Details of Complaint:
On November 4, I renewed my annual mailbox rental at Plattsburgh Mail and Shipping Center in Plattsburgh, New York. My credit card was charged $165.00 for a 12 month mailbox rental for the period beginning on January 1 and ending on December 31. Because I prepaid the entire year in advance, I was given one month free, which was credited to my account as a $1.25 per month discount off of the regular monthly rental rate of $15.00 per month.
On April 28, I notified Mrs. Weena Boyle, the owner of Plattsburgh Mail and Shipping Center, in writing, that due to the fact that I was moving out of state, I would like to close my mailbox. I requested the closure of my mailbox effective May 1 and the refund of the remaining 8 months of prepaid mailbox rental fees. Adjusting for the removal of the annual mailbox rental credit, I figured out that I should be charged $60.00 for 4 months of mailbox rental fees, and I should be issued a credit in the amount of $105.00 for the remaining 8 months of mailbox rental fees. I should also be issued an additional credit of approximately $20.00 for the mail forwarding fees which are currently held against my account.
On May 7, I received my regularly scheduled forwarded mail from Plattsburgh Mail and Shipping Center, but there was no refund check, or even an acknowledgement of my request to close my mailbox. On May 18th, I sent a handwritten letter to Mrs. Boyle, requesting, for a second time, that she issue me a refund for the 8 months remaining on my mailbox rental. I asked her to either issue a credit in the refund amount to my credit card account or send me an email stating why she feels that she doesn't have to issue me a refund. On May 22nd, I sent a third request for a refund, this time by email. A hard copy of this email was sent to Mrs. Boyle by USPS Certified Mail w/Return Receipt Request (Label # 70051820000613866090) on May 23.
I received an email from Mrs. Boyle earlier this afternoon (May 23) stating that she would not be issuing me a refund because she claims that under the mailbox rental agreement, Plattsburgh Mail and Shipping Center does not issue refunds on the prepayment of annual mailbox rental fees. This simply isn't true, as the mailbox rental agreement which I signed with Mail Boxes Etc. (The predecessor company) over six years ago does not mention anything about non-refundable mailbox rental fees.
If Mrs. Boyle continues to refuse to refund my unused mailbox rental fees and mail forwarding deposit, I will exhaust every legal avenue trying to recover my money. This will include, but will not be limited to, contacting consumer rights organizations and filing a complaint in small claims court.
Desired Outcome:
I would like Plattsburgh Mail and Shipping Center to issue me a refund in the amount of approximately $125.00 for the mailbox rental and mail forwarding fees which I have previously paid to them but will not be using.
I have already filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau of Upstate New York, and I have been assigned Tracking # 3297-9AA%.
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