School mail 'returned to sender'

theflyingpostman · Post by **theflyingpostman** » 28 Mar 2008, 14:31

http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/displa ... sender.php

Schools in Watford currently closed during their Easter break may discover they are missing post when pupils return to class next month.

Primary, junior and secondary schools were once offered a free Keepsafe service from Royal Mail, whereby their post was collected at the sorting office and delivered when they reopened after a holiday.

Royal Mail, however, have begun to charge schools for the service and as many have failed to open an account, their undelivered mail is being destroyed unless the letter or parcel has a return address.

A source inside Watford Sorting Office, in Ascot Road, said postal workers were instructed to destroy all undelivered mail addressed to schools, including registered and recorded deliveries, on Wednesday.

They said: "Because they're not getting delivered, because the address is 'inaccessible', postmen are being asked to kill them off. Normally the mail is kept until the holiday has finished and then delivered.

"This is outrageous customer service for schools that have to close."

Alan Walsh, secretary of the Watford branch of the Communication Workers Union, confirmed mail for schools was no longer kept free of charge.

He said: "Over the last year Royal Mail have written to schools and said if they're not going to be there, they have to set up a Keepsafe account which they have to pay for. A lot of schools haven't done it.

"Royal Mail said if they're not doing it, any letters that come through they will destroy or return."

When asked about the destruction of mail belonging to schools in Watford, Royal Mail did not offer a response.

A representative, however, said: "Royal Mail operates in an open market under a regulatory licence, which requires us to treat all our customers equally and fairly.

"It would not be fair - nor is it possible under the terms of our licence - to charge some customers for a Keepsafe service (or one of the other services for dealing with mail while the customer is away) while providing the service free to other customers."

DGP1 · Post by **DGP1** » 28 Mar 2008, 15:54

A source inside Watford Sorting Office, in Ascot Road, said postal workers were instructed to destroy all undelivered mail addressed to schools, including registered and recorded deliveries, on Wednesday.

Exterminate EXTERMINATE EXTERMINATE EXPERMINATE

traww · Post by **traww** » 28 Mar 2008, 16:04

Is someone on the make in that office or what.

I have an educational establishment on my round and their mail is, as we speak, on my fitting in daily bundles with the date on them ready for delivery next Monday. It has taken me no extra time or effort to prepare this in fact i haven't had to deliver there for nearly 2 weeks so no extra leg work.

arhhhh penny has dropped - the mail is taking up storage space in the office, space that could accommodate another box of D2D crap!

Anyway there are two are 2 boxes full and packets and no one has told me they have to pay for the keepsafe.

theflyingpostman · Post by **theflyingpostman** » 28 Mar 2008, 16:47

traww wrote:Is someone on the make in that office or what.

I have an educational establishment on my round and their mail is, as we speak, on my fitting in daily bundles with the date on them ready for delivery next Monday. It has taken me no extra time or effort to prepare this in fact i haven't had to deliver there for nearly 2 weeks so no extra leg work.

arhhhh penny has dropped - the mail is taking up storage space in the office, space that could accommodate another box of D2D crap!

Anyway there are two are 2 boxes full and packets and no one has told me they have to pay for the keepsafe.

No! The schools in our area have been told the same. I think that POSTCOM has played a role in Royal Mail charging for the school's Keepsafe service.(Someone correct me if I'm wrong!)

Post by **POSTMAN** » 28 Mar 2008, 16:57

It's a PostCon thing,as it's a service we're giving for free,bit like the free parcels to soldiers a few months back.
In 'delivery weekly' the RM intranet thing DOM's are being told that if schools haven't got a keep safe then normal delivery procedures are to be followed.

Broxi51 · Post by **Broxi51** » 28 Mar 2008, 17:49

theflyingpostman wrote:http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/displa ... sender.php
A representative, however, said: "Royal Mail operates in an open market under a regulatory licence, which requires us to treat all our customers equally and fairly.

"It would not be fair - nor is it possible under the terms of our licence - to charge some customers for a Keepsafe service (or one of the other services for dealing with mail while the customer is away) while providing the service free to other customers."

[/quote]

I dont personally like it but the schools are run by the councils, who in turn use the cheapest method of posting so Why should we treat them differently. They dont think about Royal Mail the established mail courier, they think savings. RM no longer are a service. They think money. Seems only fair

Darren Bent · Post by **Darren Bent** » 28 Mar 2008, 21:40

Sod them as School get so much junk mail ie one of walk I do have about a sackful each day for that school.

Post by **plodsie** » 28 Mar 2008, 22:35

Carew wrote:Sod them as School get so much junk mail ie one of walk I do have about a sackful each day for that school.

Yeah mate, but it is a sackful that keeps you in a job. What is junk mail to us may have some significance to someone at the school. I have to admit I agree with Broxi51 here, we are not a service any more, we're a business. We don't get Government hand outs anymore, so every penny is now a prisoner. It's sad it is now our children who suffer for PostCon's uselesness.

Spedley · Post by **Spedley** » 28 Mar 2008, 23:41

It seems to me that the Watford Observer has taken a hypothetical story and made it real.

Yes, in theory Schools should pay for a keep safe or have their mail returned but not even RM managers are that stupid.

Stormproof · Post by **Stormproof** » 29 Mar 2008, 14:18

My office has been told the same thing, schools either have to set up a Mail Collect or pay for a keepsafe which covers them for 66days(i think) of the year. I've got a copy of the letter at work that was sent out to the schools.

Spedley · Post by **Spedley** » 29 Mar 2008, 17:43

All right, I take it back - RM managers can be that stupid!

saru · Post by **saru** » 29 Mar 2008, 18:29

Spedley wrote:All right, I take it back - RM managers can be that stupid!

You wanna bet??

Up Hill Down Hill · Post by **Up Hill Down Hill** » 08 Apr 2008, 14:12

Not letter box on some of the school's I do so I try and deliver it if possible... Wouldn't be happy killing off the mail but that's what I'm being asked to do :(

mrlovepantsuk · Post by **mrlovepantsuk** » 08 Apr 2008, 14:12

yeah we have been told the same, they even have to have redirections if it is normally delivered to a private address whilst they are on holiday.
not sure if it is put into practise though.

col456xyz · Post by **col456xyz** » 08 Apr 2008, 14:28

stockton on tees office
we were told on monday any school mail which can,t be delivered is to be killed off
unless keepsafe is in place

ROYALMAILCHAT

School mail 'returned to sender'

School mail 'returned to sender'

Charge for this service?

Re: Charge for this service?

Re: School mail 'returned to sender'