Royal Mail 'one-month rule' all customers should know about

Royal Mail 'one-month rule' all customers should know about The postal service has a policy to help customers get back any undelivered mail Royal Mail customers should be aware of the postal service's 'one month rule' for undelivered post. When customers send letters and parcels, they always hope their mail reaches its intended destination. But there may be occasions when this is not possible for reasons outside of Royal Mail's control. For instance, some items don't fit through a letterbox and need to be delivered in person. Royal Mail's website explains that if it can't deliver an item, it will attempt to redeliver it on the next working day. Royal Mail says: "If we still can’t deliver your item, we’ll leave a ‘Something for you’ card and take the item back to the Customer Service Point." The customer can then choose to collect the post or arrange for it to be delivered again. The advice adds that if the mail cannot be delivered and it is not collected, Royal Mail will generally keep it at the Customer Service Point for 18 days, or 21 days if a customs charge is due. After this date, the item gets returned to the sender. However, not everyone includes a return address on their post, even though it is recommended. When there's no return address, the post gets sent to the National Returns Centre, where staff will open the item and try to find the sender's address. The postal service states: "If we can’t find a return address, items may be held for one month (depending on item type and/or value) pending a customer enquiry. Items not claimed within one month will be disposed of. This includes items containing vouchers/gift cards." As such, customers should be aware of the one-month rule when sending post. The simple solution is always to include a return address on the post. Royal Mail recommends writing this on the back of the envelope and labelling it as the 'return address'. However, customers shouldn't include any phone numbers or email addresses on the envelope to protect the privacy of the sender and recipient. The best way to write the address is on the Royal Mail website, as it can vary by location. The website also offers tips on how to format the address. For example, Royal Mail says it is best to write the address in the bottom left corner of the envelope. Customers should use a pen that is clear against the colour of the envelope. And the handwriting should be easy to read.