How not to get a mailbox key
 

Closed on my (resale) house in the Villages (Monarch Grove) in June, finally moving in, and having a lot of difficulty with mailbox.

Realtor told me it’s simple to get a key for your mailbox, just take some proof of ownership to the U.S. post office in Wildwood and pick up your key. She didn’t seem to know the location of my mailbox or the number. I went to the PO, and they said they don’t handle TV issues, and that I’d need to go to the Lady Lake PO on Teague Trail. A 40-minute drive, but I went there only to be told they, too, do not handle TV issues, and I’d need to go to the PO on LaGrande Blvd, also in Lady Lake. There, I was told I’d need to pay $35 to replace the lock and it would take up 10 days. I paid the $35, she gave me 2 keys and said to check the lock every day – if it opens, that means the lock has been changed, but didn’t bother telling me the location or number of the mailbox! I finally figured out my mailbox location is at Swallowtail. I showed my keys to the attendant there and she told me they are the wrong kind of key -- they are for PO boxes, not TV mail station boxes. So now what do I do? I don't know who to believe anymore!

I called the PO, sifted through their menu for 20 minutes, and finally got someone to talk to. She told me I’d need to go back to Lady Lake (1.5 hour drive roundtrip) and explain the situation. She said she could not tell me the mailbox number.

What a waste of time when I have so many other moving issues to address! And leaving me confused -- I would think it reasonable that when someone buys a house in TV, they would get a mailbox, the mailbox location, the mailbox number, and the mailbox key when they close, but I received none of these and now have spent many hours over 2 days still with no solution!

Are my expectations too high? And wondering if others have had problems like this?

We got ours at closing as I recall.

We got ours at closing

Yes, you should have gotten 3 keys at closing. If your real estate person worked for TV they would know that.

In older sections two are only required.

Note that the Post Office issues 3 keys for every mailbox. In the past, The Villages would retain one of the 3 keys. However, they changed their process and they now provide every homeowner with all 3 keys. When you get a new lock from the Post Office they are supposed to give you 3 keys. They will not copy the keys and it is very difficult to get a key copied.

If the Post Office only gave you 2 keys, they obviously screwed up because they gave you the wrong type of key. The postal stations within The Villages are USPS-owned cluster boxes, that have locks with 3 keys, not 2. But, I am not surprised that the Federal Government made a mistake. Patience and persistence will prevail.

You've been posting on this site for 3 years & you can't figure out how to get your mail?

That box is going to be full!

I too had problems getting my mailbox number. Not the keys, I was given two keys at closing, but like you no one seemed to know the number of the box. The real estate agent, when asked replied: "Ask your neighbors".

What worked is I called 1 352-753-2270 & asked. ← This is the one that worked, they gave me my mailbox number, pretty quickly.

Sorry this doesn't help with your key issue, but you will learn which mailbox is yours.

Get you agent to ask seller for box number, and where are keys.
Or if you have contact details for seller you can do it quicker.

The USPS person who deposits the mail into your box at the local postal station can tell you the box number.

That did not work in my case. I kept asking my broker, who called the seller's broker & was told to ask my neighbors for the box number. I agree he should try, it it works he would have the keys & the box number.

The problem with that is he has to learn when the mail clerk is there. Then he has to be there at the same time & he is already complaining about many things to do associated with moving in.

The down and dirty method of figuring out which box is yours: ask the neighbor to your left and to the right of you which one is theirs. They'll be in sequential order. Yours is the one between the two.

Make an appointment with your Realtor. Ask that the office manager be present during the meeting. Have them use their time, experience, and resources to solve your problem.

Thank you! I called the number and they gave me the box number. Unfortunately, could not help with how to get the proper keys.
BTW, do you know what department that phone number is for? I was so excited to get my box number I forgot to ask, and they didn't say when they answered the phone. I couldn't find that number on the CDD website.

OK, but how are the keys 'issued'? Do you have to go to the PO in Lady Lake?
I'm kind of wondering why the only post office that serves the Villages isn't more centrally located...

That's right. Is there some connection between posting longevity and knowledge about how the mail works at TV? I've been visiting as a renter for 4 years and finally bought this past June. Should renters not be posting?

Sorry, I don't know which department it is. My guess would be district property management & the sub department that is in charge of postal stations. But that is only a guess.

That method would not have worked very well in my case. I have a corner lot on the edge of a village, the houses across the street from me use a different postal station, most of my immediate neighbors are on a different street & the ones closest are snowbirds, - not around when I needed to find out. I don't know if the OP has similar constraints.

Villages real estate development.
Contact Information
1000 Lake Sumter Lndg
The Villages, FL 32162-2693
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(352) 753-2270

The keys are issued by the Post Office that receives your mail that is delivered by the USPS contract employees to your local mail station. I would suggest that you visit your local mail station and ask the person filling the mailboxes which Post Office they deliver the mail from. They are usually at the mail station for a few hours every day. People picking up their mail should be able to tell you when the contractor is usually there.

They told me 12-2PM at Swallowtail. I'll try that.

It would be nice if they gave out the retained 3rd key to each respective owner.

I don’t think I would have a good recommendation for that real estate agent

Realtor should have solved that issue.

I only got 2 when I replaced my locks

I received my mail box keys at my closing. They also gave me the location and mail box number to get my mail.

Eh- not exactly. You get what the previous homeowner turns over. First house MLS realtor 1 key, second house TV Agent 1 key.

This is nothing. Wait until you have a missing package. Lol!!

Realtor should have solved it.

Mail person is at Swallowtail between 1 & 3.

For the Villages (not true PO boxes) you can get duplicate keys at Ace Hardware. Easy peasy

Actually it’s very easy to get them copied. We just went to Ace, quick and easy.

At Settlement you should get everything due you BEFORE closing, signing, giving them a check, etc. Personally, I'd tell them closing doesn't happen until they have everything together to hand you! Just as you were told what you must have at closing, they too have deliverables. At the very least, have a Holdback at closing where you hold enough money to get their attention and motivation.

Of course you should be allowed to post. I feel some sarcasm in that person's post. Ignore them.

Have you checked the drawers and kitchen cabinets? The previous owner may have left them there or hanging somewhere. Maybe a reach but why not?

The original post/poster stated they have already closed.

Maybe you missed that …..

Well you got had. They're supposed to turn over 3 unless it's an older house where TV kept a key. Is it worth holding up a closing, maybe. Our 3rd key ended up in the sales agent's purse, but we got it. It specifically stated 3 mailbox keys are to be turned over in the closing paperwork.