Postal address vs physical address

0POSTS

9 years ago

Hello everyone! So we are moving next week but there are a few boxes we've decided to ship last minute via postal mail. I was given a physical address to the condo as well as a post office address that the realtor explained was for letters.聽 But what I'm not clear on and wondering if anyone here knows , can I use either address for mail and packages? Before I was given the postal address I had already put in the change of address with the post office as well as some others with the physical address.聽 Will the post office know to deliver to me either way? I'm still not sure if actual mail delivery will come to the condo directly or if I just go to the post office to check for mail every day? Thanks in advance for any help!

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ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

9 years ago

Best check with the condo. That mail address may be to their offices and they may or may not accept packages. Or it may be to a set of mailboxes around your building and each person has keys to a heir box. You will likely get a slip and then have to go to post office to pick the package.

Call the condo and ask them.

frogrock Serial expat

509POSTS

9 years ago

Talk to the condo. If you have already mailed something to the physical address, call the local post office that covers the area. The answer will vary.聽 This has been my experience in two separate locations.

GuestPoster114896 Guest

0POSTS

9 years ago

Thanks.聽 Im still not clear if there is an office though I would imagine it would be.聽 We are to meet with the owner and the realtor so everything has come through the realtor.

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

9 years ago

Then talk to the owner, make sure you know where fuse box is where water valves are, how to deal with garbage, how the windows work, any trouble neighbor, ask about the mail, office, security, condo fees, just take the oprtunity to pick his brain, this will likely be the last time you can speak with him

GuestPoster114896 Guest

0POSTS

9 years ago

Thanks! I was coming up with a list of questions to ask and things to make sure would be on the contract.聽 Those are very good questions and some that never occurred to me (the water valve).

Gary ViP

1845POSTS

9 years ago

What I do is have the shipper put both addresses on packages.

I order a lot from Amazon and one time they use USPS (postal address required), the next time it's UPS (physical address required). No way to know which shipment methode is being used so there were a lot of problems.
After I put both addresses everything is working, well, UPS needed to be straightened out.

After I contacted the country manager of UPS they now deliver everything here in the middle of nowhere - before some drivers who couldn't find my house or who didn't want to drive all the way up the hill would mark the package as "address not right" and return the package to Amazon.

GuestPoster114896 Guest

0POSTS

9 years ago

Oh wow 馃槼.聽 Could you give me an example of the format when you use both addresses?聽 I will be doing a lot of Amazon ordering too.

Gary ViP

1845POSTS

9 years ago

Name
Bo. so and so Sector so and so Road number, KM number --
HC xx Box xxxxxx
Juncos, PR 00777

Second line is Physiacal addy, third line mail.

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

9 years ago

#10

Here is the easy way......
Go to the postal office and get a PO box, size not important. Make sure you also get a physical address from them also.
Use PO box for most things, use postal physical address for ups and others that need it.
Problem solved
Get everything from postal office.

Gary ViP

1845POSTS

9 years ago

#11

ReyP wrote:
Use PO box for most things, use postal physical address for ups and others that need it.
Problem solved

That works if you know in advance which shipping method is going to be used.
Like I wrote, Amazon uses both USPS and UPS to ship to the island and they can't/won't tell customers when they use which one.

Anyway, for me putting both addresses works. I even get packages sent by USPS delivered at home. The nice lady who serves our rural route delivers at home if she knows you and where you live.
Before I would get a red card in the mailbox and would have to drive to the other side of Juncos (15 minutes one way) to pick up my packages at the post office.

GuestPoster114896 Guest

0POSTS

9 years ago

#12

Thank you both!聽聽Well, we're on our way! See you on the other side!

Belizacapitan Member

2POSTS

8 years ago

#13

Hello!聽 We just moved to Puerto Rico too.聽 I have two addresses too, here is the explanation:聽 the p.o. Box is for your regular mail, the physical address is for your deliveries like your furniture or your big boxes.聽 Hope is clearer now.聽 Welcome to Puerto Rico.

Gary ViP

1845POSTS

8 years ago

#14

Belizacapitan wrote:
here is the explanation:聽 the p.o. Box is for your regular mail, the physical address is for your deliveries like your furniture or your big boxes.

It's not that simple I'm afraid. I've been dealing with this for the last 16 years. Read my posts above

westernprguy Active member

63POSTS

8 years ago

#15

I've had the same experience and solution as Gary.聽 Amazon cannot tell you how any one package will be sent, i.e. by UPS or US Mail, so fitting both physical address and p.o. box onto the address lines worked for me.聽 It also helps to meet the UPS driver somewhere and show him where your house is.

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

8 years ago

#16

When I went to the post office to get a US mail P.O. Box, they also gave me a physical address for the post office, this allows UPS and others to deliver packages and other items there and the US Mail office then holds them for me.

Depending on where you live, there will be no US mail of any kind to your place and the same with packages.

When I get to PR I will still transport my car, but I will also buy an old rust ball pickup truck to carry stuff like furniture, packages and bags of cement. My property address is the kilometer distance on the road.

Gary ViP

1845POSTS

8 years ago

#17

You'll get used to it (again) once you move here, Rey.

It took me a while but meanwhile USPS, UPS, FedEx and DHL all deliver to my home "en el culo del mundo".

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

8 years ago

#18

Gary wrote:
You'll get used to it (again) once you move here, Rey.
It took me a while but meanwhile USPS, UPS, FedEx and DHL all deliver to my home "en el culo del mundo".

My brother in Pasto Seco (living there 25 years) which is not far from you rarely gets a package at his home, most times has to go to the post office, UPS and Fedx are a pain in his sector which is part of Las Piedras.

Gary ViP

1845POSTS

8 years ago

#19

It's a matter of keeping on it, I guess. I receive quite some packages so it's really practical to have them delivered here. Also the post office is too far away and we don't have a lot to do in that area so it's a pain to drive there. Takes an hour (to go there, wait in line for the package, drive back) at least..
Actually, the Las Piedras post office is a lot closer and we do much of our daily shopping there but since our postal address is in Juncos that's where our mail goes to.
We are lucky with our USPS lady who delivers. UPS was a pain until I found out the name and email address of the UPS country manager. Ever since they haven't missed one delivery

frogrock Serial expat

509POSTS

8 years ago

#20

You can now get UPS deliveries at you P.O. Box address. I know this from a neighbor who got such a delivery, also from a friend who works at the US Post Office here in Puerto Rico.聽 If you plan on doing this, I suggest that you check with whichever place you have your PO Box, just in case this is not a universally accepted procedure.
There is no mail delivery in my community. Everyone has to have a PO Box at the Post Office, or, like myself, I have a box at a local private mail box store close to where I live.