Our experience with the St. Amant Post Office, particularly the Postmaster, was extremely…read moreconcerning.
The issue began with a package addressed to my significant other that employees initially could not locate. When I went to retrieve it, the Postmaster intervened and refused to release it without a handwritten, signed authorization from him.
We called **1-800-ASK-USPS** to verify exactly what was required. He provided the authorization as instructed, and I returned with it, my valid ID, a copy of his ID, tracking information, and him available by phone. Despite having everything USPS required, the Postmaster STILL initially refused to allow the employee to release the package. We complied with USPS's authorization requirements and were denied access anyway, which we believe was unlawful and contrary to USPS procedures.
We then discovered an even bigger issue: **they had stopped delivery and were withholding ALL of our mail without notifying us.**
Apparently, the carrier decided our mailbox needed to be moved, despite it having been in the same location since before we purchased the home. We had received **NO formal notice** that there was a mailbox issue or that our mail delivery was being suspended.
USPS uses **PS Form 4056 ("Your Mailbox Needs Attention")** to notify customers of mailbox deficiencies. We had never received it. The carrier also claimed an attempted-delivery notice had been left for the package, yet we never received the applicable **PS Form 3849 (Redelivery Notice)** either.
Once it became apparent that proper notice had not been provided, the package was finally released. That was when we discovered the Post Office had also accumulated our regular mail without notifying us.
One piece--a **Progressive Insurance envelope--actually had "NOT A HARDSHIP" handwritten directly on it** and had never been delivered.
Two days later, our regular mail suddenly resumed, and someone wrote directly on one of our packages that the mailbox needed to be moved.
**Only AFTER our mail had been withheld, our accumulated mail was released, and regular delivery resumed did we finally receive the official mailbox notice.**
Whether the mailbox ultimately needs to be moved is not the issue. USPS has procedures for notifying customers of delivery problems. **Stopping delivery and withholding our mail before providing the required notice was improper and, in our view, unlawful.** Likewise, demanding specific authorization to release a package and then refusing to honor it after we provided exactly what USPS required was unacceptable.
The gentleman at the front counter deserves recognition. He was incredibly kind, professional, helpful, and patient throughout this ordeal. Unfortunately, the Postmaster was rude and unnecessarily combative, including toward her own employee over the phone, apparently unaware that I could hear the conversation.
We are filing a formal complaint through the appropriate USPS channels so this can be investigated and hopefully does not happen to others.
