Do we still need letter boxes?

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geek4me

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#256029 11-Sep-2019 11:54

With most mail coming electronically these days do we still need a letter box on the street?

I'm not suggesting we all get rid of them but those who get no personally addressed snail mail could dump the old technology mail box. Most of the 'mail' we get is junk mail and even a "No Junk Mail" sticker does not stop it all but not having a mail box would. Real Estate Agents, handymen offering their services, religious pamphlets, council election brochures and the like still sometimes get delivered. The few remaining addressed letter senders could be emailed and told to send all future correspondence by email.

If you have an electronic e-mail address is a physical mail box still necessary?

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#2314928 11-Sep-2019 12:03

I still receive letters and parcels from family members who don't use computers much. Not many, admittedly - but they still send me something.

MuzaNZ

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#2314929 11-Sep-2019 12:03

I would say yes.

Ours doesn't get used much for letters, but it gets used quite a bit by the courier to put small items in when we're not home

xpd

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#2314932 11-Sep-2019 12:05

We still get birthday cards etc, but otherwise everythings gone online.

Could just have a single letterbox among multiple properties (long as you trust your neighbors)

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

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richms

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#2314944 11-Sep-2019 12:38

Legally you have to have one, or mine would be long gone by now. It just encourages couriers to leave things there instead of bringing to the house like they should.

Richard rich.ms

Bung

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#2314948 11-Sep-2019 12:48

People still arrive physically. Everyone should try looking at their street frontage and playing guess the number. I know we had the advantage of a neighbour with numbers the full height of the garage door for years but they've been painted over.

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#2314952 11-Sep-2019 12:52

We have health issues and for some reason the hospital, insurance provider, some official agencies and others all seem stuck in the paper trail era. We get real letters of one sort or another several times a week. We also subscribe to the local paper. That and the bill for it come by snail mail. Our letter box is not only welcome, but essential.

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boosacnoodle

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#2314955 11-Sep-2019 12:55

Legally yes, at least in Christchurch. This is due to a bylaw being in-place.

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Geektastic

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#2314958 11-Sep-2019 12:58

We don't have one.

A PO Box in the village serves the same function but there isn't one at the house.

Gilco2

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#2314967 11-Sep-2019 13:18

we have to have letter box. The hospital and doctors all send out appointments by snail mail even though they all have my email address and cell phone number

xpd

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#2314969 11-Sep-2019 13:22

richms:

Legally you have to have one, or mine would be long gone by now. It just encourages couriers to leave things there instead of bringing to the house like they should.

Just make sure its smaller than a shoe box, so they cant leave things in it.

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xpd

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#2314971 11-Sep-2019 13:24

richms:

Legally you have to have one,

Do you ?

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11386960

I would get rid of the letterbox. So down it came. It was liberating. It was inspired. It was one of the best ideas I've ever had. A few people have told me that it is a requirement to have a letterbox. I sought legal advice before removing mine and was advised there was no legislation indicating that letterboxes are necessary.

I know...its the Herald but maybe they got something right.

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

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timmmay

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#2314972 11-Sep-2019 13:25

A friend recently got a HUGE letterbox so they could receive parcels. It's something like the Parcel Protector, but they got it from a hardware store. That is pretty useful.

vexxxboy

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#2314974 11-Sep-2019 13:31

if you have to do business with Govt departments , then you need a letterbox, they love snail mail for some reason.

Common sense is not as common as you think.

rugrat

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#2314978 11-Sep-2019 13:42

Got to have something for the drunk people to punch when they pass my house.

I nailed it on real good last time, a big bang in middle of night and it held out, hate to see their hand.

What about credit cards (including bank cards), Car registration when brought online, Pass Ports, how do you receive those sort of things even if it's rare.

Also magazine subscriptions are in Letter box, which for me is Sky Watch at moment, plus get a newsletter from one place.

richms

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#2314997 11-Sep-2019 14:04

xpd:

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11386960

I would get rid of the letterbox. So down it came. It was liberating. It was inspired. It was one of the best ideas I've ever had. A few people have told me that it is a requirement to have a letterbox. I sought legal advice before removing mine and was advised there was no legislation indicating that letterboxes are necessary.

I know...its the Herald but maybe they got something right.

Stupid companies office insist on address for service, that has to also be able to take mail despite also having a place to give a PO Box.

I tried paying NZ post for a redirect to the PO Box but only half the stuff made it there. Stupid that I have to pay and it barely works but work has no mailbox, shows as no postal delivery and their stuff goes to the po box for no charge at all. Guess thats a perk that only commercial areas get.

Richard rich.ms

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