Post Restante

[Bodkin]

We've used the Post Restante service a couple of times over the last 18 months with no problems.

 

Needing to get something delivered quite urgently but not being close enough to a PO to go and ask if they accepted Post Restante I rung the main 0845 number to see if the post office nearest to us would accept a parcel.

 

Many options and choices later I got through to a lady who said Royal Mail had stopped the Post Restante service and that there was no way to receive mail to a PO!

 

I know there are a few users of this service - has anyone else had any issues?

 

I have eventually managed to get to speak to the actual post office who didn't seem to mind receiving a parcel so I'm wondering if it's more of a corporate thing with Royal Mail and the individual post offices won't have any objection if you ask them?

 

Edited to add that it's still available according to the website linky

Edited August 3, 2011 by Bodkin

[mayalld]

We've used the Post Restante service a couple of times over the last 18 months with no problems.

 

Needing to get something delivered quite urgently but not being close enough to a PO to go and ask if they accepted Post Restante I rung the main 0845 number to see if the post office nearest to us would accept a parcel.

 

Many options and choices later I got through to a lady who said Royal Mail had stopped the Post Restante service and that there was no way to receive mail to a PO!

 

I know there are a few users of this service - has anyone else had any issues?

 

I have eventually managed to get to speak to the actual post office who didn't seem to mind receiving a parcel so I'm wondering if it's more of a corporate thing with Royal Mail and the individual post offices won't have any objection if you ask them?

 

Edited to add that it's still available according to the website linky

 

 

As far as I know the service still exists, but I don't work there any more.

[Roxy]

Hi there,

I work for Royal Mail and have just spoken to my boss on this matter.

Apparently Royal Mail have stopped this due to fraud/security issues.

He also said that aslong as the parcel isnt special delivery/recorded and IF the post office AGREES to accepting your item/s then to put your name on it but the address of the Post Office you want it delivering too.

In other words dont let it go through the Royal Mail system.

If it is a valuable item and it gets lost then the only problem with what I have mentioned above is that you wont be able to trace it.

Hope this helps and sorry I cant offer you better advice.

Regards

Rachel

[classicstove]

Hi there,

I work for Royal Mail and have just spoken to my boss on this matter.

Apparently Royal Mail have stopped this due to fraud/security issues.

He also said that aslong as the parcel isnt special delivery/recorded and IF the post office AGREES to accepting your item/s then to put your name on it but the address of the Post Office you want it delivering too.

In other words dont let it go through the Royal Mail system.

If it is a valuable item and it gets lost then the only problem with what I have mentioned above is that you wont be able to trace it.

Hope this helps and sorry I cant offer you better advice.

Regards

Rachel

 

Rachel

 

I spent many years working for Royal Mail and think this is incorrect information you have been provided.It is not a service provided by Royal Mail - POst Office Ltd are the providers

 

The Poste Restante service is still active: not all Post Offices will accept items as either they do not have the space or choose not to. It is always better to ring the office and ask the question

 

I am still using the Poste Restante facility as part of my business and none of my (substantial number) of customers, have said that it has been stopped

 

Two links that night help:

 

Finding a location of a Post Office:

 

http://www.postoffice.co.uk/portal/po/finder?catId=20700386&pageId=ftn_finder_po_postoffice

 

and the Poste Restante Service:

 

http://www2.postoffice.co.uk/letters-parcels/receiving-letters-parcels/redirection-options/poste-restante

[Roxy]

Ok sorry classicstove,

I was just going on what I had been told by my boss.

No wonder Royal Mail is goin down the pan lol !!!!

Thankyou

Rachel

[Bodkin]

Thanks so much for the reply Classicstove, that's definitely clarified things - I think maybe I ended up speaking to Royal Mail even though I dialled a Post Office number - there were that many options to choose from before I could speak to an actual person!

 

I'll carry on as before but just use the service at Post Offices I can go in and ask rather than trying to phone them!

[mayalld]

Ok sorry classicstove,

I was just going on what I had been told by my boss.

No wonder Royal Mail is goin down the pan lol !!!!

Thankyou

Rachel

 

No wonder indeed.

 

Poste Restane is a service that RM/POL dislike, because it is free, and they want to sell you a service.

 

They are, however obliged to continue provinding Poste Restante as part of the USO.

 

BTW, best bet with RM is take the money when it is offered. I was there for 21 years, and left 5 months ago. Best thing I ever did. (and the redundancy offer that is on the table this year is unlikely to be back again)

[ValandPete]

We were told the same last week at a post office but rang Post Office customer services ( the number at the bottom of the web site) to be told that the Post Restante service is available at all Post Offices.

We were told to go ahead and arrange for the letter to be delivered, we did not have to inform the post office. We collected the Special Delivery documents the day after having ensured that we knew it had arrived through the tracking service. Had to wait for the supervisor to get back from lunch to get the packet - counter staff STILL insisting that the service did not exist (we think because she had not heard of it). She did look rather sheepish as we left. I dont know if it is any different for parcels, altho space may be an issue.

 

Val

[mayalld]

We were told the same last week at a post office but rang Post Office customer services ( the number at the bottom of the web site) to be told that the Post Restante service is available at all Post Offices.

We were told to go ahead and arrange for the letter to be delivered, we did not have to inform the post office. We collected the Special Delivery documents the day after having ensured that we knew it had arrived through the tracking service. Had to wait for the supervisor to get back from lunch to get the packet - counter staff STILL insisting that the service did not exist (we think because she had not heard of it). She did look rather sheepish as we left. I dont know if it is any different for parcels, altho space may be an issue.

 

Val

 

I believe that the requirement is that the service is provided at a single office in each Posttown and in each London Postcode district.

 

There is no obligation upon Franchised or Scale Payment Offices to offer it, and as a matter of operational practice, directly managed offices over and above the principal office for the town will offer it only if they have the space.

[Guest]

No wonder indeed.

 

Poste Restane is a service that RM/POL dislike, because it is free, and they want to sell you a service.

 

They are, however obliged to continue provinding Poste Restante as part of the USO.

 

BTW, best bet with RM is take the money when it is offered. I was there for 21 years, and left 5 months ago. Best thing I ever did. (and the redundancy offer that is on the table this year is unlikely to be back again)

 

I can't believe working for the NHS is better than working for the Royal Mail....god it must have been bad...

[mayalld]

I can't believe working for the NHS is better than working for the Royal Mail....god it must have been bad...

 

For reasons that I cannot divulge, I cannot offer any opinion on how bad or otherwise it might have been at RMG

[jelunga]

I believe that the requirement is that the service is provided at a single office in each Posttown and in each London Postcode district.

 

There is no obligation upon Franchised or Scale Payment Offices to offer it, and as a matter of operational practice, directly managed offices over and above the principal office for the town will offer it only if they have the space.

It seems to be something that most small post offices will do but head office try to keep quiet. Even on the RM web site part says it does do it part says it ceased. My advice us do as we did -telephone the PO first and ask if they mind. I have also telephoned boatyards, canal side pubs and businesses and most have said they will take in mail for ne. At least the pub knows you willprobably buy a drink whilst you are there and it is also a good excuse to SWMBO --- just going down to the pub love to check the mail!!

[cariad]

i needed to use this service when in york recently and there was no problem.

it seems that if you speak to the right person all will be o.k., but of course getting the right person may be a preoblem in the first instance.