[Reston Easy]

Is it common to allow renters (3 month rentals) to use my mail box at the mail station?
Thank you.

[Laker14]

yes.
Get a key deposit of at least $35 (cost to replace lock if they lose a key), maybe more to compensate you for the hassle of having to go to the post office in person to get the change-out.

Do you ever live in the unit long enough to receive your own mail? No big deal, but you may get the renter's mail for a while if they or the USPS is slow with the mail forwarding paperwork.

[Garywt]

Renters can get a PO Box at the post office so you don’t have to worry about it.

[fdpaq0580]

We let renters use the box once. We were getting all kinds of stuff for them for months. Big pain in the donkey. Let them get a P. O box.

[MrFlorida]

P.O . box is your best bet.

[Velvet]

No.

[Stu from NYC]

We rented for a month a few years ago and considered a po box.

The restrictions based on how long it would take forwarded mail to get to us made us decide to just have mail held for the month.

[Two Bills]

In 20+ years of renting, never had a property without access to the postal box.
Never paid an extra fee for key either.
All losses/breakages are under the general deposit anyway.

[Velvet]

Originally Posted by Two Bills

In 20+ years of renting, never had a property without access to the postal box.
Never paid an extra fee for key either.
All losses/breakages are under the general deposit anyway.

Someone valued you as a tenant. My next door neighbor rents their place to the same couple for the winter months. They play golf together and the wives play bridge. They are treated like family and the renters look after neighbor’s place as well as he would (hire professional cleaners monthly etc). Good tenants are worth their weight….

[Packer Fan]

I used to say no to renters. Then one of my winter guys convinced me to let them use it. I have been allowing it for like 4 years in both houses. The deal is pretty simple - the key is on the hook by the garage door, you can use it, but I will NOT forward mail, and I make not gaurantees, period. If you lose the key it comes out of the security deposit. It has worked great. Every once in a while a renter sends a pic of some mail from an old renter, and I give them the old renters phone to call them (it is a courtesy). I know some has been forwarded. Overall, it is not my responsibility. My renters are happy, and as usual with TV renters- they don't abuse the privelege. Have never lost a key. I think a lot of times, landlords overthink stuff.

[retiredguy123]

Three months is a short term rental and it is the owner's option to allow or disallow the tenant to use the mailbox.

But, I would point out that, for a long term lease (a year or longer), the tenant could go to the USPS and have the mailbox lock changed and use it to receive his/her mail. The tenant is the legal resident and the cluster mailbox is owned by the USPS, not the landlord.

[Laker14]

Originally Posted by Packer Fan

I used to say no to renters. Then one of my winter guys convinced me to let them use it. I have been allowing it for like 4 years in both houses. The deal is pretty simple - the key is on the hook by the garage door, you can use it, but I will NOT forward mail, and I make not gaurantees, period. If you lose the key it comes out of the security deposit. It has worked great. Every once in a while a renter sends a pic of some mail from an old renter, and I give them the old renters phone to call them (it is a courtesy). I know some has been forwarded. Overall, it is not my responsibility. My renters are happy, and as usual with TV renters- they don't abuse the privelege. Have never lost a key. I think a lot of times, landlords overthink stuff.

Exactly. Also, as a landlord, a great tenant is as valuable as a great landlord is to a tenant. Hence, if you can make your place pleasant and easy, and deal with a long term tenant with respect, you can develop a relationship that gives each of you what you need. The hassle of having your tenant use the mailbox is pretty small. If he/she is a good tenant who respects your property, it's a good thing to make their life easier.

[Lyarham]

Originally Posted by Reston Easy

Is it common to allow renters (3 month rentals) to use my mail box at the mail station?
Thank you.

Yes. Let them use it

[NY2TV]

I rented for 1 month and landlord let me use mailbox. I didn't have mail forwarded to it. Used it mostly for Amazon deliveries. Never even dawned on me that they wouldn't allow me to use it. It was no problem for either of us.

[Ski Bum]

Originally Posted by Packer Fan

I used to say no to renters. Then one of my winter guys convinced me to let them use it. I have been allowing it for like 4 years in both houses. The deal is pretty simple - the key is on the hook by the garage door, you can use it, but I will NOT forward mail, and I make not gaurantees, period. If you lose the key it comes out of the security deposit. It has worked great. Every once in a while a renter sends a pic of some mail from an old renter, and I give them the old renters phone to call them (it is a courtesy). I know some has been forwarded. Overall, it is not my responsibility. My renters are happy, and as usual with TV renters- they don't abuse the privelege. Have never lost a key. I think a lot of times, landlords overthink stuff.

Exactly. I would add, if someone is paying me $4500 a month, well yeah, they can use the mailbox. Landlords do overthink stuff. But I think the biggest thing is the difference in thinking between long term and short term rentals. Those who rent for under a month are an entirely different crowd.