Forwarding Mail (re-addressing)

bazzyb

custardy wrote: »

and that makes it valid?

Yes, most definitely.

naedanger

bazzyb wrote: »

The sender pays for postage, not the recipient. 'Unofficial redirection' (not sure if that is the correct name) is something that has to be provided as part of the USO - and so thus the cost is factored in when pricing is set for ordinary first and second class postage. Therefore the service has been paid for regardless of how astounded you are.

Are you sure this is still true? Neither RM website or the Postal Service Act 2011 seem to say this (at least as far as I can see).

What RM say about the USO:
http://www.royalmailgroup.com/about-us/regulation/how-were-regulated/universal-service-obligation

Postal Services Act 2011 says on USO is:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2011/5/section/31

The regulator, Ofcom, does not seem to mention that mail can be redirected for free either. They only seem to mention the paid service.
http://ask.ofcom.org.uk/help/post/mailredirect

Citizen's Advice do seem to say redirection is free but as far as RM will be concerned they are hardly authoritative:
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/post/stop-getting-someone-elses-post/

On the other hand I haven't found anything on the RM website (or another official source) saying that mail redirected in the op's circumstance will incur an extra charge (e.g. payable by the recipient). (Which you would think RM would say if it was the case.)

In summary I can't find anything official one way or the other. (Though I have only done a fairly quick google search.)

custardy

bazzyb wrote: »

Yes, most definitely.

No that ties it to RMs requirement.
A private company required to do something for free/at a loss where they have a chargeable service for doing the same work.

SnowTiger

naedanger wrote: »

Citizen's Advice do seem to say redirection is free but as far as RM will be concerned they are hardly authoritative:
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/post/stop-getting-someone-elses-post/

On the other hand I haven't found anything on the RM website (or another official source) saying that mail redirected in the op's circumstance will incur an extra charge (e.g. payable by the recipient). (Which you would think RM would say if it was the case.)

In summary I can't find anything official one way or the other. (Though I have only done a fairly quick google search.)

This is what Royal Mail has to say:

It's my address but someone else's name

We deliver to addresses rather than names so our advice here would be to put a cross through the address and write on the item 'Not known at this address' or, 'No longer lives here' and post the item at your convenience - you won't need to apply any postage. Where applicable we will return the item to the sender hopefully allowing them to update their records.

It appars they will try to return to sender.

custardy

SnowTiger wrote: »

This is what Royal Mail has to say:



It appars they will try to return to sender.

Thats returning mail,not redirecting.

bazzyb

custardy wrote: »

No that ties it to RMs requirement.
A private company required to do something for free/at a loss where they have a chargeable service for doing the same work.

I don't think you read my previous post. It is factored in to the price charged for ordinary first and second class post, and thus is done neither at a loss nor for free.

The paid for redirection service which you refer to is not 'doing the same work' at all, I think you will find that a large portion of costs to provide this service are tied up in administration and ancillary items, neither of which are required for unofficial redirects.

MothballsWallet

naedanger wrote: »

Are you sure this is still true? Neither RM website or the Postal Service Act 2011 seem to say this (at least as far as I can see).

What RM say about the USO:
http://www.royalmailgroup.com/about-us/regulation/how-were-regulated/universal-service-obligation

Postal Services Act 2011 says on USO is:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2011/5/section/31

The regulator, Ofcom, does not seem to mention that mail can be redirected for free either. They only seem to mention the paid service.
http://ask.ofcom.org.uk/help/post/mailredirect

Citizen's Advice do seem to say redirection is free but as far as RM will be concerned they are hardly authoritative:
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/post/stop-getting-someone-elses-post/

On the other hand I haven't found anything on the RM website (or another official source) saying that mail redirected in the op's circumstance will incur an extra charge (e.g. payable by the recipient). (Which you would think RM would say if it was the case.)

In summary I can't find anything official one way or the other. (Though I have only done a fairly quick google search.)

That's Ofcom, though, they're a really crap regulator and about as useful as a wet paper towel against an ion cannon.

agrinnall

bazzyb wrote: »

I don't think you read my previous post. It is factored in to the price charged for ordinary first and second class post, and thus is done neither at a loss nor for free.

The paid for redirection service which you refer to is not 'doing the same work' at all, I think you will find that a large portion of costs to provide this service are tied up in administration and ancillary items, neither of which are required for unofficial redirects.

You're saying it but failing to provide any evidence to back it up. Until you do so I for one am not prepared just to take your word for it. To my mind once the mail has been delivered to the address specified by the sender that is the sender's contract with RM fulfilled, and any further delivery should be at an additional charge.

custardy

bazzyb wrote: »

I don't think you read my previous post. It is factored in to the price charged for ordinary first and second class post, and thus is done neither at a loss nor for free.

The paid for redirection service which you refer to is not 'doing the same work' at all, I think you will find that a large portion of costs to provide this service are tied up in administration and ancillary items, neither of which are required for unofficial redirects.

Factored in? How many journeys per item?
I think I know how the redirection service works and would argue the admin side is not the major cost.

giraffe69

I've no idea whether it is allowed or not but when I moved I set up are direction as I thought it was the safest way and was prepared to pay the cost but the previous owners had not managed to transfer all their mail so I crossed out their address and sent it on with the new one and would have thought that many people did the same at least for a while.(the redirection service has been known not to be perfect). I know they will have got at least some of it because I've been thanked.