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Unused stamp on wrong envelope?

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coincidental
Posts: 1
Joined: 28 Nov 2023, 14:43
Gender: Female

Unused stamp on wrong envelope?

Post by coincidental »

Is there anything I can do about this?

I have a ton of stamps - first class with barcodes, unused - that were enthusiastically pre-stuck onto envelopes a while back but never actually used. I wanted to not waste the money and use them now but the envelopes are no good for the current cards I'm sending.

I understand cutting them out specifically to put onto the new letters is potentially not allowed but I can't find clear guidance?
yellowbelly
Posts: 3697
Joined: 23 Jun 2015, 15:51
Gender: Male

Re: Unused stamp on wrong envelope?

Post by yellowbelly »

coincidental wrote:
28 Nov 2023, 14:50
Is there anything I can do about this?

I have a ton of stamps - first class with barcodes, unused - that were enthusiastically pre-stuck onto envelopes a while back but never actually used. I wanted to not waste the money and use them now but the envelopes are no good for the current cards I'm sending.

I understand cutting them out specifically to put onto the new letters is potentially not allowed but I can't find clear guidance?
The potential problem is that RM Revenue could/would consider that a 'cut out stamp' has already been used on an envelope but has not been
cancelled, so it's being used again, potentially landing the recipient with a surcharge. We're seeing a lot more items being surcharged
coming through at the moment.

Allegedly each bar code is unique but I doubt that the RM letter sorting machine readers have enough 'brains'
to keep a record of all stamp barcodes that have or have not been used!
SpacePhoenix
MAIL CENTRES/PROCESSING
Posts: 12119
Joined: 12 Nov 2008, 17:03
Gender: Male

Re: Unused stamp on wrong envelope?

Post by SpacePhoenix »

yellowbelly wrote:
28 Nov 2023, 16:47
Allegedly each bar code is unique but I doubt that the RM letter sorting machine readers have enough 'brains'
to keep a record of all stamp barcodes that have or have not been used!
The system does keep a record of the stamp barcodes that have already been through a machine