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Can post office just stop delivering all of my mail?

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goodsand

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Nevada
We have had excellent mail delivery to the same address for 28 years. When a new carrier started about 6 months ago, she was putting mail, including small parcels or padded envelopes, in our mail box half way so that they protruded out of the mail box for anyone to take. In addition, she delivered the USPS carrier instruction cards with my address and gate code on them to a neighbor! I spoke to the carrier about it. After that, she refused to deliver any parcels to our door, falsely citing that we have a vicious dog. I filed a complaint with the consumer affairs office for post office complaints. The supervisor came to my house to see for himself, and my dog was completely docile. He saw for himself that my dog is not only contained in the house, but does not even bark. He did hear a dog barking, but I advised him that it was the dog next door that NEVER stops barking. Regardless, he stated that he could not instruct the carrier to use the gate code that had been provided to enter and bring parcels to the door. The consumer affairs office had told me that if nothing was done, that I should file another complaint so that the post office manager would check on this problem. So I complained again, and the manager of the post office called me and stated that he was at my property. I was not home, but he stated that our dog could “get” the carrier by coming out of our pool gate on the side of our house!! This is totally impossible as the dog would have to come inside one pool area gate and out the other pool gate. In addition, these gates are self-closing and open outwards, so the dog could not possibly open it IF she could get into the pool area. I explained all of this to the manager but he stated that he could not instruct the carrier to bring packages to our door because the carrier could be trapped by our dog. When I explained that this was impossible as the dog is in the house and not a yard dog, he then stated that the carrier could be blamed if there was something missing from my porch area!! This entire fiasco is all based on total falsehoods. Our dog is docile. ALL previous carriers for 28 years at the same address have delivered mail to our box and parcels to our door. UPS, FedEx, and Amazon do this also, and there is no dog problem. This only started when I complained about her delivering the USPS carrier instruction cards with my address and gate code on them to a neighbor and for leaving mail half way in the box (not just mine, but neighbors' mail which was found lying in the street in 2 instances which I also reported to the supervisor who did not even comment on it!).
The carrier then began to just leave a postal form stating that we have a package to pick up at the post office. She did not ring the gate bell nor use the gate code to bring the package to the door. Our entire reason for having a gate is to prevent theft of packages since this has become excessive in our area. When we saw her not ringing the bell but just putting the notice in our mail box at the street, we got the notice out of the box and approached her, asking for the package. She stated that she did not have the package—that it was at the post office. So we had to go as usual to the post office and get the package even though we were home at the time and went out to the street to talk to her when she drove off! Going to the post office to get packages is a frequent occurrence, and it was never this way until we got this carrier and we complained about her infractions. After telling the supervisor and manager this information, she still just leaves the notice in our box. She has never rang the bell. We are home almost all of the time, especially now, since the mail is delivered after dark! And, there’s more: Now, we are not only NOT getting our packages placed at our door, but we also are not getting ANY mail delivery, including the grocery stores and other stores advertisements that always come during the week.
I contacted the Inspector General’s office that oversees the post office, citing employee misconduct, and they forwarded my message to the consumer affairs office where we have already filed complaints and who just sent it to the post office supervisor and manager, back in the loop.
We routinely get a LOT of mail every day, and most of it is business mail. We have not received mail for several days now. All of our mail is important, and there are 6 different individuals who get mail at this address. We need this solved and to have a carrier that follows the guidelines that have been used for delivering our mail previous to her being the carrier. Please help.
 


quincy

Senior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Nevada
We have had excellent mail delivery to the same address for 28 years. When a new carrier started about 6 months ago, she was putting mail, including small parcels or padded envelopes, in our mail box half way so that they protruded out of the mail box for anyone to take. In addition, she delivered the USPS carrier instruction cards with my address and gate code on them to a neighbor! I spoke to the carrier about it. After that, she refused to deliver any parcels to our door, falsely citing that we have a vicious dog. I filed a complaint with the consumer affairs office for post office complaints. The supervisor came to my house to see for himself, and my dog was completely docile. He saw for himself that my dog is not only contained in the house, but does not even bark. He did hear a dog barking, but I advised him that it was the dog next door that NEVER stops barking. Regardless, he stated that he could not instruct the carrier to use the gate code that had been provided to enter and bring parcels to the door. The consumer affairs office had told me that if nothing was done, that I should file another complaint so that the post office manager would check on this problem. So I complained again, and the manager of the post office called me and stated that he was at my property. I was not home, but he stated that our dog could “get” the carrier by coming out of our pool gate on the side of our house!! This is totally impossible as the dog would have to come inside one pool area gate and out the other pool gate. In addition, these gates are self-closing and open outwards, so the dog could not possibly open it IF she could get into the pool area. I explained all of this to the manager but he stated that he could not instruct the carrier to bring packages to our door because the carrier could be trapped by our dog. When I explained that this was impossible as the dog is in the house and not a yard dog, he then stated that the carrier could be blamed if there was something missing from my porch area!! This entire fiasco is all based on total falsehoods. Our dog is docile. ALL previous carriers for 28 years at the same address have delivered mail to our box and parcels to our door. UPS, FedEx, and Amazon do this also, and there is no dog problem. This only started when I complained about her delivering the USPS carrier instruction cards with my address and gate code on them to a neighbor and for leaving mail half way in the box (not just mine, but neighbors' mail which was found lying in the street in 2 instances which I also reported to the supervisor who did not even comment on it!).
The carrier then began to just leave a postal form stating that we have a package to pick up at the post office. She did not ring the gate bell nor use the gate code to bring the package to the door. Our entire reason for having a gate is to prevent theft of packages since this has become excessive in our area. When we saw her not ringing the bell but just putting the notice in our mail box at the street, we got the notice out of the box and approached her, asking for the package. She stated that she did not have the package—that it was at the post office. So we had to go as usual to the post office and get the package even though we were home at the time and went out to the street to talk to her when she drove off! Going to the post office to get packages is a frequent occurrence, and it was never this way until we got this carrier and we complained about her infractions. After telling the supervisor and manager this information, she still just leaves the notice in our box. She has never rang the bell. We are home almost all of the time, especially now, since the mail is delivered after dark! And, there’s more: Now, we are not only NOT getting our packages placed at our door, but we also are not getting ANY mail delivery, including the grocery stores and other stores advertisements that always come during the week.
I contacted the Inspector General’s office that oversees the post office, citing employee misconduct, and they forwarded my message to the consumer affairs office where we have already filed complaints and who just sent it to the post office supervisor and manager, back in the loop.
We routinely get a LOT of mail every day, and most of it is business mail. We have not received mail for several days now. All of our mail is important, and there are 6 different individuals who get mail at this address. We need this solved and to have a carrier that follows the guidelines that have been used for delivering our mail previous to her being the carrier. Please help.
It appears that you have made the necessary complaints to the appropriate people. You can keep making complaints if the delivery issues are not resolved. As long as you have a way to get your mail (e.g., picking it up at the post office), your mail is not being withheld from you. It is just less convenient for you.

If there has been an "excessive" problem with packages being stolen in your area (hence your gate), I can understand why packages are now being kept at the post office for pick up by the homeowners. When packages were stolen in the past, I imagine homeowners blamed postal workers for the loss of the packages.
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
I would suggest that you get a PO box at your local post office, or a box at a local shipping store (ie: The UPS Store)
 

Rushia

Senior Member
It appears that you have made the necessary complaints to the appropriate people. You can keep making complaints if the delivery issues are not resolved. As long as you have a way to get your mail (e.g., picking it up at the post office), your mail is not being withheld from you. It is just less convenient for you.

If there has been an "excessive" problem with packages being stolen in your area (hence your gate), I can understand why packages are now being kept at the post office for pick up by the homeowners. When packages were stolen in the past, I imagine homeowners blamed postal workers for the loss of the packages.
As an addition...... My husband is a postal carrier. They will not force a carrier to deliver if they feel unsafe regarding your dog. Many people claim that their dog is docile. OP may feel that her dog is docile, but there is always a chance that it is not.
 

justalayman

Senior Member
I'm curious. What difference does it make whether your dog is docile or a killer if it cannot reach the area you are expecting the mailman to enter? If it is never in that area then it's irrelevant. Arguing the dog is docile makes it sound like the dog can access the area.

If the dog can access the area, it matters not if you claim the dog is docile or not. The mailman should not enter that area.
 

quincy

Senior Member
As an addition...... My husband is a postal carrier. They will not force a carrier to deliver if they feel unsafe regarding your dog. Many people claim that their dog is docile. OP may feel that her dog is docile, but there is always a chance that it is not.
We have been fortunate to have dogs who are friendly and postal carriers who are dog lovers (and who are also friendly :)). Our carriers even carry around dog treats and leave Milk Bones in the mailbox.

But as a dog owner, I also know that any dog can bite.

Just as I would not enter anyone's yard where there was a dog, without the owner present and in control of the dog, I would not expect anyone else to enter my yard under those circumstances.
 

adjusterjack

Senior Member
We need this solved and to have a carrier that follows the guidelines that have been used for delivering our mail previous to her being the carrier. Please help.
Sorry, but I don't think there is any help.

Looks like the postal bureaucracy has closed ranks against you.

Time you started making other arrangement for your mail.

Consider installing one of those extra large mailboxes outside your gate where parcels and mail go in the top door and fall to the bottom where they cannot be reached and you open the bottom with a key to get the mail out.

Yeah, they are expensive but since your mail is that critical, you don't have much choice.
 

Rushia

Senior Member
We have been fortunate to have dogs who are friendly and postal carriers who are dog lovers (and who are also friendly :)). Our carriers even carry around dog treats and leave Milk Bones in the mailbox.

But as a dog owner, I also know that any dog can bite.

Just as I would not enter anyone's yard where there was a dog, without the owner present and in control of the dog, I would not expect anyone else to enter my yard under those circumstances.
My hubby loves dogs and has many "buddies" on his route. He would rather not deliver if he thinks the dog may attack him. He'd rather make you come in to get your package than mace your dog.
 

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