Royal Mail barcoding stamps - existing stamps valid only until 31 Jan 2023

BarkingMad

BarkingMad said:

And, another update: RM called today and apologised for the delay. They are sending the stamps although they didn't say they had found my transfer application form and original stamps. I should expect them in 7 to 10 days.

I've just received my stamps. The letter says they couldn't find my application.

MiserlyMartin

Where does it say that there is no end date for swapping? I got a form in the post telling me to use stamps or swap them by 31st Jan 2023. This was the first I've heard about this phasing out of non barcode stamps.

More importantly, this is wide open to stamps being stolen, considering the address on the envelope? How on earth do you prove that you sent in all these expensive stamps if they 'go missing' in the royal mail?

I think the government should get involved in this stamp problem and policy. People have paid good money for these stamps and they should be valid as is, forever, or at least they should offer a secure over the counter service to swap them out.

Spoonie_Turtle

MiserlyMartin said:

Where does it say that there is no end date for swapping? I got a form in the post telling me to use stamps or swap them by 31st Jan 2023. This was the first I've heard about this phasing out of non barcode stamps.

More importantly, this is wide open to stamps being stolen, considering the address on the envelope? How on earth do you prove that you sent in all these expensive stamps if they 'go missing' in the royal mail?

I think the government should get involved in this stamp problem and policy. People have paid good money for these stamps and they should be valid as is, forever, or at least they should offer a secure over the counter service to swap them out.

Over whose counters?  The Post Office and Royal Mail are two different companies.  It takes long enough to do the swaps by post, without being restricted to Customer Service Point opening times (which are neither long enough nor at the right times for people to get there, queue for a couple of hours, and have their thousands of stamps swapped).  And if they imposed a limit, saying you have to make multiple trips, the uproar that would cause!  It's not like the odd person going to the bank to swap some old notes like-for-like.  We're talking potentially millions of stamps, of all different types and values, not just a few books of your standard 1st and 2nd class.

olgadapolga

MiserlyMartin said:

Where does it say that there is no end date for swapping? I got a form in the post telling me to use stamps or swap them by 31st Jan 2023. This was the first I've heard about this phasing out of non barcode stamps.

https://www.royalmail.com/sending/barcoded-stamps

From the FAQs:

soolin

MiserlyMartin said:

Where does it say that there is no end date for swapping? I got a form in the post telling me to use stamps or swap them by 31st Jan 2023. This was the first I've heard about this phasing out of non barcode stamps.

More importantly, this is wide open to stamps being stolen, considering the address on the envelope? How on earth do you prove that you sent in all these expensive stamps if they 'go missing' in the royal mail?

I think the government should get involved in this stamp problem and policy. People have paid good money for these stamps and they should be valid as is, forever, or at least they should offer a secure over the counter service to swap them out.

You have come a bit late to this and a lot of your comments and queries are covered earlier in the thread if you want to scoot back and have a read. I’m not sure we need to rehash the entire discussion all over again . 

Doc_N

MiserlyMartin said:

Where does it say that there is no end date for swapping? I got a form in the post telling me to use stamps or swap them by 31st Jan 2023. This was the first I've heard about this phasing out of non barcode stamps.

More importantly, this is wide open to stamps being stolen, considering the address on the envelope? How on earth do you prove that you sent in all these expensive stamps if they 'go missing' in the royal mail?

I think the government should get involved in this stamp problem and policy. People have paid good money for these stamps and they should be valid as is, forever, or at least they should offer a secure over the counter service to swap them out.

Could you post an image of the form stating that the swap scheme ends on 31 January 2023 please? That’s information no one’s yet aware of, if correct.

Money_Grabber13579

Doc_N said:

MiserlyMartin said:

Where does it say that there is no end date for swapping? I got a form in the post telling me to use stamps or swap them by 31st Jan 2023. This was the first I've heard about this phasing out of non barcode stamps.

More importantly, this is wide open to stamps being stolen, considering the address on the envelope? How on earth do you prove that you sent in all these expensive stamps if they 'go missing' in the royal mail?

I think the government should get involved in this stamp problem and policy. People have paid good money for these stamps and they should be valid as is, forever, or at least they should offer a secure over the counter service to swap them out.

Could you post an image of the form stating that the swap scheme ends on 31 January 2023 please? That’s information no one’s yet aware of, if correct.

They won’t be able to do that, because it doesn’t say that. What it does say is this:

After 31st January 2023, regular stamps without a barcode will no longer be valid. You can either use up these stamps before this deadline, or swap them for the new barcoded ones.

Doc_N

Money_Grabber13579 said:

Doc_N said:

MiserlyMartin said:

Where does it say that there is no end date for swapping? I got a form in the post telling me to use stamps or swap them by 31st Jan 2023. This was the first I've heard about this phasing out of non barcode stamps.

More importantly, this is wide open to stamps being stolen, considering the address on the envelope? How on earth do you prove that you sent in all these expensive stamps if they 'go missing' in the royal mail?

I think the government should get involved in this stamp problem and policy. People have paid good money for these stamps and they should be valid as is, forever, or at least they should offer a secure over the counter service to swap them out.

Could you post an image of the form stating that the swap scheme ends on 31 January 2023 please? That’s information no one’s yet aware of, if correct.

They won’t be able to do that, because it doesn’t say that. What it does say is this:

After 31st January 2023, regular stamps without a barcode will no longer be valid. You can either use up these stamps before this deadline, or swap them for the new barcoded ones.

That was my understanding, but happy to be corrected if the situation has changed. There’s no good reason for any time limit, given that all these stamps were issued on the basis of indefinite validity, but that doesn’t mean they won’t sneak one in.

soolin

Doc_N said:

Money_Grabber13579 said:

Doc_N said:

MiserlyMartin said:

Where does it say that there is no end date for swapping? I got a form in the post telling me to use stamps or swap them by 31st Jan 2023. This was the first I've heard about this phasing out of non barcode stamps.

More importantly, this is wide open to stamps being stolen, considering the address on the envelope? How on earth do you prove that you sent in all these expensive stamps if they 'go missing' in the royal mail?

I think the government should get involved in this stamp problem and policy. People have paid good money for these stamps and they should be valid as is, forever, or at least they should offer a secure over the counter service to swap them out.

Could you post an image of the form stating that the swap scheme ends on 31 January 2023 please? That’s information no one’s yet aware of, if correct.

They won’t be able to do that, because it doesn’t say that. What it does say is this:

After 31st January 2023, regular stamps without a barcode will no longer be valid. You can either use up these stamps before this deadline, or swap them for the new barcoded ones.

That was my understanding, but happy to be corrected if the situation has changed. There’s no good reason for any time limit, given that all these stamps were issued on the basis of indefinite validity, but that doesn’t mean they won’t sneak one in.

There isn't a panic to have an end date for swapping- it might end up like bank notes and coins where the Bank Of England will still change them if presented- they just aren't valid in shops or even over a high street bank counter. It is likely stamps will be the same, send them in to a specific address , as they are asking now, and they will be honoured. 

MiserlyMartin

Spoonie_Turtle said:

Over whose counters?  The Post Office and Royal Mail are two different companies.  It takes long enough to do the swaps by post, without being restricted to Customer Service Point opening times (which are neither long enough nor at the right times for people to get there, queue for a couple of hours, and have their thousands of stamps swapped).  And if they imposed a limit, saying you have to make multiple trips, the uproar that would cause!  It's not like the odd person going to the bank to swap some old notes like-for-like.  We're talking potentially millions of stamps, of all different types and values, not just a few books of your standard 1st and 2nd class.

I don't, and neither do the general public care that they are two different companies. The Post Office is the place where you go to use postal services from Royal Mail (and others). If the Royal Mail insist that they will make stamps invalid, due to their change of policy then they need to allow people enough time to swap them out securely at Post Offices. If there are millions out there, then they should allow as many years as is practical to allow this change to be made.