4 ms·

Ask HN: Should homes have the option to reject all mail delivery?

7 points by amichail 2y ago

Of course, you would still want packages delivered by courier, but why allow standard mail delivery to your home if you do everything online?

deleted 2y ago
[deleted]
bell-cot 2y ago
IANAL, but (at least in the US) I believe "notice sent via US Mail" is written into a large number of laws and regulations and official procedures. Blanket rejection might prove regrettable.
- amichail 2y ago
  Maybe you would receive an email for every undelivered letter, giving you 30 days to pick it up from the post office if you wish.
  - bell-cot 2y ago
    Physically implementing that wouldn't be too hard. IANAL, to judge how difficult all the legal & regulatory & procedural changes (needed to do that) might be. Nor the USPS's level of interest in implementing such a thing.
JohnFen 2y ago
You can reject mail delivery to your home in the US. You'd have to renew the request every 2 years, though. > An addressee may request the postmaster, in writing, to withhold from delivery for a period not to exceed 2 years any foreign letter or printed matter with a specified name or address on the outside. https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/508.htm#1_1_4 https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/508.htm#1_1_4
- bell-cot 2y ago
  It would be interesting to know the intent and implementation of that. Especially if you'd have to blacklist every "From" address separately, plus every variation of your name (middle initial?), plus ... Then there are "sorry, but your route had a substitute carrier today, and he was in a hurry..." error.
  - JohnFen 2y ago
    > Especially if you'd have to blacklist every "From" address separately You don't blacklist senders, you specify the names and addresses of the recipients that are to have their mail withheld. Or, if you want to stop delivery to everyone at your address, you can specify that and avoid having to specify names. > Then there are "sorry, but your route had a substitute carrier today, and he was in a hurry..." error. Sure, mistakes can happen (although I've never had it happen when I've done this), but would that be a catastrophic problem? It seems like it would be a minor thing for your use case. I believe the intent is to prevent mail delivery to houses when the residents will be gone for a substantial period of time.
- mech422 2y ago
  Unfortunately, that means you still get everything addressed to 'resident'... Last time I checked, there was no way to stop those at all :-/ I just got a p.o. box and pretend my mailbox doesn't exist
  - JohnFen 2y ago
    That hasn't been my experience. When I've done this, I just stopped delivery of all items to my address rather than items addressed to me, specifically. That included all junk mail. But I agree -- if your goal is to never have mail come to your home, then getting a PO box is the best solution.
    - mech422 2y ago
      Ahh - I think that was my issue ... I wanted to stop junk mail, but not mail addressed to me. I still wanted to be able to 'important' stuff...
      - JohnFen 2y ago
        That makes sense. Yes, that's a different thing entirely.
deleted 2y ago
[deleted]
brudgers 2y ago
Kramer tried and it did not go well, https://youtu.be/j4EELtSQZp8?si=l4S-ulf676FFgzx2 https://youtu.be/j4EELtSQZp8?si=l4S-ulf676FFgzx2

7 points by amichail 2y ago

Of course, you would still want packages delivered by courier, but why allow standard mail delivery to your home if you do everything online?

deleted 2y ago

[deleted]

bell-cot 2y ago

IANAL, but (at least in the US) I believe "notice sent via US Mail" is written into a large number of laws and regulations and official procedures. Blanket rejection might prove regrettable.

amichail 2y ago
Maybe you would receive an email for every undelivered letter, giving you 30 days to pick it up from the post office if you wish.
- bell-cot 2y ago
  Physically implementing that wouldn't be too hard. IANAL, to judge how difficult all the legal & regulatory & procedural changes (needed to do that) might be. Nor the USPS's level of interest in implementing such a thing.

JohnFen 2y ago

You can reject mail delivery to your home in the US. You'd have to renew the request every 2 years, though. > An addressee may request the postmaster, in writing, to withhold from delivery for a period not to exceed 2 years any foreign letter or printed matter with a specified name or address on the outside. https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/508.htm#1_1_4 https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/508.htm#1_1_4

bell-cot 2y ago
It would be interesting to know the intent and implementation of that. Especially if you'd have to blacklist every "From" address separately, plus every variation of your name (middle initial?), plus ... Then there are "sorry, but your route had a substitute carrier today, and he was in a hurry..." error.
- JohnFen 2y ago
  > Especially if you'd have to blacklist every "From" address separately You don't blacklist senders, you specify the names and addresses of the recipients that are to have their mail withheld. Or, if you want to stop delivery to everyone at your address, you can specify that and avoid having to specify names. > Then there are "sorry, but your route had a substitute carrier today, and he was in a hurry..." error. Sure, mistakes can happen (although I've never had it happen when I've done this), but would that be a catastrophic problem? It seems like it would be a minor thing for your use case. I believe the intent is to prevent mail delivery to houses when the residents will be gone for a substantial period of time.
mech422 2y ago
Unfortunately, that means you still get everything addressed to 'resident'... Last time I checked, there was no way to stop those at all :-/ I just got a p.o. box and pretend my mailbox doesn't exist
- JohnFen 2y ago
  That hasn't been my experience. When I've done this, I just stopped delivery of all items to my address rather than items addressed to me, specifically. That included all junk mail. But I agree -- if your goal is to never have mail come to your home, then getting a PO box is the best solution.
  - mech422 2y ago
    Ahh - I think that was my issue ... I wanted to stop junk mail, but not mail addressed to me. I still wanted to be able to 'important' stuff...
    - JohnFen 2y ago
      That makes sense. Yes, that's a different thing entirely.

deleted 2y ago

[deleted]

brudgers 2y ago

Kramer tried and it did not go well, https://youtu.be/j4EELtSQZp8?si=l4S-ulf676FFgzx2 https://youtu.be/j4EELtSQZp8?si=l4S-ulf676FFgzx2