30's and have lived in quite a few apartments... I've NEVER run into this. The apartment manager swears this is coming from USPS, not from them. What the heck?
I'm thinking about not paying it, just because it sounds ridiculous. I get maybe two legitimate pieces of mail a year, if that... so basically I have to pay a fee for the privilege of cleaning junk mail out of my mailbox once a month. Seriously, for YEARS I have only checked my mail once a month, just to clean it out... and I get aggravated every single time with the fact that it's all junk.
I know, it's only $15. But it just sounds sketchy to me. Is this legal? Or is the apartment complex lying to me and trying to shove the fee onto me, when they should be the ones paying it?
Do I even HAVE to get a mailbox key? Has anyone just not had a mailbox and lived somewhere without receiving mail? Aren't you technically considered "homeless" if you don't have a mailing address? This is just aggravating... I can't believe I have to pay to get my mail.
Yes you must have a mailing address to show residency for many things. Even if you have a post office box AT the post office, the post office keeps your actual residence on file. There is also a form to notify the post office that you actually are the new resident at an address. They may not deliver important things if they don't know you're really there.
Your new mailbox is probably entirely managed by the post office, and yep, they'll charge for a key. Though you can check to see if the money is refunded when you move and return the key.
Yes, it is legal. It is the fee USPS is charging for new key so your PRIVATE information is protected as they are switching out locks in case previous owner made copy.
The property management company may not even have a key. We've had a few subdivisions that the investor owner was not given a mailbox key. When they called the post office to get one, the post office said if they don't live there, they aren't entitled to a key. We've been told the same thing as a property manager. We HAD to send our tenant over to get the key.
To add, no keymaker will copy a usps key, if you happen to need a spare or you lose the original, you'll have to pay the usps for another key, and if you lose it, they might charge you to change the lock
I had my work jacket stolen, and my keys were in a pocket. When I called USPS, they said since I was an existing tenant, it would cost me $50 to have the lock changed. I told them to forget, and put in a change of address to my PMB. My PMB costs me $78 per year. So the mailman put a USPS form that says "Vacant" in the box, and it will stay there until I move out.
I like having everything go to my PMB anyway, it's much more convenient. I was just using my home mailbox as an additional address to get more free samples.
I have never paid more than about $1.00 for a post office box key so I'm not sure why the fee you were told is so high. It is probably best to go to the post office and find out for sure what the fee and requirement is.
I supply mailbox keys to my tenants and don't charge for them. I can see from other posts that sometimes the local post office will only issue keys to the tenant.
I'm glad I can just supply them. I'd hate to irritate a new tenant over such a little thing. I like happy tenants. They stay longer.
I've had to pay a refundable deposit before for the mailbox key, but have never had to go to such lengths before to get it. It's always been provided with the other keys, garage door opener, etc.
Last edited by Wry_Martini; 05-19-2013 at 04:38 PM..
Reason: Typo
Post office wanted to charge me for a second key many years ago...
I was able to adapt a key blank with a file and patience and made my own duplicate key..
Remember being rather proud about it at the time...
Last edited by Ultrarunner; 05-22-2013 at 11:16 PM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
