Your Mail
Lost items
If an item of mail is lost, damaged or delayed you may be eligible to claim compensation. However, the conditions of posting must have been met in order for a claim to be made. Providers are not necessarily obliged to pay compensation where the terms of its services are not met, nor in circumstances beyond its control.
Some examples are:
• Incorrectly addressed mail
• Insufficient postage
• Packing is inadequate for the contents
• Where money or jewellery is sent in a service other than Special Delivery.
• In severe weather conditions
• Acts of terrorism or vandalism
• Items with contents that is prohibited or restricted.
With claims for ordinary mail (1st/2nd/standard parcel with no enhanced compensation) you should supply a proof of posting/ certificate of posting, available free from the Post Office at the time of posting.
With Special Delivery/ Recorded/ Standard parcels with enhanced compensation a proof of posting will be automatically provided
If you need to claim for the loss of a piece of mail, you will need to provide:
• Names and Addresses of the sender, addressee and claimant.
• The service used, postage and method of posting.
• Date and place of posting.
• The posting details relating to the item – such as postmark date, certificate of posting (if available) and the product documentation for Special Delivery, Recorded Signed For and Standard parcel with enhanced compensation.
• Date of delivery (for damage, delay and part loss)
• Description of contents
Description of packaging and condition of the mail item itself) for damage and part loss). Claimants must retain all packaging and contents of damaged items and items subject to part loss as it may need to be inspected.
• Evidence of posting and evidence of value
Recorded Signed For – Recorded Signed For items travel through the same postal network as ordinary mail. It is the responsibility of the postman/women to ensure a signature is obtained, however this can sometimes fail. If item is delivered without signature then you may be liable for a refund of the Recorded Signed For fee (additional to the postage)
Damaged items
Insufficient packaging is the most common cause of mail being damaged in the post however many packages that are correctly wrapped still arrive damaged.
Compensation for damaged items is often restricted to a postage refund plus compensation on the basis of your actual loss, where evidence of posting and evidence of value can be provided. Where the damaged items have no intrinsic value a payment of stamps is often levied. In the circumstances listed above the claim must be submitted within 12 months of posting and the damaged item must be retained as the provider may request the item and packaging for inspection.
When you have used a product which contains enhanced compensation, i.e. special delivery, consequential loss cover purchased. However in all cases evidence of posting will be required and where consequential loss cover has been purchased evidence of consequential loss purchase is required. You should also seek to provide evidence of the loss you have suffered (i.e. a receipt for the product loss etc).
