Communal Post

[moseleyite]

Would appreciate some advice please.

I live in a block of purpose built flats and each flat has its own postbox but the postman does not gain access to the building so posts all the mail for all the flats through a communal postbox . This results in the post falling onto the floor in the lobby area.

My main concern is that I have had items of post go missing which have supposed to have been sent out recently and I have caught a neighbour nosing through mine and other peoples mail in the lobby area. There is also an issue with lack of privacy too.

When I took the flat the agent said the postman would always gain access to the building and deliver mail to each flat individually. Not sure why this is happening as I previously lived in a similar block just down the road and the postman certainly did used to come in the building and deliver to each flat? Aren't postmen allowed to enter communal flats to deliver mail anymore?

[westlondonpostie]

Would appreciate some advice please.

I live in a block of purpose built flats and each flat has its own postbox but the postman does not gain access to the building so posts all the mail for all the flats through a communal postbox . This results in the post falling onto the floor in the lobby area.

My main concern is that I have had items of post go missing which have supposed to have been sent out recently and I have caught a neighbour nosing through mine and other peoples mail in the lobby area. There is also an issue with lack of privacy too.

When I took the flat the agent said the postman would always gain access to the building and deliver mail to each flat individually. Not sure why this is happening as I previously lived in a similar block just down the road and the postman certainly did used to come in the building and deliver to each flat? Aren't postmen allowed to enter communal flats to deliver mail anymore?

Firstly can your Postman access the building, either by a tradesmans button, is a key provided or is the door unlocked at a set time.
You can request a floor by floor delivery, but it is up to the residents to ensure that the Postman can access the building otherwise what is your Postman supposed to do with your mail if he can't gain access.

[not me]

Would appreciate some advice please.

I live in a block of purpose built flats and each flat has its own postbox but the postman does not gain access to the building so posts all the mail for all the flats through a communal postbox . This results in the post falling onto the floor in the lobby area.

My main concern is that I have had items of post go missing which have supposed to have been sent out recently and I have caught a neighbour nosing through mine and other peoples mail in the lobby area. There is also an issue with lack of privacy too.

When I took the flat the agent said the postman would always gain access to the building and deliver mail to each flat individually. Not sure why this is happening as I previously lived in a similar block just down the road and the postman certainly did used to come in the building and deliver to each flat? Aren't postmen allowed to enter communal flats to deliver mail anymore?

you have a delivery point on your building
seal that up
put it this way. would you wander around looking for another letterbox when theres one right in front of you?
also ensure the delivery staff can actually get in the building
amazing the complaints you get from folks about not getting mail and you find out the door entry system is broken

[moseleyite]

Thanks for the replies, having checked the situation a little further it seems the agreement with the management company was that the postman would ring the tradesman buzzer and anyone who was in the building would let them in to deliver to each flat individually (there is usually a few people around during the day) , if no one answered the understanding was that it was OK to put post through the main letterbox on the front of the building.

Seems for whatever reason the postman no longer tries to ring the tradesman bell at all now and just posts it through the outside letterbox - if he had tried to ring someone would be there to let him in every day (the buzzer does work). I do appreciate the point made about the presence of the outside letterbox being there - given the choice of saving time on a busy round putting everyones post through there rather than spending time waiting for someone to answer the buzzer and delivering to each individual flat . Though strictly speaking surely the post isn't really being delivered correctly to the addressee? Should deliver to the full address marked on the envelope ie. the flat number itself rather than just to the building which contains numerous addresses?(14 flats).

[DGP1]

Just make sure the postie has a key (or code) to get in, I know that we're under so much pressure now that we do not have enough time to wait 5 to 10 minutes on someone answering the door buzzer (not me, I'm fully into doing the job properly now just to wind my DOM up ). As said before, seal up the outer letterbox and give the postie a key and everyone will be happy

[moseleyite]

Cheers - sounds like good advice. Hopefully will reach a solution that then stops the nosy (or possibly dodgy) neighbours interfering with my post.

[not me]

Thanks for the replies, having checked the situation a little further it seems the agreement with the management company was that the postman would ring the tradesman buzzer and anyone who was in the building would let them in to deliver to each flat individually (there is usually a few people around during the day) , if no one answered the understanding was that it was OK to put post through the main letterbox on the front of the building.

Seems for whatever reason the postman no longer tries to ring the tradesman bell at all now and just posts it through the outside letterbox - if he had tried to ring someone would be there to let him in every day (the buzzer does work). I do appreciate the point made about the presence of the outside letterbox being there - given the choice of saving time on a busy round putting everyones post through there rather than spending time waiting for someone to answer the buzzer and delivering to each individual flat . Though strictly speaking surely the post isn't really being delivered correctly to the addressee? Should deliver to the full address marked on the envelope ie. the flat number itself rather than just to the building which contains numerous addresses?(14 flats).

the post is being delivered to the delivery point on the building
there are many variants of delivery points on duties
as someone who has done many many stair walks
standing buzzing buzzers and waiting is a PITA
I want in the stair,mail delivered and gone
ringing 14 flats and then getting no answer,then delivering to the letterbox you are stood beside is wasted time
Ive delivered(or tried to) flats with 55 flats,yet nobody answers their buzzers.unlikely theres nobody in with that many
if its an issue then sort out proper access and block up the letterbox on the street

[Izzy]

I'm a postie with similar problems. What makes it worse is some entryphones now have a time delay. This means if you press one buzzer another cannot be pressed for a minute or so. I think this is to stop antisocial behaviour. But it also really slows down a postie. Also I only ever buzz addresses that have mail, because I have had abuse from nightshift workers. So this limits the possibility of getting into the building.

[DanD]

I have recently moved in to a new block of flats and the communal post boxes are outside the building. They are not big enough for mail larger than A5 size (the census form was screwed in half and then half again) and are constantly full of junk mail.
They pose a security risk as the building is just off a busy road. I normally have paperless banking but I need to have some bank statements delivered there to use for registration at a doctors etc. but don't feel safe doing this. I will also not be able to receive my contact lenses by mail anymore.

There is space in the entrance corridor to have them fitted if the postman was given a key (I wouldn't expect the postie to go to each flat, unless the mail did not fit in the communal area boxes) but have been told that the boxes are private and up to the individual flat owners, not the buildings maintenance company, to get them moved/changed.

How does it work in other flats? My building is 10 years old and obviously doesn't seem to have been a problem before but I am pretty security conscious, having been a victim of fraud a few years ago and can't see how it is fair to put up with a box that can't even take A4 envelopes!

Any suggestions to improve security or stories of what other flats have done would be great - thanks.

[NewPostieUK]

In my office the postmen that deliver to flats either get instant access or they don't deliver. By instant access I mean they have a key or there is a button they press which opens the door. The only time anybody hangs around is if there is a packet to deliver and/or a signature required.

I sympathise with the person whose flat just has a small slot. These are an example of lazy builders, but it's now up to you as the flat owner to provide a proper means of delivery. Having to put cards through every day, and carry the 'large' items around with us is a pain in the neck, as is, I'm sure, the customer going to the delivery office every day to pick up A4 sized items.

[Izzy]

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You could give a key to your regular postie so contact lenses could be put in via the bigger door rather than the slot. Personally I don't recommend this. (In our office someone came from a neighbouring office do do a duty for one day and took the keys away with him. I alerted the gaffers who appeared to do nothing. So we were left to apologise to the residents who'd given us a key to their block. They were very kind but said they weren't going to give us another.)

Moselyite/DanD you could just block up your existing, small letterboxes. (A screw through the flap into a block of wood inside the box.) And then attach a new bigger one close by. Write your flat number on it in large writing. That way you don't need to involve neighbours or management companies. When you move out remember to take it with you and unblock the original.

[not me]

I have recently moved in to a new block of flats and the communal post boxes are outside the building. They are not big enough for mail larger than A5 size (the census form was screwed in half and then half again) and are constantly full of junk mail.
They pose a security risk as the building is just off a busy road. I normally have paperless banking but I need to have some bank statements delivered there to use for registration at a doctors etc. but don't feel safe doing this. I will also not be able to receive my contact lenses by mail anymore.

There is space in the entrance corridor to have them fitted if the postman was given a key (I wouldn't expect the postie to go to each flat, unless the mail did not fit in the communal area boxes) but have been told that the boxes are private and up to the individual flat owners, not the buildings maintenance company, to get them moved/changed.

How does it work in other flats? My building is 10 years old and obviously doesn't seem to have been a problem before but I am pretty security conscious, having been a victim of fraud a few years ago and can't see how it is fair to put up with a box that can't even take A4 envelopes!

Any suggestions to improve security or stories of what other flats have done would be great - thanks.

I would say internal boxes and a service button is a better solution
yes a key is simpler/cheaper but you will have times the key gets lost,not given to the postie and it will cause problems(trust me i know flats!)
or you fork out and have the whole external boxes redesigned

[moseleyite]

Just to update - I did take on board the good advice given about asking the Managing Agents to seal up the one outside communal letterbox and to give the postman a key - unfortunately when I spoke to them their reply was that they were unwilling to change the status quo as the residents committee was happy with it and I was the only person affected by the missing post issue. They did not want to hand any keys over. I think their attitude would have changed if it was their post that was going missing.

The missing post is averaging an item a week over the last couple of months now and odds are that this isn't just bad luck, the only items that tend to go missing are official letters - bills, council tax etc. Obviously the prime suspect/s would be other residents here and when I am at home I race to get to the communal post first as soon as the post is delivered but it isn't really practical to stay in to wait for this every day. I did try to phone the local delivery office for advice, trouble is the number went through to Royal Mail Customer Services who appeared helpful but ended up sending me some general reply about being unable to track letters and going on about proof for obtaining compensation - I'm not after compensation I just want whoever it is to stop nicking my post!

[not me]

Just to update - I did take on board the good advice given about asking the Managing Agents to seal up the one outside communal letterbox and to give the postman a key - unfortunately when I spoke to them their reply was that they were unwilling to change the status quo as the residents committee was happy with it and I was the only person affected by the missing post issue. They did not want to hand any keys over. I think their attitude would have changed if it was their post that was going missing.

The missing post is averaging an item a week over the last couple of months now and odds are that this isn't just bad luck, the only items that tend to go missing are official letters - bills, council tax etc. Obviously the prime suspect/s would be other residents here and when I am at home I race to get to the communal post first as soon as the post is delivered but it isn't really practical to stay in to wait for this every day. I did try to phone the local delivery office for advice, trouble is the number went through to Royal Mail Customer Services who appeared helpful but ended up sending me some general reply about being unable to track letters and going on about proof for obtaining compensation - I'm not after compensation I just want whoever it is to stop nicking my post!

is collecting your post from the office practical?

[moseleyite]

Thanks, I did look into that but the delivery office seems to be quite a distance away in the opposite direction to work and I don't have a car, though I may have to consider it as this loss of important post can't continue the way it's going. Currently rent this place and realising we have no say (with regards to management agents and residents committees) on how things run in the building so I am seriously considering moving.