Watchdog reports an increase

[TrueBlueTerrier]

LINK

by Leigh Robinson

A survey conducted by Postwatch South and West, the postal consumer watchdog, has shown that 39 per cent of businesses report their postage costs have increased since Royal Mail moved to pricing mail by size and weight last year.

Pricing in Proportion (PiP), which was introduced by Royal Mail in August 2006, was supposed to be revenue neutral. But the Postwatch survey shows that not only does a significant proportion think their prices have gone up but 71 per cent often receive surcharged items, which reveals many are still struggling to work out the correct postage.

Royal Mail originally stated that the new pricing structure would not affect many people but the Postwatch survey shows that only three per cent of respondents reported a decrease in postage costs and are far outnumbered by those whose costs have increased.
advertisement

4:05pm Monday 10th December 2007

[dvbuk55]

LINK

by Leigh Robinson

A survey conducted by Postwatch South and West, the postal consumer watchdog, has shown that 39 per cent of businesses report their postage costs have increased since Royal Mail moved to pricing mail by size and weight last year.

Pricing in Proportion (PiP), which was introduced by Royal Mail in August 2006, was supposed to be revenue neutral. But the Postwatch survey shows that not only does a significant proportion think their prices have gone up but 71 per cent often receive surcharged items, which reveals many are still struggling to work out the correct postage.

Royal Mail originally stated that the new pricing structure would not affect many people but the Postwatch survey shows that only three per cent of respondents reported a decrease in postage costs and are far outnumbered by those whose costs have increased.
advertisement

4:05pm Monday 10th December 2007

Well I'm not at all surprised at that - just today I got a Christmas card handed to me which was surcharged and I checked it against the PIP matrix and although it was a little bit tight it did go through without too much effort. There is also the BRs which we weigh on an old set of scales which is NOT calibrated to the weights required and consequently there needs to be a bit of guesswork as to whether it is or isn't under/over.

[not me]

yup ive had to recheck charged letters/cards a few times which were not chargable

[jacee]

I put 2 items in for charging today and they were the correct size for the postage !!! - one had an uncancelled stamp that had been cut off another envelope with the brown paper still on the back and sellotape holding it on and the other had an adhesive address label stuck over the licensees address on a BR envelope, cheeky bastards - I know people aren't happy about being charged for mistaken stamp values but I think anyone who receives the above fraudulent items should pay at least a fiver or have the item shredded in front of them.

[stephen500]

[quote="jacee"]I put 2 items in for charging today one had an uncancelled stamp that had been cut off another envelope with the brown paper still on the back and sellotape holding it
quote]
Uncancelled stamps should not be charged.You cannot be sure they have been used.
Only stamps that are cancelled are chargeable.

[dvbuk55]

I put 2 items in for charging today one had an uncancelled stamp that had been cut off another envelope with the brown paper still on the back and sellotape holding it
quote]
Uncancelled stamps should not be charged.You cannot be sure they have been used.
Only stamps that are cancelled are chargeable.

Not quite true - if itisn't possible to cancel the stamp - i.e. if it is covered in sellotape and therefore uncancelleable it Should be charged.

[jacee]

I used to cancel any stamps that passed through my hands simply because I suspect that a small percentage get re-used and I know for a fact that one business I deliver to, makes a point of looking for uncancelled ones. The percentage of envelopes with uncancelled postage must approach 50% at this time of the year from what I have seen and I suspect that quite a few are re-used. I wonder if they would like it if I walked into their office and said - ah no one is using that ballpoint pen - I'll take it. IT'S THEFT NOT A BIT OF MISCHIEF - JUST LIKE FARE DODGING AND PICKING UP SOMEONE ELSE'S DRINK IN A PUB.

[Night Tonic]

Agree, I guess what needed is self-destructing stamps - mission impossible style