Does HOA have the legal right to place mail holds and re-key mailboxes without prior notice?

TimTom

New Member
Jurisdiction
Tennessee
My neighborhood of townhomes was built in two development phases. Phase 1 has their own HOA and phase 2 (where I live) has a separate HOA. Residents of both areas all share the same structure containing cluster mailboxes.

The phase 1 HOA placed a hold on all of the USPS mail being delivered to all cluster boxes (including mail for residents of phase 2), hired a contractor to open all of the boxes and re-key them, and then had the new keys placed inside the now unlocked mailboxes for residents to retrieve. All of this was done without prior notification to residents of phase 2 and without asking permission to place a hold on their mail (I do not know if notification was sent to phase 1 residents).

Are any of these actions taken by the HOA of phase 1 legal?
 
I doubt anyone here has any real familiarity with whatever postal regulations might apply to a setup like this, but you're welcome to contact the local postmaster and ask.

Did you suffer some harm as a result of this?
 
How many days were you inconvenienced by this event?
I first noticed my key didn't work for my mailbox on Thursday, April 9. The issue is still ongoing and the update I received yesterday was that mail will not be resumed until Saturday, April 13. That makes 8 mail delivery days interrupted.
 
I first noticed my key didn't work for my mailbox on Thursday, April 9. The issue is still ongoing and the update I received yesterday was that mail will not be resumed until Saturday, April 13. That makes 8 mail delivery days interrupted.

Contact the local postmaster in person, and see what you can learn.

If this really disturbs you, contact the PRC Contact the Postal Regulatory Commission | Postal Regulatory Commission

SEEKING HELP FOR A LOCAL POSTAL PROBLEM?
Call: 1-800-ASK-USPS

Visit:
Local postmasters USPS.com® - Find Locations are responsible for ensuring that their customers receive prompt and efficient delivery and retail services. If problems occur, they are in the best position to investigate the issue and fix the problem.

After you invest your time, effort, and knowledge you'll learn that this "inconvenience" was supported and authorized by the USPS.

But, you'll know the why, what, who, and how.
 
I first noticed my key didn't work for my mailbox on Thursday, April 9. The issue is still ongoing and the update I received yesterday was that mail will not be resumed until Saturday, April 13. That makes 8 mail delivery days interrupted.

The reality is that nobody will ever be punished for this (unless you want to beat up a board member - I'm not advising that) and you won't ever get a nickel for your inconvenience.

So, go online to wherever you get bills from and make sure they are paid on time.

As for anything else, chalk it up to the evils of living in an HOA.
 
It certainly seems like a mindless act. Keep in mind that the property owners have a mutuality of interest. Were all homeowners inconvenienced equally? It sounds as if they were. While you most certainly right to be irate, as @adjusterjack mentioned, identify what the available remedies are and consider that best results (or changes which you may wish effectuated) may be obtained as a decision by a group of impacted homeowners.
 
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