U.S. post office holds mail?

Question

So a woman in Reseda, CA rents rooms to 5 people. She says they may not touch her mailbox as it legally belongs only to her. She often has her mail held at the post office for weeks at a time. Room renters are denied access at local post office. 1 room renter lost his unemployment due to not responding in a timely manner. Now, a renter has been waiting for his drivers licence for 3 weeks. When asked where is the mail she gave a response."I havnt seen any for a while, I think someone is stealing it". However, after speaking to the postman about this, he said she placed it on hold. Speaking with manager at post office he said what she is doing is legal, it is HER address. Local police say it is illegal and renters would have to sue her in court. The guy that is waiting for his drivers license will be driving illegally in a few days. The only way for him to request his mail from post office is by showing his LICENSE. What a joke of a legal system.

Update:

She tells you up front that you MAY get your mail at that address. She tells you AFTER you move in that you may NOT touch her mailbox.

Update 2:

http://about.usps.com/forms/ps1093.pdf

Acceptable forms of ID include:

photo Id Options:

Valid driver’s license or state non-driver’s identification card (NOTE... Post office is holding this!)

Armed forces, government, university, or recognized corporate

identification card

Passport, passport card, alien registration card, or certificate of

naturalization

non-photo Id Options:

Current lease, mortgage, or deed of trust ( NOTE ...He doesnt own a car or house. He doesnt have a lease.

Voter or vehicle registration card

Home or vehicle insurance policy

note:

Social Security cards, credit cards, and birth certificates are

not acceptable forms of ID.

Update 3:

Thank you John S. An intelligent answer is exactly what I needed,

Answer 1

Favorite Answer

Your landlady is wrong, and probably committing one or more crimes. The Postal Service has exclusive rights to USE a mailbox once it has been designated as the official place for mail delivery. The person at the address cannot control what does, or does not, get placed in the mailbox, and the USPS will deliver all mail which is properly addressed to that mailbox. It is unlawful either to place unauthorized matter in a mailbox, or to interfere with the placement in or delivery of mail from a mailbox.

In order to have a hold put on mail to be delivered to an address, the person requesting the hold must verify that he/she is the person, executor, guardian, authorized officer, or agent of the person for whom mail would be held. Anyone submitting false or inaccurate information on a hold request is subject to punishment by fine or imprisonment or both under Sections 2, 1001, 1702 and 1708 of Title 18, United States Code. (From the USPS hold mail web site.) Your landlady obviously does not qualify. If she has placed a hold on residents' mail without authorization she has committed a felony.

I think you and the other renters need to discuss this in person ASAP with the Postmaster at your local Post Office.

Source(s): 35+ years as a criminal defense attorney

Answer 2

I'm not an attorney but I think that if you are paying to live at an address, you have as much legal right to use the mailbox as the property owner.

What's the purpose of the mailbox? To deliver mail to people who live at an address. Right? They'll have to either get post office boxes or hire an attorney.

Answer 3

They can get a box of their own at the post office for a small fee.

Answer 4

So she tells you, up front, that you may not use her mailbox. You do so anyway, and miss out on important mail. The person responsible for the consequences of you missing out on important mail is YOU. No one accepts personal responsibility anymore.

Anyway, what is your question?

Answer 5

they should open a mail box at the post office or a UPS store