Royal Mail and postage

liam_h

Hi all,

I've received a card this morning from Royal Mail stating the incorrect postage has been paid (9p) and I need to go to the sorting off to pay the difference.

However I know for a fact that this was sent from a Post Office so I don't think I need to pay this as the PO measured and weighed the package and charged accordingly. I'm not sure proof of postage was taken, but items sent from a PO usually have a different stamp/frank don't they?

Do I legally have to pay this? I suppose it all comes down to whether I can get the proof of postage.

pcombo

Well they wont deliver it untill its paid i guess.

Pollycat

Do you want the package?

I doubt that Royal Mail will hand the parcel over unless you pay the 9p.

Is it really worth going to the trouble of asking if proof of postage was obtained for 9p?

I understand principles but for me, it just wouldn't be worth the hassle.

liam_h

Don't forget the handling fee as well. Plus the cost of having to go to the sorting office (which isn't around the corner) and it's not just 9p.

Too be honest I'm so miffed with Royal Mail that yes it is worth the hassle. I'm constantly having items go missing and the prices for such a shoddy service are getting beyond a joke now. I have real problems with them and how it's actually still allowed to run in its current form I'm not sure, surely this is a monopoly. Anyway I digress.

Yes it is kind of a principal matter, but think about it - how many times do they try this with the billions of items delievered. If the item was sent from a Post Office, it's surely their responsibility to charge the correct price. If it's wrong, that cannot be my problem?!

somethingcorporate

True, but it's worth picking your battles and 9p is not worth arguing over.

jackieb

It'll probably be 1 pound and 9p though (sorry no pound sign on keyboard!)

I've had letters that were underpaid by 1p before and had to pay a pound on top, and go pick it up. What I don't understand is, why don't they just send it second class instead of first - the amount of postage paid was already more than what second class would've been?

Pollycat

I don't know how many times they try it on with the billions of items delivered - I don't post many parcels.

However, I would have thought that if someone takes a parcel into a Post Office, has it weighed/measured and pays the stated postage, then that parcel should be delivered without question or without requirement to pay additional postage.
Thinking about it logically, why do you need proof of postage?
Shouldn't your point be that the parcel must have been weighed at the Post Office, the sender asked to pay a certain amount of postage (which they must have done) and the parcel was acccepted at the counter and should have been delivered?

I could see how underpostage can happen when someone buys a stamp and sticks it on a card that is too big/thick for that amount and pops it into a post box but not for a parcel that goes through a Post Office counter.

It's obviously a principle thing with you so go for it.

jackieb

pcombo wrote: »

Well they wont deliver it untill its paid i guess.

They won't deliver it anyway. You have to go pick it up from the sorting office, and you'll only get it after paying the difference and the handling fee..

custardy

liam_h wrote: »

Don't forget the handling fee as well. Plus the cost of having to go to the sorting office (which isn't around the corner) and it's not just 9p.

Too be honest I'm so miffed with Royal Mail that yes it is worth the hassle. I'm constantly having items go missing and the prices for such a shoddy service are getting beyond a joke now. I have real problems with them and how it's actually still allowed to run in its current form I'm not sure, surely this is a monopoly. Anyway I digress.

Yes it is kind of a principal matter, but think about it - how many times do they try this with the billions of items delievered. If the item was sent from a Post Office, it's surely their responsibility to charge the correct price. If it's wrong, that cannot be my problem?!

but you don't have to go.

custardy

jackieb wrote: »

They won't deliver it anyway. You have to go pick it up from the sorting office, and you'll only get it after paying the difference and the handling fee..

nope,have another read of the card.

custardy

jackieb wrote: »

It'll probably be 1 pound and 9p though (sorry no pound sign on keyboard!)

I've had letters that were underpaid by 1p before and had to pay a pound on top, and go pick it up. What I don't understand is, why don't they just send it second class instead of first - the amount of postage paid was already more than what second class would've been?

its already charged at 2nd class(except RD/SD)