Royal Mail says customers 'should never' write two things on letters and parcels

Royal Mail says customers 'should never' write two things on letters and parcels Brits have been warned against making a simple mistake with their post A comma after a street name might seem harmless at first, particularly for anyone used to writing addresses in a sentences. But Royal Mail are not fans when punctuation like commas and full stops are used on letters and parcels. This is especially important as addresses need to be clear and correctly laid out for mail to be processed properly. Royal Mail’s guidance says the postcode should appear in capital letters on the final address line, and should never be underlined or punctuated. Automated sorting systems help process large volumes of letters, using address information to direct items towards the right destination. Unclear writing, incorrect address details or a poorly formatted postcode can make that process less reliable and may mean an item needs additional handling. The postal service's guidance recommends keeping the address aligned to the left, with each part on a separate line. The recipient’s name should come first, followed by the house number and street, any necessary locality, the town and the full postcode. The postcode is particularly important because it helps identify where an item needs to go. Royal Mail advises customers to check they have the full and accurate postcode rather than relying on a town or street name alone. A typical UK address should therefore be written without commas or full stops, with the town and postcode in capital letters. For example, the street address should sit on its own line, followed by the town and postcode rather than being written as one long sentence. Customers can check an address using Royal Mail’s online Postcode Finder if they are unsure of the correct details. The service can help identify the recognised version of an address and its postcode before a letter or parcel is sent. While leaving out punctuation can't guarantee an item will arrive on time, following the recommended format can help avoid preventable address-processing problems. Anyone posting an important document, card or parcel should take a moment to check the address is legible, complete and correctly laid out before sending it. [Image text:] POST STAMPEDMAIL oFrday 6.30pm noor