But Christiane Ouimet, a spokeswoman for Canada Post was offering apologies Friday to the six homeowners who received the demand, saying the letter was sent out prematurely. Samia Tyan has lived in the same house on Robertson Street in the Montreal borough of St-Laurent for the past 20 years.

She said she was informed June 13 she had one week to install a handrail on the four steps leading up to her home.

"They gave us a letter saying it was dangerous," the irritated woman said in an interview.

But Tyan decided on another approach that appeared to satisfy Canada Post and had an old-fashioned rural mail box installed on the lawn outside her home.

That meant the letter carrier would not have to climb the steps to deliver mail through the slot in her front door.

"We didn't want to build the handrail because I think we have to redo our stairs again so it's not worth putting anything into them," Tyan said.

She pointed to several of her neighbours who had installed banisters on their front steps since receiving the letter.

But she said the idea was "stupid" because when the mailman made his Friday delivery to her next-door neighbour, he didn't even bother to use the rail.

"Maybe if there was snow. . .but I saw him coming up the stairs and he didn't put his hand on it, so it's useless," Tyan said.

Buying and installing metal railings costs on average a few hundred dollars.

One postman who was making his rounds said mail delivery was halted to one homeowner who has not yet put up a handrail or an outside mailbox.

Ouimet said mail carriers are always asked to check their delivery points to see if there are any problems which could pose a risk to their own safety.

"They would then report to their supervisor who would meet with our clients," she said.

"Unfortunately, in this case, the procedure wasn't followed the way it should have been.

"The letter should not have been distributed," she said. "It's not our normal way of doing things."

Ouimet said the form letter is a final step that usually is sent out after Canada Post has failed to resolve a problem with its clients.

"We're offering our apologies to these clients and we will meet them one by one in the coming days to clarify the situation," she said.

The Crown corporation is now asking the homeowners to contact Canada Post to work out a solution.

Ouimet said the National Building Code requires a handrail or banister be installed on a stairway with more than three steps.

"It's the law all across Canada," she said.

She said the focus has been on the safety and security of employees during the past few months because of the high number of accidents.

There have been 1,790 work-related accidents involving Canada Post employees in Quebec in 2007.

"This year, from January up to mid-June, we have already had 778 accidents in Quebec," Ouimet added.