The cost of renting a Post Office box has increased by almost 80 per cent

[nbfiresprite]

The Royal Snail has increased the cost of renting a PO Box to £170 (Nearly a 80 percent rise),

In 2009 the cost was only £62, last year it went up to £96.

 

It seem the Royal Snail wishes to discourge the use of PO Box, By these rip-off price rises.

 

 

Firesprite

[Strads]

I have my mail held at the sorting centre -

but i did need to have an address within the area to do this..

no cost other than application etc.

 

whilst not perfect - some mail does still get to my friends i get @ 80% when i collect each week,,

 

so not sure if something like that would work for you?

[classicstove]

If anyone wants to collect their mail from a Royal Mail Delivery Office, they can do under a service called Mail Collect but there must be an associated local address

 

The increase in PO Box fees is apparently to reflect more closely the actual cost of the service

[canaldrifter]

The other way to do it is to have an address that the RM can't deliver too, because of lack of access.

 

Mail can then be held at the local PO for free.

 

Tone

[Chris Pink]

Well that's £170 the Post Office won't be getting off me.

 

I hummed and ha'd when it went up from £63 to £96 but £170?

 

They're having a giraffe.

 

I think they've shot themselves in the foot, for just another £25 you can get a private box that will accept couriers (the PO Box only accepts Royal Mail).

 

I am sure I can find someone who will provide an address for £80 a year and then Mail Collect looks like the way to go.

[carlt]

The thing is, a PO box is still extremely cheap, if they are handling tens of thousands of items of mail a year, for one box.

 

Perhaps a scaled tariff would be more appropriate

[Chris Pink]

The thing is, a PO box is still extremely cheap, if they are handling tens of thousands of items of mail a year, for one box.

 

Perhaps a scaled tariff would be more appropriate

 

I don't think that they do handle much mail as an extra service.

 

If an organisation has PO Box as an address convenience, as a lot of government departments do, then they also get delivery, not collect it.

 

The vast majority of people who collect their mail from the PO Boxes are small businesses. I have never seen anyone at the sorting office going off with a sack full, they're mostly like me with a few dozen items (at most) a week. Especially as I get little junk.

 

As you say, it's not beyond the wit of man to come up with a different system for these two types of user.

 

The result of this price hike is that large business will still it as a good deal and the small customers will walk. Making it even less of a revenue earner.

[carlt]

I don't think that they do handle much mail as an extra service.

 

If an organisation has PO Box as an address convenience, as a lot of government departments do, then they also get delivery, not collect it.

 

The vast majority of people who collect their mail from the PO Boxes are small businesses. I have never seen anyone at the sorting office going off with a sack full, they're mostly like me with a few dozen items (at most) a week. Especially as I get little junk.

 

Getting the contents delivered to an address is extra (but not much).

 

When I worked as a Postman I spent (hard) time sorting the PO box mail (I couldn't walk the streets, for a few weeks , after I damaged my knee) and there were 4 of us, at it full time. Some firms would get sacksful a day and collect it in a van whilst others got just a few letters.

[Peter Underwood]

If you travel about use the free Post Restante service and lick up your post at the nearest post office

[DaveP]

If you travel about use the free Post Restante service and lick up your post at the nearest post office

 

'lick up' - quality of service is really heading south ...