Mailbox Locks

Started by RobertC36 • 9 replies • 4961 views

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RobertC36 (California)
Posts: 3

Posted:

Question. I moved in about 6 months ago and did not receive a key to my mailbox. The owner lost his and never replaced it.
I've been after the HOA and Postal Service about getting a key.

The Postal service says its the HOA reasonability to get a key and or replace the lock.
The HOA and Management Company says its the Postal Services.

My CCR only says to get key from owner, nothing else.
These are a block of mailboxes mounted in areas nears each set of condos.

How do I proceed.

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,062

Posted:

Robert,

It's your responsibility to replace it (pay for it).
However, the HOA acts as the manager and has to initiate the action.
It's possible that the HOA is unaware that they have to initiate the action.
Keep in mind, it may be simpler and less expensive if you simply do the work yourself.

See the following links:

Tips for Postal Customers with Centralized Mailboxes from the US Postal Service

Help! I've lost my mailbox key! from a locksmiths facebook page

How To Replace a Mailbox Lock in Under Five Minutes (basically changing the lock which is what everyone will have to do)

Mailbox Locks from Home Depot

Replacement Locks from mailboxes.com

Prime-Line S 4140 Mailbox Lock from Amazon

RobertC36 (California)
Posts: 3

Posted:

I can replace the lock myself if I had access to the box. How do I get someone to open the rear so I can pull the lock?

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,062

Posted:

Take a look at the links I provided.

CarolF (Florida)
Posts: 435

Posted:

In my HOA, if a new homeowner has not gotten the key from the previous owner, he must make arrangements at the Post Office to have their employee install a new lock for $25, and the new owner is then given the key. The HOA is not involved. Also, it is not the regular postal delivery person who does the work. It is a postal employee that the Post Office sends out for their maintenance work.

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

I would talk to the postman. You can buy the lock at Lowes/Home Depot for less than $10. In our HOA you could just put the lock in the box and the postman would install it for you. Since you can't open it, then I would go to the post office about making arrangements. Even though this is on HOA property, it's federal in nature. Your not allowed to put anything inside a mailbox without a stamp on it.

Former HOA President

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,062

Posted:

Per the post office (if you follow the links I provided earlier), the maintenance of the cluster mailboxes are the responsibility of the owner/custodian, not the post office.

If you follow the links I provided earlier, they actually suggest you talk to the mail carrier to obtain access - then replace yourself.

If you follow the links I provided earlier, they actually show how to replace the lock if you can't get the door open (i.e. drill the lock out).

RichardP13 (California)
Posts: 3,868

Posted:

Based on my experience as a property manager, hopefully the keys are turned over during the final escrow process. It would always be a good idea to change the lock as you NEVER know if the previous owner still has a key. You NEED to check with your post office for your zip code, but they all handle things differently from post office to post office. Some will work with a locksmith to change out the lock and some will require that their people do the work. I ran into this at my new office, $55.00 for a $10.00 lock on Amazon.

My management company will NEVER keep an extra set for security and privacy reasons.

KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550

Posted:

We have two sets of cluster mailboxes in interior mailrooms for our 200+ residential condos. No one on our premises including our property mgr. have keys to the individual mailboxes except unit owners or their renters. What a nightmare it would be if mgmt. had to keep track of all of them given g frequent turnover of some units.

While we have a reserves line item for them, owners are completely responsible for their keys.

CarolF (Florida)
Posts: 435

Posted:

Also, in my situation, we are not condos, but individual homes. My HOA is serviced by several banks of locked mail boxes, not individual mail boxes at the driveway. We are one subHOA within a larger POA, which includes condos and other individual homes.
Last year we had the situation you describe. I know that is how the Post Office handled it.
Also, since the home had previously been rented, it was probably a good idea to have a new lock installed by the Post Office, and I assume the PO required some paperwork to verify that this is the new owner.

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