Campgroud charges $15.00 to receive mail.

[chiefneon]

Howdy!

 

My wife is wanting to place an order on line and since we are moving next week called ahead to the campground we will be staying at to see about receiving mail there. At first the were reluctant to give out the information and wanted to know how long we would be staying and stated they would not forward any mail received. When she advised them we would be staying three weeks they stated it woukd be OK but there would be a $15.00 charge for it. We've been fulltiming for over eight years and never had a campground charge us to receive mail, has ayone else? Before you ask the campground is Royal Coachman RV Resort in Nokomis, FL its a Encore park.

 

"Happy Trails"

Chiefneon

[Kirk W]

I haven't experienced that, but do not find it surprising, especially if you happen to be staying there at some kind of discounted rate. Is the $15 charge for one time accepting of mail, or is it for the entire 3 week stay? If for 3 weeks I'd not consider it to be unreasonable since there is employee time involved, but for one time............... I think that is excessive.

 

You may be able to have the item shipped to the post office at General Delivery for free.

[Ronbo]

If us mail it may be illegal. If ups or FedEx charges are permitted

[2gypsies]

Never heard of this and there's no reason for this. The mail's delivered and all the park has to do is set it down and forget about it until you pick it up. It's ridiculous!

[homelesshartshorns]

Have sent to the PO of the near by town

[chiefneon]

If us mail it may be illegal. If ups or FedEx charges are permitted

Howdy!

 

Ronbo, I would like to know how it may be illegal? Last I checked Escapees has a one dollar charge for each package they receive for you regardless who it is shipped by. Even if you pick it up in Livingston.

 

"Happy Trails"

Chiefneon

[Dog Folks]

I have experienced some Corps. Of Engineers Parks that do not accept mail or packages at all.

 

In nine years on the road and having mail and packages forwarded, I have NEVER seen a charge of $15.00.

 

I don't say this often, but that is a "blatant rip off."

 

There is no way they can justify that much money for the services received. A very poor business practice.

[LindaH]

There's no way I'd pay an RV park that much money to receive mail for me. I'd use General Delivery instead.

 

We did pay a fee last year when we stayed for a month at an RV park in Quartzsite (a very rare occasion for us). As you are probably aware, Quartzsite doesn't have home delivery of mail so everyone has to pick up their mail at the post office. There's a local business in town (don't remember the name of it, but it's the one next door to the bank) that has PMBs and handles FedEx and UPS packages. The RV park where we stayed had an arrangement with them whereby the people who stayed there could have their mail sent to a PMB address, an employee at the RV park would pick it up and bring it back. That's a lot more work than I'm assuming the RV park in Florida is going to, to receive your mail, but the one in Q charged only $2 which I though was reasonable.

[Ronbo]

My mail is forwarded by escapees. If usps mail is delivered to an rv park for me and they refuse to give it to me without charge they are interfering with tl the us mail. That is federal. My understanding is that this is the reason many rv parks will not receive from usps but will from ups ar fedex.

[Ronbo]

An employer of mine was intercepting some mail to me from the state. They were informed they were in violation of state and federal law by not giving it to me.

[Dave O]

Hi All

 

I agree $15 CHARGED to receive mail is outrageous.

 

But a $15 DEPOSIT for a key to a mailbox that will be returned when the key is, does not seem out of line.

 

That is what is stated on the website of the resort id'd by the OP.

 

Dave O

[JC and Angie]

there park, there rules. Have you looked at how much mail some parks get and how long it takes to sort each piece and store it till you get around to picking it up. Time is money. !!!'

 

Mail on Garth

[DuffMan]

My mail is forwarded by escapees. If usps mail is delivered to an rv park for me and they refuse to give it to me without charge they are interfering with tl the us mail. That is federal. My understanding is that this is the reason many rv parks will not receive from usps but will from ups ar fedex.

 

The park doesn't refuse to give you the mail - they just add $15 to your bill when you check-in. If you don't check-in they return the mail to sender marked "Not At This Address".

 

Nothing wrong there - It's a business decision by the park.

[Dutch_12078]

Howdy!

 

Ronbo, I would like to know how it may be illegal? Last I checked Escapees has a one dollar charge for each package they receive for you regardless who it is shipped by. Even if you pick it up in Livingston.

 

"Happy Trails"

Chiefneon

 

Escapees is a USPS licensed commercial mail-receiving agent. I don't know if it's legal or not for a non-licensed "agent" to charge though.

[bobsallyh]

chiefneon, I'd personally tell them to go pound sand. We very rarely get mail at an RV park but we were just at a park for 37 days. They not only accepted the mail but bring it to the door on a golf cart.

[Kirk W]

Last I checked Escapees has a one dollar charge for each package they receive for you regardless who it is shipped by. Even if you pick it up in Livingston.

When did that start? We have used Escapee mail service, plan B for nearly 12 years full-time and when traveling for another 4 years now and I have never paid extra for packages. But they do in fact charge a fee for accepting any mail at all, but that is both accepting and forwarding it, plus the postage. It is what all mail service providers do and is their business. An RV park does not have any requirement to even accept mail for customers and there is a cost to doing so. In parks where there is significant mail coming in the have to pay someone to sort the mail and save it somewhere, then to get it for each customer who comes in to pick it up. They have to store it somewhere until you come for it, or to return it to senders if you never come in. All of that has a cost and it must either be charged for, or it is built into the campground fees, which is much more common. We have a friend who for years got a hefty discount on their monthly site rental because she would go up and sort the mail into the customer mail boxes each day when it came. I'm not legal expert, but I highly doubt that there is any law against charging for the service of accepting mail for a customer. I'd be interested in a reference to the law involved so that I can read it, if someone knows where such a law can be found.

 

As far at the charge, the viability of a $15 charge for accepting mail is to a large extent dependent upon how long that pays for the service. We pay $115/year or $9.58/month for our Escapee mail service. Based upon that rate, $15 for a month is not outrageous. Compare that cost to the cost of driving to the PO to pick it up from the free General Delivery window once or twice a week. Also, does the $15 service fee also include accepting packages for you from UPS and FedEx? And how does the $15 compare to the cost of renting a box from the postal service?

 

On the other hand, if the fee is $15 to accept mail one time only, that is a pretty high price to pay. It just may be that the reason for that fee is that they actually want to encourage you to get your mail via General Delivery or to rent a PO box.

[Dutch_12078]

When did that start? We have used Escapee mail service, plan B for nearly 12 years full-time and when traveling for another 4 years now and I have never paid extra for packages. But they do in fact charge a fee for accepting any mail at all, but that is both accepting and forwarding it, plus the postage. It is what all mail service providers do and is their business.

 

Kirk, I didn't see any reference to package fees in the Mail Service rate listings, but I did find the following in the Escapees Mail Service FAQ:

 

11. Is there an additional charge for handling packages?

Yes, $.75 for regular packages. $1.00 if a package is too large to fit in your file; then it must be recorded and held in a separate area.

[Kirk W]

11. Is there an additional charge for handling packages?

Yes, $.75 for regular packages. $1.00 if a package is too large to fit in your file; then it must be recorded and held in a separate area.

Could be that is new, or perhaps just a bad memory........ We used to get some packages via the mail service, mostly our prescription drugs, but now the mail order pharmacy will send them to temporary addresses and when wee order from Amazon, we have them sent where we happen to be.

[Ray,IN]

Specify your package be delivered by UPS, UPS delivers to individual RV park sites if the package is addressed correctly.

[chiefneon]

When did that start? We have used Escapee mail service, plan B for nearly 12 years full-time and when traveling for another 4 years now and I have never paid extra for packages. But they do in fact charge a fee for accepting any mail at all, but that is both accepting and forwarding it, plus the postage. It is what all mail service providers do and is their business. An RV park does not have any requirement to even accept mail for customers and there is a cost to doing so. In parks where there is significant mail coming in the have to pay someone to sort the mail and save it somewhere, then to get it for each customer who comes in to pick it up. They have to store it somewhere until you come for it, or to return it to senders if you never come in. All of that has a cost and it must either be charged for, or it is built into the campground fees, which is much more common. We have a friend who for years got a hefty discount on their monthly site rental because she would go up and sort the mail into the customer mail boxes each day when it came. I'm not legal expert, but I highly doubt that there is any law against charging for the service of accepting mail for a customer. I'd be interested in a reference to the law involved so that I can read it, if someone knows where such a law can be found.

 

As far at the charge, the viability of a $15 charge for accepting mail is to a large extent dependent upon how long that pays for theservice. We pay $115/year or $9.58/month for our Escapee mail service. Based upon that rate, $15 for a month is not outrageous. Compare that cost to the cost of driving to the PO to pick it up from the free General Delivery window once or twice a week. Also, does the $15 service fee also include accepting packages for you from UPS and FedEx? And how does the $15 compare to the cost of renting a box from the postal service?

 

On the other hand, if the fee is $15 to accept mail one time only, that is a pretty high price to pay. It just may be that the reason for that fee is that they actually want to encourage you to get your mail via General Delivery or to rent a PO box.

Howdy!

 

Kirk, my wife had a one time conversation with the campground and I have told you what they said. I do not know if it is a one time fee are good for the entire stay. We have been using the Escapees as our service starting in 2006. We also have a home base in Livingston and pickup our mail there quite often so I'm familiar with the charge listed for them receiving packages for us. We want be receiving any mail at Royal Coachman RV Resort. Also we've found it is difficult to make purchases on line and have them ship to a second location much less General Delivery.

 

"Happy Trails"

Chiefneon

[chiefneon]

Specify your package be delivered by UPS, UPS delivers to individual RV park sites if the package is addressed correctly.

Howdy!

 

RayIN, we have tried this one numerious occasions, as late as today. Wife has medication she orders every month and it has to be delivered "over night". As always we give them the information and our RV site number and they always drop it off at the office.

 

"Happy Trails"

Chiefneon

[Kirk W]

Chief, no question that the extra charge is uncommon but it could also be a sign of what is coming. In reading the entire story there are two parts to this which I consider poor customer service on the part of that RV park. First is the fact that the information about that extra charge should be known to the customers at the time reservations are made and second, for you to not be told just how long the fee is good for. It leaves me wondering if you would pay the same to have a mail delivery one time as would the seasonal resident who would be getting mail several times a week for the entire season? I really don't consider it excessive if the $15 covered multiple deliveries but for one time........... And if the fee is intended to discourage the receiving of mail there, that too should be something customers are made aware of.

 

Another factor that comes to mind is the price of the park, as compared to other similar parks in that area. If your 3 week stay, with that and any other extra fees combined still cost you less or no more than a typical park in that area would, then perhaps it is more reasonable than it first appears, but even then a good business makes sure the all customers realize what it is they are paying for.

 

I found myself wondering if you have been speaking of a KOA (Keep On Adding) campground as they seem to be well known for extra fees that you don't see in the rates when you look at the per night prices?? Are we discussing the Royal Coachman in Nokomis, FL?

If so, I believe that I just found support for your position, in that the following quote comes from the online documentation they give to inform visitors of what to expect and no fee of this sort is mentioned in it.

 

 

MAIL

If you receive a package that is larger than your mailbox, you will

receive a notice and a key to a larger mailbox that is located in the

Mail Room. After retrieving your package, you must deposit the key

in the slot for package keys. You will have to pay a fee if you fail to

return the key. If your package is too large, you will receive a notice in your mailbox that the package is in the office

I was curious about this place and if I'm looking at the right one it would appear that the traveling through RVer is really not all that encouraged. When I receive a set of rules and guidelines that is 14 pages long as I check in for a brief visit, it doesn't give me the "warm, fuzzy" sort of feeling. At the very least, the employee that your wife spoke with was very negligent about informing her of what this fee got for her and that quote should have included something about any fees charged to visitors. The 14 page document leaves me wondering if the "park residents" even pay anything for mail service?

 

The other thing it makes me wonder is if this sort of additional fee will be coming to other parks as money is tight? It has been my observation that most of us do not appreciate the practice of parks listing a base fee per night, then adding on other small fees, one after another to increase the overall revenue a visitor generates. From what I find on the net and the experience that you had, I'll think long and hard before stopping at any Encore parks in future trips.

[Dave O]

Chief, no question that the extra charge is uncommon but it could also be a sign of what is coming. In reading the entire story there are two parts to this which I consider poor customer service on the part of that RV park. First is the fact that the information about that extra charge should be known to the customers at the time reservations are made and second, for you to not be told just how long the fee is good for. It leaves me wondering if you would pay the same to have a mail delivery one time as would the seasonal resident who would be getting mail several times a week for the entire season? I really don't consider it excessive if the $15 covered multiple deliveries but for one time........... And if the fee is intended to discourage the receiving of mail there, that too should be something customers are made aware of.

 

Another factor that comes to mind is the price of the park, as compared to other similar parks in that area. If your 3 week stay, with that and any other extra fees combined still cost you less or no more than a typical park in that area would, then perhaps it is more reasonable than it first appears, but even then a good business makes sure the all customers realize what it is they are paying for.

 

I found myself wondering if you have been speaking of a KOA (Keep On Adding) campground as they seem to be well known for extra fees that you don't see in the rates when you look at the per night prices?? Are we discussing the Royal Coachman in Nokomis, FL?

If so, I believe that I just found support for your position, in that the following quote comes from the online documentation they give to inform visitors of what to expect and no fee of this sort is mentioned in it.

 

I was curious about this place and if I'm looking at the right one it would appear that the traveling through RVer is really not all that encouraged. When I receive a set of rules and guidelines that is 14 pages long as I check in for a brief visit, it doesn't give me the "warm, fuzzy" sort of feeling. At the very least, the employee that your wife spoke with was very negligent about informing her of what this fee got for her and that quote should have included something about any fees charged to visitors. The 14 page document leaves me wondering if the "park residents" even pay anything for mail service?

 

The other thing it makes me wonder is if this sort of additional fee will be coming to other parks as money is tight? It has been my observation that most of us do not appreciate the practice of parks listing a base fee per night, then adding on other small fees, one after another to increase the overall revenue a visitor generates. From what I find on the net and the experience that you had, I'll think long and hard before stopping at any Encore parks in future trips.

Hi Kirk

 

You need to read further down to the section titled "RV". It explains about the returnable key $15 DEPOSIT, NOT a fee.

 

Dave O

[Kirk W]

You need to read further down to the section titled "RV". It explains about the returnable key $15 DEPOSIT, NOT a fee.

As I read the thread, what Chief is addressing is not a key deposit which is returned. And I still consider 14 pages to be an excessive amount to expect a visitor to read if there for a short time and wonder what the returnable fee was not explained to his wife, is that what it was? If they are still at the park, perhaps they should check that out but it still should have been explained to her.

 

When she advised them we would be staying three weeks they stated it woukd be OK but there would be a $15.00 charge for it.

[LindaH]

I found this at the RV resort's website:

 

http://royalcoachmanresort.net/index_htm_files/Notice%2003-17-15%202015-2016%20RCR%20Mail%20Procedures.pdf

 

Here is what it says about the RV sites:

 

"To receive mail during your stay, you can reserve a mailbox in the mailroom for a $15.00 refundable deposit by credit card. Your deposit will be returned when the key is returned. If you would like us to forward your mail, please provide us with address labels. If we create labels for you there will be a charge of $1.00 per sheet. *If you do not have a mail box, we will return mail to sender."

 

That's an entirely different scenario than just charging $15 to receive your mail. In this case, I would not have a problem paying the $15...I'd just make sure that the key got returned. I'd also request written proof of such return since I assume the refund would be given as a credit on the credit card that was used rather than handed to you in cash.