Post Office 'Hard Selling' passport special deliv.

Sportacus

Had a bad experience in my local post office last year when trying to send my child's passport renewal application - the post master tut-tutting about me only sending it recorded delivery and not paying for the super-duper identity theft insured and three times the price service. I got annoyed with him in the end and haven't been back to that post office since.

This week I had to renew my passport and did it online, but you still have to post your old passport. The renewal website clearly says:

" it's up to you whether you use standard post or a secure service."

my wife took it to the post office (different one) to send and I told her just to send it normal first class, she came back to say the post master had told her that secure postage was mandatory for passports now, and that she'd had to pay £6!

Does anyone know if the Post Office workers are on some commission to upsell postal services? Or was the passport website wrong and sending them secure is now 'mandatory'?

Anyway, I just needed to have a rant somewhere about this.

happyandcontented

I got ours back on Friday after using the new service and we just put the old one in the post box with a first class stamp on. It arrived next day and the passport office sent a text to confirm receipt. So, no, it is definitely not mandatory.

Sportacus

thanks, I've a good mind to go to the post office and ask for a refund for mis-selling.

zagfles

Same here. Sent old one with first class stamp. Got the new passport 4 days later! Very impressive!

Mind that was just before the price rise announcement, I guess demand has gone up now.

Lorian

Lucky you escaped without mobile Phone top-up and holiday insurance too.

Pollycat

Sportacus wrote: »

Had a bad experience in my local post office last year when trying to send my child's passport renewal application - the post master tut-tutting about me only sending it recorded delivery and not paying for the super-duper identity theft insured and three times the price service. I got annoyed with him in the end and haven't been back to that post office since.

This week I had to renew my passport and did it online, but you still have to post your old passport. The renewal website clearly says:

" it's up to you whether you use standard post or a secure service."

my wife took it to the post office (different one) to send and I told her just to send it normal first class, she came back to say the post master had told her that secure postage was mandatory for passports now, and that she'd had to pay £6!

Does anyone know if the Post Office workers are on some commission to upsell postal services? Or was the passport website wrong and sending them secure is now 'mandatory'?

Anyway, I just needed to have a rant somewhere about this.

Are you talking about a 'proper' Post Office or a what I used to know as a SPSO (scale payment sub office).
The latter was (IIRC) run by a 'postmaster'.
Where's custardy?

martindow

Some POs are awful for up-selling and I hear customers all the time paying for extras that I'm sure they don't need. They are frequently 'strongly advised' to buy signed for or Special Delivery.

Mandatory is a new one though - are you sure that was what was said?

skintpaul

i would take a trackable delivery option, for something this important..

although, just 'recorded' delivery (v 'special') compo may not be enough, for cost of a new one?

But io post office lose it, up to THEM to replace..?

Gloomendoom

How would the Post Office replace an old passport?

katejo

I haven't renewed mine for some time so haven't tried the online renewal yet. However I think I would use recorded delivery to send the old passport in. I'd be a bit stuck if I had a trip booked and couldn't go because of the old passport going missing in the post. Does it eventually get sent back to you with the new one?

PeacefulWaters

If they've claimed its mandatory complain away.