Christmas Card and general postal deliveries...a query raised.

[Gloster]

So that is another way for my Local Delivery Office to get confused by letters from Ireland and demand extra payment.

 

[Steddenm]

So that is another way for my Local Delivery Office to get confused by letters from Ireland and demand extra payment.

They're only for use within Ireland. They can't be used for international mail or anything other than letters or large letters.

 

[Dai Corner]

They're only for use within Ireland. They can't be used for international mail or anything other than letters or large letters.

A previous poster, who says he's in the UK, got one. Maybe he's in Northern Ireland and the scheme extends to the whole island?

 

[Steddenm]

A previous poster, who says he's in the UK, got one. Maybe he's in Northern Ireland and the scheme extends to the whole island?

Well according to their FAQ on them at https://www.anpost.com/Help-Support/Digital-Stamp An Post state:

What can I send with digital stamps?
You can send postcards, letters and large envelopes weighing up to 500g anywhere within the Republic of Ireland

 

[david1212]

On Tuesday I sent a number of items from work, franked second class.

Today, Thursday, we received the first three replies back - in second class reply paid envelopes.

Anyone still think paying extra for first class postage is worth it...?

Were the items sent on Tuesday collected from the site by Royal Mail ?
Where this is done the mail effectively queue jumps because rather than collection from a post box or Post Office straight to the delivery office or even regional major sorting / distribution office.

As to first vs second class I do not send or receive enough to judge. For items I send I normally use second as either not time critical or I send several days ahead. I sent one Christmas card posted on the 19th December first class so the reciprient would see I tried for delivery by the 22nd, as to when delivered I've no idea or if given priority. The reason it was not with all the others posted on the 12th was because I was waiting for the new address.

Presuming actually sent I am still waiting for one card from Stoke-on-Trent area.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Were the items sent on Tuesday collected from the site by Royal Mail ?
Where this is done the mail effectively queue jumps because rather than collection from a post box or Post Office straight to the delivery office or even regional major sorting / distribution office.

Yes, it is a business collection service, that's true.

Does reply paid post have the same priority coming the other way, though?

 

[Dai Corner]

Yes, it is a business collection service, that's true.

Does reply paid post have the same priority coming the other way, though?

If nothing else, it will have the address printed clearly and get through the sorting process without manual intervention.

 

[johncrossley]

An Post here in Ireland have just launched a digital stamp. Well kind of.

You write the code you see on the purchase on your envelope in a box, such as:

N D M H 8 G S 9 X A U W

...and pop in a post box. You also get a delivery notification to say its got there.

See

Several countries have this. Why not the Royal Mail?

 

[PeterC]

On Tuesday I sent a number of items from work, franked second class.

Today, Thursday, we received the first three replies back - in second class reply paid envelopes.

Anyone still think paying extra for first class postage is worth it...?

I retired 11 years ago but back then anything sent as a large letter seemed to go 1st class regardless of what stamp we paid for.

 

[JamesT]

Several countries have this. Why not the Royal Mail?

Probably because they already have a system for buying and printing postage labels at home? https://send.royalmail.com/

 

[johncrossley]

Probably because they already have a system for buying and printing postage labels at home? https://send.royalmail.com/

Printing a label is not as convenient as simply writing a few capital letters. By all means have both systems.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I retired 11 years ago but back then anything sent as a large letter seemed to go 1st class regardless of what stamp we paid for.

When it's quiet 1st and 2nd both generally go next day. When it's busy, 2nd gets left behind.

 

[JamesT]

Printing a label is not as convenient as simply writing a few capital letters. By all means have both systems.

Though from the POV of the Royal Mail, I suspect verifying a printed label is going to be much easier than checking handwritten letters.

 

[johncrossley]

Though from the POV of the Royal Mail, I suspect verifying a printed label is going to be much easier than checking handwritten letters.

Surely the Irish/Dutch/German etc. system simply scans the handwritten code by machine?

 

[Darandio]

Surely the Irish/Dutch/German etc. system simply scans the handwritten code by machine?

You mean like the Royal Mail machines that read your handwritten postcode?

 

[johncrossley]

You mean like the Royal Mail machines that read your handwritten postcode?

Exactly! The Irish/Dutch/German system presumably scans the code, just like the postcode, and then a computer checks whether that code is valid.

 

[Typhoon]

Up thread I believe someone mentioned about not being able to second class Christmas stamps. Went to the post office yesterday to buy stamps; they were all Christmas stamps so it looks like it wasn't just the post that was late!

 

[Ken X]

For those still awaiting mail, and losing hope, we had some post sent on 8th December from Horsham arrive in Cardiff today. It would appear the backlog is still being cleared. Good luck.

 

[Gloster]

Today I had a letter reminding me that my gas bill was due to be paid by 7 December.

 

[gswindale]

The backlog does appear to be getting better - received a cheque at work today that was only posted yesterday (1st class)!

Still, our local postie seems to be getting worse - has now started leaving stuff with a neighbour two doors down (who I cannot tell if they are in from here!) Our previous one used to sensibly leave stuff in our porch as do most of the more reputable courier firms (although Mrs Hermes (Evri) does appear to prefer actually handing it to us!)

 

[david1212]

The backlog does appear to be getting better - received a cheque at work today that was only posted yesterday (1st class)!

Still, our local postie seems to be getting worse - has now started leaving stuff with a neighbour two doors down (who I cannot tell if they are in from here!) Our previous one used to sensibly leave stuff in our porch as do most of the more reputable courier firms (although Mrs Hermes (Evri) does appear to prefer actually handing it to us!)

Yesterday ( Tuesday ) I received a stamped second class ( not franked or pre-paid large business ) item posted Monday.
All other items received this year would have only been posted / collected at most 3 working days before.

Logically they are prioritising the latest items with the aim of meeting performance targets then dealong with the backlog when any slack given already late the performance target can not be made worse.

I only have Evri (Hermes) delivered to work, we a fortunate we can do this. Both the current and previous delivery person are very good but well aware overall inconsistant. The local news has covered issue in a village less than 20 miles away.

 

[DelayRepay]

I only have Evri (Hermes) delivered to work, we a fortunate we can do this. Both the current and previous delivery person are very good but well aware overall inconsistant. The local news has covered issue in a village less than 20 miles away.

The BBC have a very long news story about missing Evri parcels.

Evri says sorry for UK parcel delivery delays

The firm, formerly known as Hermes, says staff shortages, Royal Mail strikes and bad weather have caused disruption.

www.bbc.co.uk

Parcel delivery giant Evri has apologised after customers across the country are still not receiving packages on time or at all.
The firm said that staff shortages, Royal Mail strikes and bad weather had contributed to the problems and it was working to sort them out.
In December, Labour MP Carolyn Harris accused the courier of causing "misery" to people in the run-up to Christmas.
Evri told the BBC the backlogs should be cleared "over the next few days".
Customers across the country told the BBC they had not received parcels despite them being marked as delivered and others facing month-long delays.

And Royal Mail are experiencing some kind of cyber incident affecting mail being sent overseas

Royal Mail tells people not to send post abroad due to 'cyber incident'

The firm is telling customers to stop sending items abroad while it tries to resolve the issue.

www.bbc.co.uk

Royal Mail has asked people to stop sending mail abroad due to a "cyber incident" causing severe disruption.
It said it was temporarily unable to send letters and parcels overseas, and was "working hard" to resolve the issue.
There are also minor delays to post coming into the UK, but domestic deliveries are unaffected.
The incident has been reported to the UK's cyber intelligence agency and police who deal with serious crime.
Royal Mail apologised and said its teams were "working around the clock to resolve this disruption". It said it would update customers when it had more information.

 

[Bevan Price]

Received another Christmas card today (11 January) - unfranked, so no posting date. Still waiting for "Christmas" Radio Times.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

And Royal Mail are experiencing some kind of cyber incident affecting mail being sent overseas

Royal Mail tells people not to send post abroad due to 'cyber incident'

The firm is telling customers to stop sending items abroad while it tries to resolve the issue.

www.bbc.co.uk

Anyone able to shed any light as to what's happened? All seems rather vague, perhaps deliberately so!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Anyone able to shed any light as to what's happened? All seems rather vague, perhaps deliberately so!

Apparently the cyber attackers have taken down the tracking system.

I am guessing Royal Mail would prefer to wait until it's back up rather than have to fork out to refund everything that's been posted to go overseas by a tracked means...

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Received another Christmas card today (11 January) - unfranked, so no posting date. Still waiting for "Christmas" Radio Times.

Don't worry. It was the same as last year:
The Great Escape,
Dad's Army,
A woman running down a hill singing,
Another woman with a lion.

 

[Tazi Hupefi]

Apparently the cyber attackers have taken down the tracking system.

I am guessing Royal Mail would prefer to wait until it's back up rather than have to fork out to refund everything that's been posted to go overseas by a tracked means...

I'm not ordinarily one for conspiracy theories, but MI5/Counter Terrorism Police dealing with an illegal import of uranium at Heathrow via the mail system, and all of a sudden, no international mail because of a very generic, but of course, "totally unrelated" cyber incident? Coincidence?

Royal Mail deliberately aren't calling it a Cyber Attack either, just a Cyber Incident.

Even if it's unrelated to the uranium, something is very odd about this. Lots of disaffected workers at Royal Mail too, of course lately.

Key questions remain after uranium discovered at Heathrow Airport

The identity of the intended recipients of the radioactive material will be crucial to the investigation and establishing motives.

news.sky.com

A major multi-pronged investigation will be under way following the discovery at Heathrow Airport of uranium in a package sent from Pakistan.

Authorities will be pleased their systems have worked and the material was detected but need answers to key questions and quickly, in case more packages are on the way.

 

[DelayRepay]

I'm not ordinarily one for conspiracy theories, but MI5/Counter Terrorism Police dealing with an illegal import of uranium at Heathrow via the mail system, and all of a sudden, no international mail because of a very generic, but of course, "totally unrelated" cyber incident? Coincidence?

I think there is probably more to this than meets the eye, but the Royal Mail issue is affecting mail leaving the UK - they say incoming mail might be slighlty delayed but its outgoing mail that's suspended. I think if it was terrorism it would be the other way around.

 

[londonbridge]

A Christmas card posted in Bristol on December 9th arrived (Croydon/Sutton area) last Saturday (Jan 7th). Have had no post since then and am still waiting on at least one missing card, possibly two. Meanwhile items I ordered online on Jan 4th turned up in the same delivery as the Bristol card.

I also posted two cards at the same time on December 8th, one to Kentucky, one to Ottawa. Had notification that the Ottawa card arrived around December 19th. The Kentucky card arrived January 7th.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Has the matter of the Christmas Mail fiasco been raised by MP's of any political party in the House of Commons?