This is important news for dealers and collectors who use Royal Mail's International Signed For service to send mail.
Royal Mail have changed the conditions attached to the International Signed For service. Mail addressed to Post Office Boxes is no longer accepted. Royal Mail say that:
Restrictions will apply due to the differing conditions for PO Boxes in various countries. Normal Air Mail can still be sent.
What they describe as 'restrictions' seem to be a blanket ban!! As many of our readers will know - because it applies to them - some people do not have a street delivery, only a PO Box. Some countries only have a P O Box system because there are NO street deliveries anywhere.
To further add to the problems, the same ruling applies to Airsure.
I'm seeking some clarification from Royal Mail on this, but if anybody has experienced this already, or can see the problems that this will cause because they are a UK business, or because they are a non-UK customer with a PO Box, please tell us more in a comment.
Thanks!
UPDATED 25 February 2013, via Stampboards.
From the Royal Mail website accessed 25 February 2013
Can I send International Signed For™ items to a PO Box?
International Signed For™ items require a signature to be taken on delivery therefore they cannot be sent to PO Boxes, unless the destination country is in Africa or the Middle East.
See http://www.royalmail.com/packet-despatc ... signed-for
UPDATE 3 November 2014
In 2014 the International Signed For service was replaced by International Tracked, International Signed, and International Tracked and Signed.
Because no signature is required, International Tracked can be used for sendings to PO Boxes.
I am not wondering about this decision of Royal Mail. Letters sent via Royal Mail's International Signed For service to foreign countries are not delivered via the foreign postal services. For example in Austria (where I am living) these letters are delivered by GLS (General Logistics Systems) and such private companies have NO access to PO Boxes.
ReplyDeleteDuring the last year I had a lot of problems with the delivery via GLS and I sent complains to both, Royal Mail and GLS, but with no success!
Hanns Fasching (Austria)
I am not wondering about this decision of Royal Mail. Letters sent via Royal Mail's International Signed For service to foreign countries are not delivered via the foreign postal services. For example in Austria (where I am living) these letters are delivered by GLS (General Logistics Systems) and such private companies have NO access to PO Boxes.
ReplyDeleteDuring the last year I had a lot of problems with the delivery via GLS and I sent complains to both, Royal Mail and GLS, but with no success!
Hanns Fasching (Austria)
Hanns,
DeleteSince I sent you the email this afternoon, I have heard more from other sources.
Apparently "a couple of incidents where customers have complained that they have not received a signature when sending items to a po box. RM have responded by banning all RSF items to PO Boxes (event though in some countries po box is the only option)."
So it seems as if it might be your fault!! (Only joking, but I can see why there are problems.)
But there ought to be a more flexible arrangement.
And it seems that the computer system used by Post Office Ltd does not alert the counter clerks to this at the time of posting, so an item can still be posted.
I have succesfully sent 20+ Airsures to Australia in the last month to P.O Box numbers. The postmaster did warn me though that I can only send Airsures to P.O boxes abroad and not I.S.F..
ReplyDeleteAs I wont send many ordinary Airmails due to the value of goods and the apparent 'lost in post' we have encountered it would appear that many customers with P.O boxes might have to go without.
I also am having a campaign against the Royal Mail, who as a previous responder says uses GLS (Which is associated with the Royal Mail group) to deliver Airsure and International signed for packets in Germany. The problem is that the GLS part of the German Postal Service prohibits the sending of any valuable items in parcels that are not insured. The Royal Mail specifically states that they do not offer any insured services, this means that all valuable packets sent to Germany in International Signed for packets are prohibited by the German Service so the Royal Mail will not investigate or pay conpensation. The German Postal Service also has a secure DHL service but the Royal Mail will not use this more expensive secure service. This use of GLS is mis-selling but we are coming up against a brick wall with the Royal Mail and even Offcom on this, who state that they do not consider this evidence of widespread mis-selling on the part of Royal Mail.
ReplyDeleteAnyone who has had problems in this respect please complai to their Local MP and OFcom.