Is "return to sender" illegal

[maths]

If I open and item and then decide to return it for personal reasons, is it ok use tape to reseal the parcel, mark it "return to sender" and then drop it in a postbox or is this only for things like an item sent to the wrong address?

The reason I am asking is because I have done this a few times after being advised to do it by a book company in order to return a book to them. I kept doing it for different items from different sellers before realizing I wasn't actually sure if it was legal.

Thanks

[Woody Guthrie]

You have the right to refuse any item of mail however once opened you technically should pay return postage on it unless the sender offers a free returns service.

It's not illegal in any way but Royal Mail could surcharge the recipient.

[maths]

You have the right to refuse any item of mail however once opened you technically should pay return postage on it unless the sender offers a free returns service.

It's not illegal in any way but Royal Mail could surcharge the recipient.

This is what I am wondering about. What does technically having to pay return postage mean? I was reading this document from the Royal Mail website about delivery in the UK:

"15.6 Return to Sender - We will return an item to you from the delivery address,
if the following conditions are all met – i.e. the item:
• was originally posted using a service set out in this Scheme,
• is re-posted by the addressee or any other person for any reason,
• with the original address crossed out,
• with a clear instruction to return the item to you written on the
cover,
• with the return address written fully, correctly and legibly on the
cover and
• the return address is in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands
or the Isle of Man."

It says "re-posted...for any reason". It doesn't say the item has to be unopened. Or maybe that is implied in "re-posted"?

[Woody Guthrie]

Free return to sender only applies to unopened items.
I think you can understand why.

Retailers by law have to tell you who is responsible for return postage, it will be in their T&Cs.

So at the end of the day unless they offer free returns it's whoever you're buying it from who will a) receive the surcharge and b) be free to chase you up for reimbursement.

You're not defrauding Royal Mail, the sender potentially is. You would be potentially breaching your contract with the sender.

[mrcurve]

Once its opened, its had its service, if you then post it back into the system, it should have a new payment, item should end up in revenue protection to recover any potential loss.

It would be very easy for people to send a envelope with different contents, endlessly back and forth, without ever paying otherwise, effectively getting a service without payment.

[mrcurve]

I may be out of date on this bit, but I do recall that if its a return to sender, some senders used services that did not have a return element - they just do not want it back, so these items would be sent for disposal, most of this mail is now likely to be dsa, and it would go back to the dsa posting firm, what they then do with it would be down to them.

[glenfiddich]

also if it goes missing you have no proof of postage receipt from post office that you returned it

[wowiezowie]

If I ever come across a parcel that's been opened and resealed with return to sender written on the front I always put it in the surcharge box. I've seen parcels that have been opened then resealed and addressed to a different person on the front!

[SpacePhoenix]

If I ever come across a parcel that's been opened and resealed with return to sender written on the front I always put it in the surcharge box. I've seen parcels that have been opened then resealed and addressed to a different person on the front!

or flat or letter. Also if it's been opened, resealed and then froward on to a new address without any new postage

[wowiezowie]

If I ever come across a parcel that's been opened and resealed with return to sender written on the front I always put it in the surcharge box. I've seen parcels that have been opened then resealed and addressed to a different person on the front!

or flat or letter. Also if it's been opened, resealed and then froward on to a new address without any new postage

yes, exactly. It's strange that some people think they can order something online, open it and decide for whatever reason they don't want it and think they can just reseal it and send it back for free.

[fb1969]

A few years ago I ordered a phone case from a seller through Amazon. They sent the wrong case and when I contacted them they told me to put it back in the packaging and mark it as Return To Sender. I knew that wasn't right, so used some of my Christmas stamps to send it back. Too much risk of it being surcharged and then not paid for.