Letter sent to wrong address, got put back in the post. Where is it now?

GeX · 18 Feb 2013 at 11:17

Hi all. Anyone work for Royal Mail or might know the answer to this question?

I sent a letter to someone, I got the house number wrong and so the letter was delivered to the wrong address. I was in the area at the weekend, realised my mistake and went to the house where I'd addressed the letter to. The person living there had received the letter, and then because they didn't recognise the name on it - they'd put it back into a post box.

There was no return address on it, so it won't make its way back to me. Where does it go. Will they deliver it again to the 'wrong' address, or will it go back to the sorting office that it originated from? Can I get it back, or is it 'lost' now?

Mickie · 18 Feb 2013 at 11:20

http://www.postoffice.co.uk/help-support

GeX · 18 Feb 2013 at 11:24

Mickie said:
http://www.postoffice.co.uk/help-support

wo, so witty. Thanks for that.

Airmail FAQs, Airsure® FAQs,Online Postage FAQs, Redirection FAQs.

None of which cover what I'm asking. If you're going to try and be smart, at least back it up with something a bit funny if you've got no actual content to offer.

Mickie · 18 Feb 2013 at 11:26

sorry for thinking the best people to ask would be the post office

GeX · 18 Feb 2013 at 11:27

Mickie said:
sorry for thinking the best people to ask would be the post office

Apology accepted.

Horse Pop · 18 Feb 2013 at 11:35

If the postie knows the person it's for they may get it.

Otherwise it is lost and you should just put a new whatever it was in the post.

A letter with any normal untracked service in the system is in practice not really findable.

That said YMMV and I've only tried to chase down a lost recorded item two or three times, never succesfully.

Adam · 18 Feb 2013 at 11:38

GeX said:
wo, so witty. Thanks for that.

Airmail FAQs, Airsure® FAQs,Online Postage FAQs, Redirection FAQs.

None of which cover what I'm asking. If you're going to try and be smart, at least back it up with something a bit funny if you've got no actual content to offer.

He was being helpful :confused:

Why would a computer hardware forum being a more appropriate place to ask than the people who handled the service you paid for? :confused:

Redz · 18 Feb 2013 at 11:42

GeX said:
None of which cover what I'm asking.

http://www.royalmail.com/customer-service/safe-and-sound

Looks like the keep the letter for 18 days then it goes to the national returns centre in Belfast.

Theophany · 18 Feb 2013 at 11:43

GeX said:
None of which cover what I'm asking. If you're going to try and be smart, at least back it up with something a bit funny if you've got no actual content to offer.

I wouldn't be insulting people's intelligence after posting a letter to the wrong address...

Horse Pop · 18 Feb 2013 at 11:55

Adam said:
He was being helpful Why would a computer hardware forum being a more appropriate place to ask than the people who handled the service you paid for?

Maybe there's people familiar with Royal Mail products on here purely by chance?

GeX · 18 Feb 2013 at 12:41

Adam said:
He was being helpful Why would a computer hardware forum being a more appropriate place to ask than the people who handled the service you paid for?

He wasn't being helpful, it was the typical, insulting first post that seems to happen - he didn't bother with the LGTFY link though.

Computer hardware forum? *checks the label* "Talk about anything not covered by other forums." We're not in the 'Hardware' section so I *think* I'm OK with this. Otherwise we're going to have to ask that the all of the other sub forums are closed. I mean, what on Earth has cooking go to do with computer hardware??

Redz said:
http://www.royalmail.com/customer-service/safe-and-sound

Looks like the keep the letter for 18 days then it goes to the national returns centre in Belfast.

Thanks. Looks like I'm best off giving them a ring when I get chance.

Theophany said:
I wouldn't be insulting people's intelligence after posting a letter to the wrong address...

Touché!

Engram · 18 Feb 2013 at 12:57

Based on my experiences, they will deliver the letter again.

edscdk · 18 Feb 2013 at 13:05

we had a letter arrive with no post code, a differnt town and county on it, the house number was the same as ours and so was the first bit of the road name (we are a crescent it was sent to a clsoe)

my othe half put it back in the post box, several days later it came to us again, she put in back in the post box, a 3rd time it arrived... threw it in the bin after that...

Diagro · 18 Feb 2013 at 13:08

this is why you ALLWAYS put a return address on it

EyepodI · 18 Feb 2013 at 13:31

They'll probably hold it at the local delivery office. Some of them have a counter for picking up "whilst you were out" items. Enquire within.

Mat · 18 Feb 2013 at 13:39

Theophany said:
I wouldn't be insulting people's intelligence after posting a letter to the wrong address...

mattyprice4004 · 18 Feb 2013 at 13:50

GeX said:
Apology accepted.

Are you a total knob in real life, or just on here?

He actually provided a useful link!

gillywibble · 18 Feb 2013 at 13:59

Missing letter here -

http://www.primaryonline.co.uk/sitetour/pol/alpha1.html

Redz · 18 Feb 2013 at 14:09

gillywibble said:
Missing letter here -

http://www.primaryonline.co.uk/sitetour/pol/alpha1.html

I got 10 out of 10.

GeX · 18 Feb 2013 at 14:49

mattyprice4004 said:
Are you a total knob in real life, or just on here?

He actually provided a useful link!

By 'total knob' do you mean a 'total penis'? If so, no. I'm not a 'total knob' in real life. However part of me is a penis, so I guess I'm a 'partial knob'.

Just in case anyone else is wondering / finds this thread. I called Royal Mail, they said that it would be on the way to the centre in Belfast as Redz said. As there is no return address inside it either, he said I should fill out a P38 form as well.

The link to that is on here; http://www.royalmail.com/personal/help-and-support/claims-process-for-inland-items