Is it true you can get mail delivered to a car in a layby?

GervisLooper

Saw this suggested on a video in my efforts to find solutions to receive mail while living out of my van.

The video suggested you only have to nail up a box in the local area and make a name for it and the post will come. It is further suggested they knew friends who received mail to a car in a layby.

Most comments state that wrote that it didn't work when they tried due to RM complaining that an address must be registered with the council to receive mail.

Perhaps examples from the past are no longer applicable and things are stricter now?

BarelySentientAI

There's been a long tradition of unusually-addressed mail reaching its destination.

Addresses such as "That American Author, Yorkshire" and one that just said "England" have both worked - but my favourite is this one:

BarelySentientAI

GervisLooper said:

delete 1234

Don't do that - it's no help for anyone.

Original question was something along the lines of "how do I get post delivered to a van in a layby - do you have to officially register an address or something?"

GervisLooper

BarelySentientAI said:

GervisLooper said:

delete 1234

Don't do that - it's no help for anyone.

Original question was something along the lines of "how do I get post delivered to a van in a layby - do you have to officially register an address or something?"

Ok, re-edited.

Slinky

https://www.postoffice.co.uk/mail/poste-restante

FreeBear

Not true, as a random layby won't appear on the Postal Address Finder database. What you can do though, is use the Post Restante service. Alternatively, set up a PO box and collect it from the designated delivery office - But I suspect you'd still need a physical address, and there are certain types of mail that won't get delivered to a PO box.

elsien

Is it not more likely that someone will complain about you living in a fixed spot in a lay by for any length of time?

Going by the amount of time and effort it took for RM to start delivering to a new build in the grounds of an existing property, I wouldn’t hold your breath.  It was a long time ago now so I don’t recall the details but I seem to remember even back then having to show evidence from the council that it was a separate property.

Why don’t you just pay to arrange collection from the sorting office? 

GervisLooper

elsien said:

Is it not more likely that someone will complain about you living in a fixed spot in a lay by for any length of time?

Going by the amount of time and effort it took for RM to start delivering to a new build in the grounds of an existing property, I wouldn’t hold your breath.  It was a long time ago now so I don’t recall the details but I seem to remember even back then having to show evidence from the council that it was a separate property.

Why don’t you just pay to arrange collection from the sorting office? 

Indeed, that was exactly my experience too when living in a new build for a year hence my skepticism which spurred me to post the query. Seems more like one of those youtube unicorns which sound good but not workable in practice with its only function to invite views on the video.

In the case of the new build it took almost the whole year for the post to get delivered to individual flats where for most of the time they just dumped the lot in the ground's office. I suspect that had more to do with the posties wanting to avoid having to post to 200 odd new addresses though than any inherent difficulty in the process.

As for sorting office, from what I read, you aren't allowed just give the sorting office as the address and have to use po box or restante or such. Private mailbox companies are seeming like a better option as post office po boxes are the most expensive (£30 odd a month!) and restante is only a temporary thing. I am in my van but in the local area indefinitely, not traveling all over like most 'vanlifers'.

elsien

Post box in a lay-by doesn’t sound overly safe then if you’re not there to monitor it. 

thegreenone

As you are already in your van, could you get a private mail box for a while and monitor exactly where your physical mail comes from and see if more can be done by email?  If you are staying in the same area, is there someone who would take in the important stuff ie HMRC/government letters?  Hopefully, after a while you can ditch the PO box.

It might be worth, if you haven't done so, to ask on Van Life sites or even Canal boat sites.

GervisLooper

BarelySentientAI said:

There's been a long tradition of unusually-addressed mail reaching its destination.

I didn't notice at first blush how recent that letter was...2022.

Hmm, in this example though the address already existed and established. Presumably it was just the sender not knowing the precise address. So the postie knows the characters on their route well already so just a case of putting a face/address to the description on the letter.

Seems a different case than a tabula rasa address.