 | | 
14.01.2021, 00:30
| Newbie 1st class | | Join Date: May 2020 Location: Geneva
Posts: 29
Groaned at 9 Times in 3 Posts
Thanked 22 Times in 11 Posts
| | Maiden name not on the post box
Hi all - I remember before moving to my current address I was sent a letter when my name was still not on the mailbox and the letter was returned to the sender. My wife usually goes by her maiden name with a lot of her friends back in the UK.
If they send to our address (We live in a house) but list the maiden name - does it still make its way to us? Very curious.
There was a nice care package from her old Scottish Uni friends that never made it to us, and we are wondering if that's the reason!?
| 
14.01.2021, 00:43
| Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: lugano
Posts: 653
Groaned at 68 Times in 38 Posts
Thanked 560 Times in 319 Posts
| | Re: Maiden name not on the post box
why not put both names on the box? that's what most people do.
i had a similar experience when i lived in the city in an apartment. mail to my daughter was returned to sender with a sticker saying, not know at address. same surname, different initial.
since i moved to a house outside the city i've never had any problems. i don't have any name at all on my mailbox. the address is unique, the post people all know me personally and everything always gets delivered.
| The following 5 users would like to thank DL21 for this useful post: | | 
14.01.2021, 00:50
|  | Forum Veteran | | Join Date: May 2011 Location: Zürich Nord
Posts: 1,884
Groaned at 56 Times in 36 Posts
Thanked 3,045 Times in 1,149 Posts
| | Re: Maiden name not on the post box
Her maiden name should be on the post box.
| The following 2 users would like to thank MsWorWoo for this useful post: | | 
14.01.2021, 00:58
| Newbie 1st class | | Join Date: May 2020 Location: Geneva
Posts: 29
Groaned at 9 Times in 3 Posts
Thanked 22 Times in 11 Posts
| | Re: Maiden name not on the post box
How frustrating - thank you all.
As that was likely sent with no return address she will go to the local post office tomorrow and see what can be done about it (6 hand wool knitted jumpers for our daughters... More than just a product!)
| 
14.01.2021, 01:13
| Forum Legend | | Join Date: May 2006 Location: Near Geneva
Posts: 3,102
Groaned at 34 Times in 28 Posts
Thanked 3,938 Times in 1,760 Posts
| | Re: Maiden name not on the post box | Quote: | |  | | | Hi all - I remember before moving to my current address I was sent a letter when my name was still not on the mailbox and the letter was returned to the sender. My wife usually goes by her maiden name with a lot of her friends back in the UK.
If they send to our address (We live in a house) but list the maiden name - does it still make its way to us? Very curious.
There was a nice care package from her old Scottish Uni friends that never made it to us, and we are wondering if that's the reason!? | | | | | | Quote: | |  | | | How frustrating - thank you all.
As that was likely sent with no return address she will go to the local post office tomorrow and see what can be done about it (6 hand wool knitted jumpers for our daughters... More than just a product!) | | | | | A parcel sent Scotland-Switzerland would've needed a customs declaration, and so a return address.
Also, it was rather silly for her friends to send a parcel of hand knitted stuff without registering it. I know how much time and love goes into making such things and wouldn't dream of simply trusting the post with anything precious.
Put both names on your letterbox, it's not difficult!
| This user would like to thank Anjela for this useful post: | | 
14.01.2021, 09:25
| Forum Legend | | Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Nyon
Posts: 3,996
Groaned at 191 Times in 140 Posts
Thanked 5,353 Times in 2,527 Posts
| | Re: Maiden name not on the post box
Why do so many people eschew including their return address on their post? Of the Christmas cards we receive it seems that only the Swiss (residents) habitually include it.
| The following 3 users would like to thank bowlie for this useful post: | | 
14.01.2021, 10:10
|  | Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Switzerland
Posts: 1,584
Groaned at 14 Times in 14 Posts
Thanked 1,297 Times in 676 Posts
| | Re: Maiden name not on the post box | Quote: | |  | | | Hi all - I remember before moving to my current address I was sent a letter when my name was still not on the mailbox and the letter was returned to the sender. My wife usually goes by her maiden name with a lot of her friends back in the UK.
If they send to our address (We live in a house) but list the maiden name - does it still make its way to us? Very curious.
There was a nice care package from her old Scottish Uni friends that never made it to us, and we are wondering if that's the reason!? | | | | | Are you asking whether it is possible that a parcel addressed to a name not on the mailbox did not reach you for that reason? Highly likely.... How is the postman to know? | This user would like to thank kri for this useful post: | | 
14.01.2021, 10:24
| Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Bern
Posts: 1,186
Groaned at 215 Times in 135 Posts
Thanked 2,433 Times in 844 Posts
| | Re: Maiden name not on the post box
It is very frustrating ... I don't know why we can't have apartment numbers here, that way anyone staying with you at your address can receive mail. I've been married for 11 years and I do not want to have my maiden name on my post box as I have not gone by that name since the day I was married...yet, because I will somehow be forever tied to that name, I will continue to have post sent back because of it.
| This user would like to thank Susie-Q for this useful post: | | 
14.01.2021, 10:37
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Neuchâtel
Posts: 12,306
Groaned at 200 Times in 177 Posts
Thanked 19,895 Times in 8,227 Posts
| | Re: Maiden name not on the post box | Quote: | |  | | | Are you asking whether it is possible that a parcel addressed to a name not on the mailbox did not reach you for that reason? Highly likely.... How is the postman to know?  | | | | | He said that they live in a house so presumably the only family at that address. I would have thought the postman could have rung the bell to ask if it was for them.
I have received post addressed to me by my maiden name at our house despite that name being on the box.
Having said that the post people do know us quite well.
Last edited by Belgianmum; 14.01.2021 at 11:59.
| The following 3 users would like to thank Belgianmum for this useful post: | | 
14.01.2021, 10:48
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Zurich area
Posts: 12,761
Groaned at 99 Times in 88 Posts
Thanked 19,521 Times in 8,661 Posts
| | Re: Maiden name not on the post box | Quote: | |  | | | Are you asking whether it is possible that a parcel addressed to a name not on the mailbox did not reach you for that reason? Highly likely.... How is the postman to know?  | | | | | But in such cases they will usually stick a note on the mail box where they ask if a Mrs. Jane Doe lives at that place and if yes they should be so kind to update the name plate. | Quote: | |  | | | It is very frustrating ... I don't know why we can't have apartment numbers here, that way anyone staying with you at your address can receive mail | | | | | A drawback of that is that mail which goes to a wrong or outdated address will be delivered. Mail which might contain sensitive information or valuable content. And the sender is non the wiser as they never get informed about the wrong address.
| The following 2 users would like to thank aSwissInTheUS for this useful post: | | 
14.01.2021, 11:04
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Lugano
Posts: 30,070
Groaned at 2,143 Times in 1,599 Posts
Thanked 36,049 Times in 17,090 Posts
| | Re: Maiden name not on the post box | Quote: | |  | | | I don't know why we can't have apartment numbers here. | | | | | We do. We only recently got a house number, however.
Tom
| 
14.01.2021, 11:07
| Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Bern
Posts: 1,186
Groaned at 215 Times in 135 Posts
Thanked 2,433 Times in 844 Posts
| | Re: Maiden name not on the post box | Quote: | |  | | | A drawback of that is that mail which goes to a wrong or outdated address will be delivered. Mail which might contain sensitive information or valuable content. And the sender is non the wiser as they never get informed about the wrong address. | | | | | good point...
| 
14.01.2021, 11:10
|  | Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: La Côte
Posts: 1,265
Groaned at 100 Times in 51 Posts
Thanked 1,379 Times in 630 Posts
| | Re: Maiden name not on the post box
We had a not too different situation but were told legal names can only go on the mailbox
| 
14.01.2021, 11:10
| Member | | Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: Vaud
Posts: 132
Groaned at 1 Time in 1 Post
Thanked 309 Times in 83 Posts
| | Re: Maiden name not on the post box | Quote: | |  | | | It is very frustrating ... I don't know why we can't have apartment numbers here, that way anyone staying with you at your address can receive mail. | | | | |
Worse than that, we have a friend who lives in a large apartment block where the mail boxes aren't sorted in any logical order, either alphabetically or by floor. E.g. on the top row of boxes are flats from the 3rd, 11th, 7th, 6th, and 3rd floors, the second row, 8th, 5th, 8th, 10th, 3rd, etc. etc. I have no idea how the postmen deliver mail every day without going slightly crazy.
| 
14.01.2021, 11:16
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Zurich area
Posts: 12,761
Groaned at 99 Times in 88 Posts
Thanked 19,521 Times in 8,661 Posts
| | Re: Maiden name not on the post box | Quote: | |  | | | that way anyone staying with you at your address can receive mail. | | | | | There is a standard and accepted solution for that: c/o
Mr. Dear Guest
c/o Mrs. Lovely Host
Kioskstrasse 1
1234 Hotelhausen
SUISSE / SWITZERLAND
| The following 3 users would like to thank aSwissInTheUS for this useful post: | | 
14.01.2021, 11:24
|  | Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Switzerland
Posts: 1,584
Groaned at 14 Times in 14 Posts
Thanked 1,297 Times in 676 Posts
| | Re: Maiden name not on the post box | Quote: | |  | | |
A drawback of that is that mail which goes to a wrong or outdated address will be delivered. Mail which might contain sensitive information or valuable content. And the sender is non the wiser as they never get informed about the wrong address.
| | | | | yes this. We had this in our flat abroad and got PIN and Bank Card from someone who had left 2 years previous and never updated address at the bank.... | 
14.01.2021, 11:25
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Zurich area
Posts: 12,761
Groaned at 99 Times in 88 Posts
Thanked 19,521 Times in 8,661 Posts
| | Re: Maiden name not on the post box | Quote: | |  | | | We had a not too different situation but were told legal names can only go on the mailbox | | | | |
Let us have a look in the actual legislations Art. 73 Abs. 3 Postverordnung | Quote: |  | | | Der Briefkasten ist mit vollständiger und gut lesbarer Anschrift der Wohnungsbesitzerin oder des Wohnungsbesitzers, der Liegenschaftsbesitzerin oder des Liegenschaftsbesitzers oder der Firma zu beschriften.
La boîte aux lettres doit être pourvue de l’adresse complète et bien lisible de l’occupant de l’appartement ou de l’immeuble, ou de la raison sociale. | | | | | Nothing about "legal name" (what ever that should be), just a good readable "address" so that mail can be delivered.
And legally you can go by a pseudonym: https://www.namens-recht.ch/namensbildung | This user would like to thank aSwissInTheUS for this useful post: | | 
14.01.2021, 11:28
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Rapperswil
Posts: 3,179
Groaned at 52 Times in 48 Posts
Thanked 3,787 Times in 1,728 Posts
| | Re: Maiden name not on the post box
For houses surely they should deliver any mail addressed to that house number - it is uniquely identifiable.
But the formal rules are here: https://www.post.ch/en/sending-lette...ents-correctly
Formal requirements:
- At least three and a maximum of six lines
- Addressing always in the longitudinal direction of the shipment
- No blank lines between the address lines
- Left-justified address lines
- Do not underline or block neither postcode nor city
- Addresses that are not completely visible in the address window can neither be processed nor delivered
A correct postal address contains:
- Unambiguous recipient information with full company name, surname and first name (avoid confusion)
- Second bottom line: the full, official street name and the correct house number or, in the case of post office box addresses, the term
"PO Box" (without specifying the PO box number)
- Bottom line: the correct postcode and the full place name
That "unambiguous" point is itself ambiguous since a single house with a number can't really be confused for anywhere else (assuming it only has one postbox)
We got quite a few bits of mail for the previous owner when we moved in, all advertising and stuff like trade magazines.
| 
14.01.2021, 14:50
| Forum Legend | | Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Zurich
Posts: 4,584
Groaned at 152 Times in 98 Posts
Thanked 7,569 Times in 2,588 Posts
| | Re: Maiden name not on the post box | Quote: | |  | | | good point... | | | | | And then there is the teensy matter of us receiving our voting documents by post. I'm told that other countries have a bit of a palaver with that concept... Probably doesn't help that it is not always clear who lives at an address!
| This user would like to thank Kittster for this useful post: | | 
14.01.2021, 15:09
|  | A modal singularity | | Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Morgins, VS (and Alsace)
Posts: 8,847
Groaned at 359 Times in 231 Posts
Thanked 15,031 Times in 6,509 Posts
| | Re: Maiden name not on the post box | Quote: | |  | | | Why do so many people eschew including their return address on their post? Of the Christmas cards we receive it seems that only the Swiss (residents) habitually include it. | | | | | It's normal in France too, but not in the UK. Historically it's just never been a thing, so it wouldn't occur to most UK residents to do so, just for the lack of any reason why they would. | Quote: | |  | | | For houses surely they should deliver any mail addressed to that house number - it is uniquely identifiable.
...
We got quite a few bits of mail for the previous owner when we moved in, all advertising and stuff like trade magazines. | | | | | Yes, a pain, isn't it? And I think that answers your own (implied) question.
We live in a house, but with multiple apartments, some of which are (only one now, but four or five when we bought it and historically before that) long-term rentals, and I'm glad that when one of our tenants had moved out I was able to stop her mail simply by telling the Post Office that she no longer lived here - even removing her name from the postbox wasn't enough.
This is only possible if names as well as addresses are used by the PO. Who knows what other mail might still be getting delivered if they didn't validate the name as well? And how much of that might be important enough that the sender really needs to know it hasn't reached its intended recipient?
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | | Thread Tools | | Display Modes | Linear Mode |
Posting Rules
| You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts HTML code is Off | | | All times are GMT +2. The time now is 17:55. | |