UPDATE!  – FORMAL COMPLAINT FILED WITH POSTAL INSPECTORS – SEE BELOW

The Board and RML need to understand that this property is trending toward more and more full time residences – and the property’s operation needs to reflect this. We are not sure if our mail is being tampered with – but we seem to be having a problem getting all of our mail here. We are already in discussions with the Gatlinburg Postmaster – and from what he has told us, each owner here has a right to their own locked post box where our incoming and outgoing mail is not monitored and viewed by RML prior to it being distributed. We know, we are personally losing mail that is being forwarded to us from our condo in Florida – and we and all other owners have a right to mail control and privacy. The Postmaster recommends a community-wide mail box similar to what we have at our condo in Florida.  Or, we can have individual mailboxes by each of our trash bins. The photo below shows the one that the Gatlinburg postmaster specifically recommended. He even told us that he gets these back from properties so he can give them or sell them to other properties like Deer Ridge – which means we might not have to pay much if anything for this.

Destruction, Obstruction and Delay of Mail (18 USC 1700, 1701, 1702 & 1703) The Postal Inspection Service upholds federal statutes aimed at securing customers’ mail, including those related to the desertion, obstruction, delay or destruction of mail. Postal Inspectors demonstrate their resolve by implementing mail security processes to ensure that customers receive their mail intact and free from outside interference.

The full law on this matter can be viewed by clicking   TITLE 18 – CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE PART I – CRIMES: CHAPTER 83 – POSTAL SERVICE.

As more units get sold to those who use it as a full time home, this will become an increasing problem.

We are considering filing a complaint with the United States Postal Inspection Service as a result of what appears to be mail tampering.  The way mail is handled by so many different people at Deer Ridge has created a major cause for concern – over and beyond the issues of mail privacy. Just this week, we have had to complain to the Joe Thomas that we are not getting our mail – including $150 worth of tickets to a UT Football game.  Now, unless you want to cause a problem – don’t stand in between a UT fan and his football tickets! (Because of this problem, we had to arrange to pick up replacement tickets at the Gate on game day.  A hassle – but at least solvable.  A bigger problem is not knowing what mail was sent that was never received.)

What do other owners think is the best solution for mail control and privacy that is our right?

Luther and Joe, we need these kinds of private mailboxes NOW for all units – to eliminate tampering and to mitigate future claims of unhandled mail by GGRC and RML personnel.

What say you?

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UPDATE!  – FORMAL COMPLAINT FILED WITH POSTAL INSPECTORS

We live at an 84 unit condo complex called Deer Ridge Mountain Resort, Gatlinburg, Tennessee.  We have owned this property for over four years – but just recently became a full time resident.

Currently, mail is handled, and mishandled, by the office staff here…there is one large, unsecured mailbox for all incoming and outgoing mail.  The office staff retrieves all the mail for everyone from the box once it arrives – and the manager of the property appears to insist on reviewing all of the mail before it is made available for handout to the owners.

On many occasions, we, and others here, are also receiving mail that has already been opened by someone from the office. Clearly, our mail is being tampered with…and we believe intentionally misplaced, lost or delayed in its delivery to us.

We believe that the manager, Joe Thomas, is personally reviewing every item of mail and possibly intercepting some of it.  We find him to be highly vindictive against us and other residents here who do not rent out their unit using his property management company.

We understand from the local Postmaster that we have a right to private, securable mailboxes but the manager and the Board of Directors refuse to install proper equipment or allow us to install anything for ourselves.

This is an ongoing problem, affecting many owners, and your help in investigating these issues would be greatly appreciated. Once you contact us, we can give you the names of other owners here who have had the same ongoing, insidious problems.

The manager, Joe Thomas, can be reached at the same address. 3710 Weber Rd. Gatlinburg, TN 37738-6374 / (865) 436-2325