Surcharged for re-directed mail

[me_here]

Hi there,

Recently I received three letters (on the same day) that had been forwarded on from my previous address by the current occupants. All three had surcharges added due to being re-directed, which is something I've never come across before.

I emailed customer services and the reply was basically "we are under no obligation to do anything other to return to sender though normally we will attempt to forward the item to another address. You should use our redirection service".

I found the answer rather patronising, especially as I had used the RM redirection service and these were just three items that had come a few months later.

Does anyone have any comments on whether this is worth pursuing or whether this is some recent change in policy?

I've found it really hard to find any information anywhere on this having happened to anyone else. About the one thing I can find in writing is on the Citizens Advice Bureau website which states that extra postage + handling fee for forwarding an item is only applicable under specific circumstances (if the mail is opened, the original address is obscured or if it’s forwarded by a business), none of which were the case in this instance.

[CT10]

Most mail is forwarded without issue but if the mail that has been forwarded has the incorrect postage or such then you are charged the posting fee and a handling fine fee. It's the same for redirected mail too.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

The re-direction only last for certain periods depending on how much you pay so I am afraid it cannot be applied to post that comes after that period. In fact one of the common complaints with re-directions is them not being stopped when they should.


http://www.royalmail.com/sites/default/ ... r%2010.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Forwarding a letter

1. If a recipient of an item (except a Business Reply, Freepost, Special Delivery or
Recorded letter) attempts to forward it from its original address to another address
in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man by writing or printing
the new address on the cover or envelope of the item and re-posting that item the
following will apply provided that the item is being forwarded to the original
addressee:

1.1 Except in the circumstances set out in 1.2 below, we will not charge extra postage
or fees for forwarding an item that has been re-posted in accordance with 1
above.

1.2 We will charge extra postage and a may charge a handling fee for forwarding an
item if it has been opened before being re-posted, or the name of the original
addressee is covered or obscured, or it is forwarded by a business or a person
acting on behalf of a business.

1.3 We may at our discretion deliver to the addressee or return to the sender a letter
which has been forwarded and which was originally sent using our Special Delivery
or Recorded Signed For services. In either case we will charge the addressee or
sender extra postage and/or a handling fee.

1.4 In any case where we consider that an item has been forwarded to evade payment
of postage we may treat it as an unpaid letter in accordance with the requirements
of the Scheme or contract under which is was sent.

1.5 We can be required under the Social Security Administration Act 1992 and the
Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (‘the Acts’) not to deliver
items of Social Security Post which have been forwarded or redirected to a new
address, but to return them to the Sender. We are required under those Acts to
provide information about the redirection of Social Security Post to persons
specified in the Acts.

1.6 The charges and fees for forwarding a letter will be at our standard rates at the
time.