Does it matter what time of day I post a letter?

[POSTMAN]

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How much more likely are first-class letters to arrive the next day if you post them early in the morning rather than late in the afternoon? A.L., Battersea, London SW


Simon Moon from This is Money replies: I passed on your question to Royal Mail and while waiting for their response I did a little research of my own.

This is what Royal Mail tells customers who log on to its website: 'We aim to deliver most First Class mail by the next working day, including Saturdays. If you're sending mail far away, catch the early morning post so it's more likely to be delivered the next working day.'

And this is what a Royal Mail spokesman told me: ' As long as a first class letter is posted before the last collection time advertised on the box, our clear objective is to deliver the letter the next working day.'

There seems to be something of a contradiction here but posting early may be better than just keeping your fingers crossed.

If it's essential that a letter arrives the next day, Royal Mail advises using its Special Delivery 9am service or its Special Delivery Next Day service.

[cyclemech1]

Where I am, unless you post your letters at a Post Office or the Delivery Office, all the other boxes are only emptied once a day at about 5pm! (Economies brought about by absorbtion etc.)

Customer service eh?

[jockstrapp]

It does'nt matter what time you post it as Royal Fail don't give a toss when it gets delivered, don't believe the SPIN "we care for our customers" because they are only interested in profit. World class Fail ...a joke...