What happens to uncollected mail?

wendym · 5 March 2009 at 12:24PM

I'm sure I ought to know, but I don't.

I have had another 'we are holding an item that has insufficient postage' card, and am inclined not to pay £1.06 yet again for unwanted post. I have checked with anyone I know who may have been careless. Will it be returned to sender (if the sender is identified on the envelope), or binned at the Sorting Office?

Thanks

frivolous_fay · 5 March 2009 at 12:31PM

It will be returned, assuming there is a return address.
In the past I've rung the office and asked them what kind of item it is so that I can decide if I want to pay for it. I didn't bother collecting the unpaid 'renew your subscription' letter from a magazine I had cancelled my subscription for!

As an aside, it irritates me when posties don't bother ticking the bit where it shows if it's a letter, packet, etc, because that gives you a much better idea of what the item is. Also, when they don't fill in the name the item is addressed to, everyone in my office argues about who's going to drive to the office to collect it!

wendym · 5 March 2009 at 12:37PM

Thanks fay. Unfortunately my office never picks up the phone (they don't even officially admit that they have a phone no other than the national one) and in the past when I've driven to the office it's not been possible to find out what it is without paying upfront.

frivolous_fay · 5 March 2009 at 1:24PM

Personally I'd ring and say 'Postie has forgotten to tick the card to say whether the item is a packet, parcel, etc, could you kindly have a look and let me know?'

mazza111 · 5 March 2009 at 1:41PM

Wendy they get returned to sender. If there is no return address they get sent to Belfast which is the only place who is allowed to deal with this. You can usually work out what the item is by the price. 6p is a large letter that only has a small stamp on it (iirc) + £1 handling fee etc etc etc. Don't give up on ringing the phone, let it ring if you must. Remember in these places there is normally 1 member of staff, to deal with customers who have turned up to collect things and answer the phone, when I get this delightful task at work, i tend to deal with the customers who are there in person rather than the phone.

wendym · 5 March 2009 at 3:11PM

I wish I didn't live in this parallel universe! I can remember when the phone was answered years ago, and have a selection of numbers, but both my regular postie and the nicest van delivery postie have told me that I'm not going mad - the phone is just never answered in my sorting office.

And they won't let me see the offending item without paying upfront.

mazza111 · 5 March 2009 at 4:47PM

Then ignore it. They will return it to sender. If it's important I'm sure the sender will resend with the correct postage. You haven't got a birthday or anniversary coming up? These are the most common culprits for undersized stamps.

custardy · 5 March 2009 at 4:59PM

wendym wrote: »

I wish I didn't live in this parallel universe! I can remember when the phone was answered years ago, and have a selection of numbers, but both my regular postie and the nicest van delivery postie have told me that I'm not going mad - the phone is just never answered in my sorting office.

And they won't let me see the offending item without paying upfront.

well if its like my office the indoor staffing levels have been cut by 50%
trying to deal with collections,charges,redeliveries and everything else for four postcode areas and trying to answer the phone on your own just doesnt happen
get used to it.some offices have been left alone but they are getting worked through.my own office is being ripped apart again for 'savings'

wendym · 5 March 2009 at 5:48PM

custardy wrote: »

well if its like my office the indoor staffing levels have been cut by 50%
trying to deal with collections,charges,redeliveries and everything else for four postcode areas and trying to answer the phone on your own just doesnt happen
get used to it.some offices have been left alone but they are getting worked through.my own office is being ripped apart again for 'savings'

Yes I have got used to it. It's a good 2 years, possibly 3, since they answered the phone in my sorting office.

custardy · 5 March 2009 at 5:59PM

but then again i have people coming in saying we never answer the phone
the fact is we do,however given its one person answering a few phonecalls in a day its a drop in the ocean

mazza111 · 5 March 2009 at 6:09PM

I must admit our manager is pretty good, he logs into the phone that's ringing and takes the call, takes a good message, and telephone number for call back, then puts one of us dog's bodies onto it.:p

What happens to uncollected mail?

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