The Post Box

Security of your mail is very important, especially when documents containing your personal information are sent through the post and delivered through your letter box. There is a growing number of cases of identity theft when mail has been fished out of letter boxes and information used to access bank accounts, apply for credit cards and even apply for passports. There are anti arson letter boxes available which are designed to extinguish any fire started in the letter box and also prevent the documents from reigniting. Lockable letter boxes may deter all but the most determined criminal, and there are guards available can be installed on the letter box so that the perpetrator cannot see much when they look inside. With a traditional letter box which is a slot in the door, the mail will fall on the floor, so a would-be thief will not be able to retrieve your mail by hand. Use only good quality letter boxes which are not easily removable from their fixings,

There are various other ways to protect your mail, such as ensuring that the incoming mail does not stay in the letter box for very long. This is easy to monitor if you are at home all day, but the postman will inevitably call when you are at work, so the documents will remain in the letter box all day, giving a potential thief an opportunity to steal them.

If you are expecting important documents from the bank, for example, you can arrange to have it delivered by registered post to your place of work. If this is not possible, then you can ask the post office to hold any registered mail so that you can collect it. Having a lockable letter box or an anti arson letter box will go some way to protect mail delivered to your letter box and give you peace of mind that your mail is less likely to be tampered with.

You should report any instances of suspected mail theft, tampering with your letter box, destruction of your mail or attempts at arson to the Royal Mail. If you are going on holiday, you can ask the Royal Mail to hold your letters for a specific period. If you are expecting a bank statement or cheque book and it does not arrive, contact your bank.

The growing trend of identify theft is very worrying and you should take as many precautions as possible to prevent your mail from being stolen from your letter box. In remote areas letter boxes may be situated at the end of long drives and cannot be seen from the house giving a potential thief a further opportunity to steal your mail. Familiarise yourself with the postman’s routine and delivery times and retrieve the mail as soon as possible after delivery so that your mail does not remain in the letter box for long. Make it as difficult as possible for a potential thief to retrieve the mail from your letter box by having a lockable mail box and from being destroyed by fire by having an anti arson letter box.

Even with the advent and growth of electronic data communications and on line shopping, many organisations use the regular postal service, or snail mail, as a method of keeping in touch with their clients, and updating them on products and services available. There is, then, still a requirement for a postal system and letter boxes. Some firms cut their direct mailing budget, but research has found that some people still prefer the traditional method of communicating by post and to receive reminders about some products through their letter box. Despite the wide usage of e-cards which can be sent at birthdays and Christmas, people still prefer to receive a traditional card. At Christmas millions of cards and parcels are sent, and a letter box is required for receiving them. Goods ordered on line has also meant that many more parcels pass through the postal system and letter boxes are still required to deliver notifications if no one is at home.

Direct mail was traditionally used to keep in direct contact with customers who were interested in the company’s products, reducing advertising costs. Catalogues and fliers were sent to the known customers and delivered directly to their door through the letter box. Nowadays, products are often listed on a web site and can be ordered on line, but there is still the need for a letter box in the event of no one being in to receive the parcels so that the postman can leave a note. Some people still prefer to receive a hard copy of a catalogue or brochure through the post box along with the price list.

Traditional greetings cards are habitually sent, regardless of the electronic versions available on the internet. It seems more personal somehow. Technophobes still prefer to receive communications via snail mail. For the elderly, receiving a card through the letter box which they can hold and read is often far preferable to receiving an email or e-card.

Another reason for receiving mail through traditional sources through the letter box is that there is so much spam and junk emails sent, that many people tend to ignore emails which are sent from unknown sources. The sender may be missing the opportunity of making a sale if the customer deletes the email without reading it. It may be company policy therefore to have a mixture of methods of communicating with clients, some through the postal system and others by email. Some clients may prefer to receive mail by traditional methods.

Important documents which must be in hard copy, such as legal documents and bank correspondence, are still sent by traditional methods through the postal system. Security of your letter box is therefore very important and you should ensure that unauthorised persons are not able to access your mail.

Checking the letter box for incoming mail is part of the daily routine, both at home and at the office. Letter boxes are just an important part of life as they were before the technological revolution. Regardless of the growth of electronic methods of communication, the letter box is here to stay for the foreseeable future.

Despite the growth of using email and other electronic communications for correspondence, letter boxes still have a place in society. Security and convenience are just two advantages of continuing what has become known as the “snail mail” service with a letter box to receive incoming mail.

Businesses and private users want to ensure that documents delivered to their premises is safe and that thieves cannot access the letter box to retrieve the mail. There is a growth in identity theft and determined criminals can access private information from unlocked letter boxes and use the information to commit fraudulent activities. Whether you are a business or an individual, the security of your mail at risk if you do not have a lockable mail box, and even then, thieves can break into them. Users in apartment and office blocks are potentially at the greatest risk as the letter boxes are often located in the lobby of the building where there are times when people are not around. People are starting to take theft of mail from the mail box very seriously, as the threat grows and criminals find new ways to steal what is rightfully yours. It is not feasible or cost effective to have every letter sent by registered or recorded delivery so that it requires a signature and therefore the correspondence is not put into the letter box but handed to the addressee. By selecting a lockable letterbox with only selected people having the key, you have taken the first step to ensuring that your mail is safe and secure. Some letter boxes have two compartments, so that the mail is dropped into the first compartment, which then slips through into the second sealed compartment underneath which can only be opened with a key. If you are looking for a locking letter box, do not only consider the price, but also whether it is truly tamperproof, even with the use of a screwdriver.

Letter boxes are convenient as the postman can deliver the mail at any time of day or night and you do not have to be at home to receive it. In the business situation, multi occupancy letter boxes are convenient for the postman so that he does not have to spend time delivering mail to individual offices, which saves time. Large capacity letter boxes and newspaper boxes may be more suitable for organisations, whether they are home working businesses or larger companies.

Whether you receive correspondence for your company or as an individual, you will need to consider both the convenience of receiving mail through the letter box and the security aspects. Offsetting convenience against security need not be an “either or” situation, but considering the style of letter box you have will be a big factor, as will the individual circumstances of the location of your premises, whether it is an office or apartment block with a multi occupancy style letter box. In the latter circumstances, if you are really worried about theft of your mail, you can collect it from the post office yourself, or ask the postman to ring the bell of your apartment or office when he has deposited the mail in the letter box so that you can retrieve it immediately.

There are many styles of Letter Boxes on the market, and it will depend on whether you live in a house which is an individual dwelling or a multi occupancy building as to which type of Letter Box suits your requirements. Multi occupancy buildings such as apartments and office blocks will often have a Mail Box with individual compartments either inside or outside the building. This will make the postman’s job much easier, as he will not have to visit every individual apartment or office in the building to distribute the post, unless he has to deliver a package which must be signed for.

As with Post Boxes for individual residences and businesses, there are many styles and designs of multi occupancy Mail Boxes on the market. These can be horizontal or vertical, mounted on supports or fixed to a wall inside or outside the building. When a new apartment or office block is commissioned, the style and location of the multi occupancy Mail Box will often have been decided by the developer. Security of the mail should be taken into account, and each individual Mail Box will have a key so that the recipient can retrieve the delivered mail. Each box will be labelled with the name of the person or the office or apartment number to ensure that the mail goes to the correct addressee. The Mail Boxes are usually made of stainless steel or steel and are fire resistant.

The sizes of the Mail Boxes will depend on whether the building is a residential or commercial premises, and there are multi occupancy Mail Boxes which are of a larger capacity than the standard A4 and will accept bigger C4 mail without bending as well as more post.

Communal Mail Boxes in large apartment blocks are often the target of vandals, so they must be fire proof so that a fire started in a Post Box will not spread to other parts of the building. Some Mail Boxes are specifically designed to extinguish fires and are fitted with fire extinguishers which detects the fire and puts it out before it can spread to other parts of the building. It is always important to protect the important documents which are delivered to your premises, so investing in a Mail Box with the additional feature of being anti arson is money well spent. If you are moving to new premises which already has a multi occupancy Mail Box you can ask whether it is fireproof, and if it does not have this feature, it would be worth lobbying the other occupants of the building to agree to a new Mail Box for the building. If the building is still under development and are considering a lease for an apartment or office within the block, you can request the management company to negotiate with the builders to agree the style of the multi occupancy Mail Box which is fire proof. Often these details are overlooked in the rush to finalise and commission a building.

Whether country houses or city apartments, all properties need to have an effective way of receiving mail. Residential postboxes are becoming an increasingly popular way for people to receive their mail as they are available in a wide variety of styles and sizes, and have reliable security features. They can also help to give a property character as they have very stylish appeal.

Size
Mailboxes are available in standard sizes and larger sizes. Standard sizes can typically  accommodate mail which a standard letterbox would allow, whereas larger sizes can cater for plenty of over-sized mail such as parcels and multiple newspapers.

Security
Most postboxes are very secure as they can only be accessed from the top or back with a security key. Stainless steel boxes are a very popular choice as they are constructed from a thick, high grade steel which makes them incredibly robust and secure. Steel boxes are also incredibly durable and so are able to easily stand up to inclement weather. For added security, through-the-wall mailboxes can be the perfect option. These boxes are installed within the wall of a residence so that only the front panel of the box is accessible from the outside. This means that items deposited in the box can only be accessed by the occupant from the inside. These type of boxes represent maximum security as the postman only has limited access from the front when delivering post.

To learn more, spend some time with us here at Mailbox Mania.

Mail boxes can come in handy in a range of situations, both in domestic and commercial scenarios. Indeed, you might be looking to purchase postboxes.

However, like many people, your finances may be somewhat stretched at present. After all, economic conditions remain tough and simply making ends meet can be a difficult task. But, by being savvy when you seek mail boxes, you can ensure you do not exceed your limited budget.

For example, by coming here to Mailbox Mania, you can pick up your perfect items at great value prices.

Because we understand the importance of providing excellent deals, we even have a special offers section dedicated to highlighting the very best prices we can offer. This makes your efforts to source postboxes even easier.

You might well be shocked by the low cost of the offerings you see in this section of our website. But even if you do not find what you’re looking for here, there is bound to be something elsewhere on our website. And because all our products are fantastic value, you will not have to overspend.

It is only by being tactical when you are looking to purchase goods like this that you will be able to balance your books.

So, to see our great range of items and our special offers, simply browse our website. By buying through us, you can rest assured you are getting a great deal on quality products that will not only look good but will also stand the test of time.

At www.mailboxmania.co.uk, we are just mad about mailboxes and letterboxes. For us, it is much more than a business; it is a way of life. We love the functionality and style of mailboxes, and the amazing ways designers have managed to make a household item which could have been regarded as mundane into a veritable work of art which is functional yet beautiful.

Despite advances in technology and the advent of e-mail,  we know that so called ‘snail mail’ will never be replaced by its electronic cousin. There is something wonderfully and magically tactile about receiving a letter from a loved one abroad, or even a correspondence from a highly regarded business colleague.  At Mailbox Mania, we hope to provide pristine and premium mailboxes and letterboxes to the public for generations to come. We feel privileged to have secured a place in the provision of perfect post-boxes and magnificent mailboxes.

We always ensure that the quality of our products is optimal and offer a selection which includes multi-occupancy boxes, steel gates and railing letterboxes, through the wall boxes, cast aluminium boxes, large capacity newspaper boxes and even anti-arson post-boxes.  Whatever your requirements and desires, we can advise you on the very best post-box for your residential or business property which will enhance the appearance of your property’s facade.  We always welcome enquiries from those who collect mailboxes as well as those who need them for more practical reasons.

The popularity of the post box is directly linked to the development of modern industrial urban societies and the extension of communication infrastructures in both Europe and America. So it is therefore inextricably intertwined with the development of our modern Western civilisations, and we are proud to be associated with such wonderful products.

A little bit of cultural diversity can be a wonderful thing! We stock a splendid range of US mail boxes, designed and created to perfectly echo the illustrious original design of US Postal Service employee Roy J. Joroleman.

Joroleman’s eponymous design first hit the curbs of US streets in 1915. The domed, tunnel shaped body, latched door and moveable signal flag are as cemented in American culture as Ford pick-ups and maple syrup on bacon! The now familiar curved top was designed with weather resilience in mind, preventing snow and water gathering and damaging the mail box itself or post held within.

The original intention of the red (or sometimes orange) signal flag was to alert both the resident of a property to new mail, and also the postman to outgoing mail – a godsend in rural and weather-beaten areas!

We offer a choice of mail box material – standard galvanised steel or fully rust/weatherproof aluminium. Of course our designs feature the legendary red signal flag and optional black pole stand.

Our Steel Range (available in black or white)

Traditionally, US mail boxes are made using galvanised steel. Although indisposed to the ravages of the environment, these mail boxes are built to last in the same way as Volvos, Granddads and tractors are. Simply put, it’ll take a LOT of the tempestuous British weather to mar our steel mail boxes!

Our Aluminium Range (available in black, white or silver)

As a completely weatherproof option, our aluminium mail boxes are a great option for those less concerned with authenticity.

The importance of guaranteed privacy in our growing population should never be underestimated. With a population exceeding 60,000,000 living, working and playing in an area 1/13 the size of Alaska, safeguarding personal space and security is an important step.

Whether at home or throughout the business world, postal services keep us connected and informed, providing a vital daily lifeline that most of us simply couldn’t live without. The security of this lifeline is certainly a valuable asset.

Occupancy
Multiple-occupancy mail boxes can present a problem when installed incorrectly. As unpleasant as it may sound, multiple-occupancy mail boxes often fall victim to vandalism, making their qualities of strength and durability more crucial than ever.

The absolute aim of our designers and instillation experts is the safety of occupant mail (be that from external threats or each other). We’re so confident in our multiple-occupancy mail boxes that we provide unique customer service post-instillation.

Commercial Business
Although potentially exposed to many of the same threats as multiple-occupancy post boxes, commercial business post boxes need be no less strong, professionally designed and installed, or durable. In busy atmospheres commercial post boxes make a fantastic way to guard the individual privacy of a person/business with incredible ease (resulting in far less lost post we’re sure!)

Whatever your mail issues, give one of our team a call to see what our designers and mailbox engineers could do for you in terms of providing workable, cost effective solutions that satisfy your mail needs 100%.

We’re certainly a nation that loves nostalgia! Here are a few odds and ends we discovered about that most British of street furniture institutions – the red postbox!

•    The very first postboxes (pillar boxes to be precise) were erected in Jersey during the Post Offices’ 1852 campaign of modernisation. It’s commonly thought the idea hailed from France.

•    It was another five years before roadside postboxes were a common sight along the highways and byways of Britain. It was during this time that the Birmingham District Council commissioned what is now cited as the traditional post box design of a single column.

•    Pillar boxes always bear the monogram of the reigning monarch. Take a look at any old-looking post boxes in your area to see if the monogram “V.R” resides on its front. If so, it’s dates from the reign of Queen Victoria!

•    Windsor Castle has a blue post box. The now-redundant air mail boxes remained in service for less than a decade and are a incredibly rare sight.

•    The oldest working red post box in Britain is over 150 years old.

•    One of the conditions cited when Consignia took over Royal Mail was that all current postboxes be preserved as heritage icons.

The good old British postbox is certainly one of our favourite icons of the UK. And whilst we can’t provide you with your own cast iron Victorian pillar box, we can supply personal and commercial use mailboxes that will stand the hardy test of time (many of them come in red too!)