Power of attorney, can I use it to receive mail?

6am

Hopefully this is a right forum. My wife is away on holiday and received a mail that requires her ID. I have a power of attorney. Can I use it to receive her mail? What can I expect when I show my id and power of attorney letter. Otherwise the mail will be unclaimed for couple of weeks.

jog

Do you mean you need to go to the local Royal Mail sorting office to collect a signed for delivery? If so then you shouldn't have a problem if you've got id with the same address, I collect my husbands mail quite reguarly and I've never had a problem as long as I show ID, I normally use my drivers liscence.

clairec79

I've picked up my husbands and vice versa

trailingspouse

Ditto - OH has an ebay habit, but is never around during PO opening hours. There's never been any query over me picking up (and signing for) his post. Ditto when it's delivered to the house when I'm in and needs to be signed for.

divadee

You need your wife's ID not your own. Has she left any ID at home while she is on holiday? It should tell you on the card that was left what they will accept.

onlyroz

I've never had a problem collecting my husband's mail with my own driving license. The card that the postie leaves often only shows the surname anyway.

nimbo

Our sorting office is super strict. I have to take my fellas Id. But they will accept a bank card or passport or drivers licence. So if she's stuck any bank /credit card in a drawer they will probably allow you to collect.

They were even funny with the mil when she took the card stating only the surname when it turned out to be for her dughter with a different initial. Her a argument - quite rightly was well I'm not psychic so leaving all the details would have helped.

penguingirl

My partner used to keep an old credit card of mine in his wallet when he worked next to the sorting office so I used to send him in it's probably still in there!

Person_one

Are you sure that you have an active power of attorney? If your wife is capable of going on holiday under her own steam then why would it be needed?

Brighton_belle

Person_one wrote: »

Are you sure that you have an active power of attorney? If your wife is capable of going on holiday under her own steam then why would it be needed?

Don't know in the case P1 but we activated our parents straight away, quite some time before they were needed. And would do for our own too when I get round to doing them this year as they can take 8-12 weeks to activate so if an emergency happens that's a long wait. It also confirms if you have done them yourself rather than via a solicitor, that there are no problems/errors that would be too late to correct if you waited until someone was very incapacitated.

6am

Person_one wrote: »

Are you sure that you have an active power of attorney? If your wife is capable of going on holiday under her own steam then why would it be needed?

We are buying a house and were due to exchange this friday (it did not happen). I read advice on this forum that it is a good idea to give somebody you trust a power of attorney before going abroad in case some papers need to be signed. We went to a solicitor and my wife gave me a general power of attorney that authorises me to act on her behalf and in her name (it is not limited to a house purchase). Exchange did not happen but then "sorry we missed you" note come through which says that I need to show my wife's id. So I though why not use power of attorney to collect the parcel, "use a sledgehammer to crack a nut"

Generally I do not quite understand why they are happy to accept my wife id. In all other situations me using somebody else's id will probably be treated as fraud.