The USO

[gand]

Just a quick question does delivering mail after 3pm break the USO?

[IcanthelpthewayIam]

No

[chrisj]

That is more about QOS rather than USO.

And the answer is still No - even for QOS: I do not think there is a particular regulation or guideline for the time of delivery of mail. A reasonable time will suffice in terms of not disturbing/alarming householders or even endangering the postie by working in the dark but at 3pm in Spring time; that is not that late.

RM can always come back with 'at least we made every attempt possible to deliver because of x, y or z'; which is better than failing all together.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Just a quick question does delivering mail after 3pm break the USO?

No. The USO is about 1 delivery per day available for every house and business in the UK - there is no statute in law that says delivery should be attempted/planned by a certain time.

However, Royal Mail have a self imposed restriction that Deliveries can not be PLANNED to occur after 3pm in towns and 4pm for Rurals. The key word is PLANNED, you can still deliver after those times, just that the duties shouldn't be planned that way.