Are you a renter dealing with a broken mailbox? It is likely on your landlord to fix

Courtney Carpenter Image
Friday, December 1, 2023
ABC13 steps in after renter frustrated over busted apartment mailboxes
In this week's Renters' Rights, a viewer reached out to ABC13 frustrated over busted mailboxes at her apartment complex. Here's what we found out.

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- When thieves break into mailboxes, not only do they get away with money and sensitive information, they often leave the mailboxes broken, creating even more problems.

"That's why I reached out to you guys; I really have no idea what to do," Saquoia Lewis told ABC13.

Lewis has lived at The Life at Jackson Square apartments in southwest Houston for about five years. She says four to five months ago, she stopped receiving her mail.

"It was like two or three weeks went by, and it was nothing, not even the little junk mail. So, I knew something was wrong," Lewis said.

When the boxes are broken to the point they can't close, the post office won't deliver the mail. It is the responsibility of the apartment complex to maintain the mailboxes.

Lewis says she talked to maintenance and apartment management and even asked her mailman what to do.

"When I go to the front office, they just say, 'We don't know what you are talking about. The post office hasn't contacted us, and you need to put in a maintenance request, and we can just fix the doors,'" Lewis explained.

Meanwhile, she says she missed out on getting her car registration and court documents and dealt with credit card fraud because of the broken boxes.

If you are a renter and have a broken mailbox, you'll need to tell your landlord in person and in writing. It's on them to fix it.

Lewis says she was getting the run around from management.

When we reached out to The Life Properties, who runs the complex, their tune changed.

They sent ABC13 the following statement:

"Our on-site team is aware of all mailboxes in need of repair at the property and are advancing those necessary repairs in collaboration with the USPS. Together, we are looking to remedy the situation as quickly as possible."

After all of the frustration, a solution coming soon is precisely what Lewis is hoping for.

"I just want my mail. They can do anything else. Just give me my mail," Lewis said.

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If you are a renter with a problem you would like ABC13 to look into, you can fill out the following form.