Hundreds of mothers left without cards in stamp clampdown

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Hundreds of mothers left without cards in mail stamp clampdown

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Mother's Day cards are sitting undelivered in Royal Mail delivery offices after a clampdown on postage charges.
Oversized cards have needed a larger stamp after rules on postage were changed more than three years ago so that larger envelopes cost more to post - usually 33p more than a standard first-class stamp.

Until now, many postal workers have used their discretion to allow mail such as greetings cards to get through.

But just before Mother's Day on March 14, workers were instructed to strictly enforce the rules.

So instead of their special card through the letter box, some disappointed mums got a note from the postman to say they have an item that couldn't be delivered, and that a £1 surcharge should be paid.

But with no clue as to what could be waiting for them - present or junk mail - many Mother's Day cards have simply been left unclaimed.

Jezz Baker, who got in touch with The News after speaking to delivery office staff in Cosham, said: 'Sitting at Cosham delivery office at the moment are Mother's Day cards.

'They're all left on the side, I saw them.

'If no-one goes to collect them, the Post Office spends money on sending the card somewhere else for it to be opened, rather than just deliver it.

'When they find a return address - which they hardly ever do on cards - they spend money returning it to the sender. It all costs more than the Post Office was owed in the first place.'

Dave Smith, area delivery representative for the Portsmouth and district branch of the Communication Workers' Union, said yesterday that more than 100 items - most of which are cards - were lying undelivered at the Waterlooville delivery office, which serves 133,000 homes.

He added: 'I think we provide a public service and Royal Mail is being run more like a business, that's my personal view.

'Part of a public service is getting the mail delivered.'

Royal Mail said it would be impossible to tell how many of the undelivered envelopes were Mother's Day cards.

A Royal Mail spokeswoman added: 'The £1 surcharge we make for underpaid items is a handling fee for the small fraction of mail and we do not make a profit from it.

'It helps to cover the costs of the considerable extra work involved in handling this mail.

'In collecting surcharges generally, Royal Mail is ensuring only that the correct amount of postage is paid.'

[Straight4ward]

Why, oh why can't card manufacturers simply print a small message in the top right hand corner of the envelope where the stamp will be placed saying "Large Letter stamp required"?

Simples!

Perhaps Royal Mail should contact the UK's card manufacturers and distributors and ram this message home.

[janitor]

All the cards i've bought over the past few years have had the type of postage required on the back of the card, people just need to look.

[Lounge Lizard]

"Dave Smith, area delivery representative for the Portsmouth and district branch of the Communication Workers' Union, said yesterday that more than 100 items - most of which are cards - were lying undelivered at the Waterlooville delivery office, which serves 133,000 homes."
That's 99.93% of homes in Waterlooville received their cards with the correct postage paid by the sender - so the message must be getting through at last.

[cowboy]

Why, oh why can't card manufacturers simply print a small message in the top right hand corner of the envelope where the stamp will be placed saying "Large Letter stamp required"?

Simples!

Perhaps Royal Mail should contact the UK's card manufacturers and distributors and ram this message home.

not just the size! max thickness is 5mm

[Lounge Lizard]

Why, oh why can't card manufacturers simply print a small message in the top right hand corner of the envelope where the stamp will be placed saying "Large Letter stamp required"?

Simples!

Perhaps Royal Mail should contact the UK's card manufacturers and distributors and ram this message home.

not just the size! max thickness is 5mm

I think part of the problem is that most cards, like everything else in this country, is made in Asia by children on 4p an hour who haven't yet heard of Pricing In Proportion.

[dados]

the grief i had in the callers office last week was unbelievable,still plenty left too

[Lemuel]

Another customer enraging service is the "Customs Charge" The grief I've had over that

On the revenue protection items I keep the Letter measurer thingy at the window and show them why they have been charged.
One guy wanted my name and home address so his top Glasgow Lawyer could sue me for illegally witholding his mail. To date I haven't heard from them.