Help! Wrong 2nd letter on postcode.

[matty007]

Hi, I'm hoping someone can help me here.

I sent a package yesterday that was intended for HP7 0UT postcode but it was entered as HD7 0UT. Upon checking the wrong postcode, it's in a completely different district, in Huddersfield. The intended postcode is in Amersham, near Watford. The rest of the address is correct but should I expect a slight delay here or will it go completely undelivered. I am really miffed to be honest as this package contained glasses to be re-glazed, and I also pay a priority service to get them done quickly, so if it's delayed, it's all been a bit pointless.

Thanks for your help.

[baldrick]

It should get there ok, but might be delayed by one day, if you included 'Amersham' or 'Bucks' in the address. An experienced sorter would recognise that the postcode doesn't match 'Amersham'.
If it is sorted by a less experienced sorter they might not know that Amersham is HP7 and sort it according to the postcode, ie to Huddersfield.
But when it gets there it should be resorted back to Amersham.
If you did not include 'Amersham' in the address it would not be clear where it is destined for, and might be returned to you for a full address, if you have put your return address on the packet.
If you haven't put a return address on the packet it would be sent to the Returns Office in Belfast, where it would be opened to look for a return address. But this might take a few weeks due to the volume of work and backlog at Belfast.

[matty007]

It should get there ok, but might be delayed by one day, if you included 'Amersham' or 'Bucks' in the address. An experienced sorter would recognise that the postcode doesn't match 'Amersham'.
If it is sorted by a less experienced sorter they might not know that Amersham is HP7 and sort it according to the postcode, ie to Huddersfield.
But when it gets there it should be resorted back to Amersham.
If you did not include 'Amersham' in the address it would not be clear where it is destined for, and might be returned to you for a full address, if you have put your return address on the packet.
If you haven't put a return address on the packet it would be sent to the Returns Office in Belfast, where it would be opened to look for a return address. But this might take a few weeks due to the volume of work and backlog at Belfast.

Thanks for the quick reply Baldrick.

I did indeed include the full address, with Amersham. So hopefully it's just a 1 or 2 day delay as you say. I didn't know until checking the internet that the postcode was as important as it is. I thought if the address was correct then that's the main thing.

Thanks again

[baldrick]

It should be delivered ok if you have included 'Amersham' in the address.
The postcode is important these days as newer sorters aren't trained in knowing postal cities/towns and counties as they used to be.
Now they are just told to sort by postcode.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Don't worry, we here in Huddersfield are used to getting HP post codes mail, it will be sent back to the MC with the Post Code corrected and then forwarded on.

[matty007]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I can see this has still not been delivered. I called Royal Mail and got the usual spiel of 'We have up to 10 days to deliver'. Yes, true, but 1st class has NEVER taken longer than 2 days and I have sent loads of parcels. So there's definitely a problem here. Kept trying to explain that the wrong postcode was entered electronically at the PO but they kept insisting that the address to deliver to is taken from the writing on the envelope by the sorting office and not the address on the electronic stamp.

They also insist that if it's read as the wrong address, it will be sent back to me rather than re sorted and sent to the correct address. I find this hard to believe, surely when they sort it they will see there's no such address at that postcode and send it to the right postcode rather than back to me?

Rather unhelpful customer service.

[baldrick]

they kept insisting that the address to deliver to is taken from the writing on the envelope by the sorting office and not the address on the electronic stamp.

They also insist that if it's read as the wrong address, it will be sent back to me rather than re sorted and sent to the correct address. I find this hard to believe, surely when they sort it they will see there's no such address at that postcode and send it to the right postcode rather than back to me?

Rather unhelpful customer service.

Unfortunately the staff at the RM Customer Service helpline haven't actually worked in actual RM sorting or delivery offices. They work in a call centre to the training and script they are given.

Many items are sent to the wrong delivery office or mail centre because the postcode is wrong. This can be because it is badly written or the poster has mistaken the postcode, eg items intended for Rotherham (S65) go to Hitchin because the postcode is written or looks like SG5, and vice versa. This is because Royal Mail introduced 'Simplified Sorting' a few years ago, to save money on staff training in sorting. Sorters are instructed to sort to the postcode, even if they know that doesn't match the actual address.
The item would not be sent back to the sender, unless they haven't put the real post town/city in the address.

As True Blue Terrier has said Huddersfield (HD) would get lots of wrongly postcoded items intended for the HP postcodes. They would be bagged up and forwarded to the Mail Centre dealing with HP postcodes, which I think is Hemel Hempstead. From there your item would be sent on to the Delivery Office for Amersham. If the item was posted yesterday it would have arrived in Huddersfield during the night, and be forwarded to HP Mail Centre probably today, arriving there during tonight. So it might be delivered in Amersham tomorrow, or within the next couple of days.

[Snaggletooth]

Kept trying to explain that the wrong postcode was entered electronically at the PO but they kept insisting that the address to deliver to is taken from the writing on the envelope by the sorting office and not the address on the electronic stamp.

Do you mean that you wrote the postcode correctly on the parcel but that the Post Office incorrectly recorded the postcode on your certificate of posting?

[matty007]

Kept trying to explain that the wrong postcode was entered electronically at the PO but they kept insisting that the address to deliver to is taken from the writing on the envelope by the sorting office and not the address on the electronic stamp.

Do you mean that you wrote the postcode correctly on the parcel but that the Post Office incorrectly recorded the postcode on your certificate of posting?

Yes, exactly.

[matty007]

they kept insisting that the address to deliver to is taken from the writing on the envelope by the sorting office and not the address on the electronic stamp.

They also insist that if it's read as the wrong address, it will be sent back to me rather than re sorted and sent to the correct address. I find this hard to believe, surely when they sort it they will see there's no such address at that postcode and send it to the right postcode rather than back to me?

Rather unhelpful customer service.

Unfortunately the staff at the RM Customer Service helpline haven't actually worked in actual RM sorting or delivery offices. They work in a call centre to the training and script they are given.

Many items are sent to the wrong delivery office or mail centre because the postcode is wrong. This can be because it is badly written or the poster has mistaken the postcode, eg items intended for Rotherham (S65) go to Hitchin because the postcode is written or looks like SG5, and vice versa. This is because Royal Mail introduced 'Simplified Sorting' a few years ago, to save money on staff training in sorting. Sorters are instructed to sort to the postcode, even if they know that doesn't match the actual address.
The item would not be sent back to the sender, unless they haven't put the real post town/city in the address.

As True Blue Terrier has said Huddersfield (HD) would get lots of wrongly postcoded items intended for the HP postcodes. They would be bagged up and forwarded to the Mail Centre dealing with HP postcodes, which I think is Hemel Hempstead. From there your item would be sent on to the Delivery Office for Amersham. If the item was posted yesterday it would have arrived in Huddersfield during the night, and be forwarded to HP Mail Centre probably today, arriving there during tonight. So it might be delivered in Amersham tomorrow, or within the next couple of days.

Thanks Baldrick,

I find it completely stupid. Why send it to the wrong address when you know damn well it's wrong? Why not look up the rest of the address and send it to the correct postcode? Makes zero sense and causes delays.

I posted it on Monday though, so it's taking longer than it should. I really worry it's going to get lost or take an insane amount of time.

[Snaggletooth]

Kept trying to explain that the wrong postcode was entered electronically at the PO but they kept insisting that the address to deliver to is taken from the writing on the envelope by the sorting office and not the address on the electronic stamp.

Do you mean that you wrote the postcode correctly on the parcel but that the Post Office incorrectly recorded the postcode on your certificate of posting?

Yes, exactly.

This is does not come across at all from your first post. All of the answers in this thread so far relate to the the issue where you mis-stated the postcode on the face of the packet, rather than the problem as confirmed above.

What customer services told you is exactly correct: Royal Mail sort all of their post by the postcode & address as written on the parcel. The data entered into the computer at the Post Office has no bearing on this process, it is only used for the purpose of generating your certificate of posting. Depending on the service you used, the data entered by PO staff is only visible to RM staff with much faffing around or not visible at all.

To help us help you better, could you please tell us:

1. What service did you use?

2. Is the parcel addressed to a PO box?

[baldrick]

I find it completely stupid. Why send it to the wrong address when you know damn well it's wrong? Why not look up the rest of the address and send it to the correct postcode? Makes zero sense and causes delays.

I agree. And I ignored that instruction when I worked at a Mail Centre, and most of the senior sorters who had been trained in sorting would too.
But the newer staff who haven't been trained wouldn't know that Amersham is HP7, not HD7, and would just sort it into the York container for HD codes.
But I think your packet will get to it's correct destination within the next couple of days.

[matty007]

Well, there's progress...sort of.

It says on the tracking that it's been delivered in Amersham but there's no signature even though the company maintain they sign for all items. It also says that it's been delivered to the address, or a neighbour.

[Snaggletooth]

The signature might turn up later if there is a problem with the postie' handheld device. If it doesn't appear at all then you can claim a refund from Royal Mail for not providing the service you paid for.