Ask a Mailman (City Letter Carrier) anything

1236 Questions

Last Answer on February 18, 2022

Do you have a legal obligation to return mail if it has your address, but your neighbors name? Even if said neighbors are aware they are using incorrect address, but continue to do so anyway. This includes bills, special order packages.

Asked by fed up over 10 years ago

I can't cite any legal regulations here due to my lack of knowledge on this subject. I would recommend that you return any mail that comes to your address with their name or give it to them directly. It sounds to me that you don't want to do either of those suggestions. Technically, I can't see where you are wrong in keeping or discarding the mail/packages you are referring to but I believe it is morally wrong to keep these items and not return them or give them to your neighbor. If you don't have a good relationship with this neighbor, you could just put the mail back in your mailbox or a blue USPS collection box and write on the mail "person doesn't live at this address." Again, in my opinion, the choice is yours what you do with this mail. Thanks for writing.

823 Votes

Do you check the intended addressee before delivery? If I sent a letter to someone's previous address using first class mail, will the letter be sent back to me? Also, how does a carrier keep track of an address's forwarding requests?

Asked by Old Address over 11 years ago

I do but not all carriers do, especially if they aren't familiar with the valid names at a particular address or is a substitute letter carrier. The route I deliver doesn't have many forwarding requests that I can't remember them all. But we also have "flags" at our sorting case to help us with knowing the forwarding requests. They stay active in the Computerized Forwarding System for 18 months. After that time, mail will be returned to sender with the endorsement "Unable to Forward" or UTF.

822 Votes

How long does an RTS for a package take?

Asked by CH over 11 years ago

I am not sure. It sometimes depends how quickly the office that you give it to dispatches it to be returned. I would think it should be promptly, but I can't say for sure. Sorry I can't be more specific.

820 Votes

Somebody who lives with me recently got hired by the post office. I've noticed bundles of mail. Not your catalog type stuff but more like cc bills, electric bills, bank statements etc. I'm torn because i want them to move out, if fired i'm stuck.

Asked by confilicted over 10 years ago

I am not sure why you have a conflict with regards to the type of mail that a roommate/co-occupant receives and whether or not they work at the PO has to do with them living with you. It appears to me that this person has decided to use your address to receive mail from their creditors, financial institutions, utilities, etc. If they move out or you force them out, this person could have their mail forwarded to a new address. If they don't live with you anymore but there is still mail for them coming to your address, you can can return it to the letter carrier saying that they don't live with you anymore. Please re-write and re-submit your question a bit more clearly so I can understand the conflict you are having with the type of mail being received and this person living with you. Thank you.

820 Votes

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If my package arrived in the post office at 10:16 am, will my package come today?

Asked by Kir over 11 years ago

Not necessarily. Carriers are often already out of the PO by that time. You should definitely rcv the package the next day at the latest.

819 Votes

if the mail man takes ma mail cause i was out of town what should i do

Asked by thalia over 11 years ago

Depending on how long you were out of town, the mail was probably being held at the PO you to pick up. If you were out for a certain amt of time and never contacted the PO, it's possible they returned the mail to sender. If a mailbox is full, the overflow is usually held at the PO until the cust. Mailbox is emptied. I am just giving you scenarios on what I think should happen. As much as there are sets of rules to be followed in this situation, nobody seems to know exactly what is correct and different carriers will handle it differently.

819 Votes

I picked up a 6 inch by 9.25 inch bubble mailer at the store. Do mail carriers pick these up (if I put stamps on it) or do I have to bring it to a USPS store? Is it dependent on the weight or label? Thanks!

Asked by Longlivekingrichard@aol.com over 11 years ago

If the item weighs 13oz. or less, your letter carrier should pick this up if you have put the proper postage on it and used stamps only. You can determine the proper postage by using the postage calculator at www.usps.com. If you use electronic postage such as click 'n ship or postage via eBay, PayPal, or amazon (for example) the 13 oz. rule doesn't apply and your letter carrier should take it regardless of weight. If the item weighs more than 13 oz. and contains only stamps it would have to be brought to a PO and presented directly to a postal worker to be mailed.

818 Votes

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Mailman (City Letter Carrier)

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

Do you have a legal obligation to return mail if it has your address, but your neighbors name? Even if said neighbors are aware they are using incorrect address, but continue to do so anyway. This includes bills, special order packages.

Do you check the intended addressee before delivery? If I sent a letter to someone's previous address using first class mail, will the letter be sent back to me? Also, how does a carrier keep track of an address's forwarding requests?

How long does an RTS for a package take?

Somebody who lives with me recently got hired by the post office. I've noticed bundles of mail. Not your catalog type stuff but more like cc bills, electric bills, bank statements etc. I'm torn because i want them to move out, if fired i'm stuck.

Also on Jobstr...

If my package arrived in the post office at 10:16 am, will my package come today?

if the mail man takes ma mail cause i was out of town what should i do

I picked up a 6 inch by 9.25 inch bubble mailer at the store. Do mail carriers pick these up (if I put stamps on it) or do I have to bring it to a USPS store? Is it dependent on the weight or label? Thanks!

Mailman (City Letter Carrier)

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

Do you have a legal obligation to return mail if it has your address, but your neighbors name? Even if said neighbors are aware they are using incorrect address, but continue to do so anyway. This includes bills, special order packages.

Do you check the intended addressee before delivery? If I sent a letter to someone's previous address using first class mail, will the letter be sent back to me? Also, how does a carrier keep track of an address's forwarding requests?

How long does an RTS for a package take?

Somebody who lives with me recently got hired by the post office. I've noticed bundles of mail. Not your catalog type stuff but more like cc bills, electric bills, bank statements etc. I'm torn because i want them to move out, if fired i'm stuck.

Also on Jobstr...

If my package arrived in the post office at 10:16 am, will my package come today?

if the mail man takes ma mail cause i was out of town what should i do

I picked up a 6 inch by 9.25 inch bubble mailer at the store. Do mail carriers pick these up (if I put stamps on it) or do I have to bring it to a USPS store? Is it dependent on the weight or label? Thanks!

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