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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be very annoyed at Royal Mail?

27 replies

Royalmailer · 10/05/2013 10:09

Applied for a job which required sending in a paper application. Did it all in good time, thought I might have a good-ish chance of getting it.

Yesterday had it returned to me in the post by Royal Mail. Not delivered due to there being unpaid postage on it- £1.09, apparently.

Except, looking closer, the unpaid postage was 9p and the RM handling fee was £1 Hmm I put a first class stamp on it originally.

AIBU to be annoyed? It's now way past the closing date so no chance of re-sending.

I was completely unaware that a light, a4 sized letter would need more than one first class stamp. Had I known, I would have happily paid the 9p more Hmm

As it is, for the sake of 9p, the application has been transported to the other side of the country, held in a sorting office and then sent back to me- probably costing considerably more than 9p.

They had to open it up to get my details to send it back to me (another Hmm data protection anyone?)- if they'd contacted me in any sort of good time I would have, very happily, paid the 9p to get this job application which I slaved away over in.

Grr. Fully expecting people to come on and say it's wholly my fault but just feeling so annoyed!

OP posts:
Fenton · 10/05/2013 10:14

Have they explained why it was 9p short? was it the size/thickness that tipped it over the First Class price? - if so you are at fault I'm afraid.

Very unfortunate about the job application though, - is there anyway you could approach them and explain, it may not be too late for them to consider you.

mytitsareonfire · 10/05/2013 10:14

Yeah I'm pretty sure a4 size is classed as a 'large letter' and has been for at least 6 years or so now. They have those measuring boards at post offices. Waste of their time over 9p though I agree.

It's quite ironic though, not getting a job at royal mail because you didn't put enough stamps on the form.

Original poster
Royalmailer · 10/05/2013 10:18

The job is not for Royal Mail..,

Yes, I'm sure it's my fault but who knew you had to get special 69p stamps for 'large letters' nowadays?

OP posts:
Bramshott · 10/05/2013 10:20

9p is the difference between "letter" and "large letter" - I get loads of these. It's very annoying, but the change re large letters happened a few years ago so you really should have picked up on it by now (sorry!).

There's a good guide here and you can also get a cardboard template thingy which shows you the sizes and thicknesses you can send (it's more often the thickness rather than the size which trips people up).

Is there any benefit in calling the company and saying "my application has been returned to me because of a Royal Mail cock-up, is there any way you'd accept a late, hand-delivered application"?

Sidge · 10/05/2013 10:21

Umm, you've needed different stamps for oversize letters for years now!

I remember having a cardboard template through my door from RM yonks ago, so you could check whether something was regular, large or packet.

Fenton · 10/05/2013 10:21

Who knew? Er, Everyone but you I think.

Sorry OP, but where have you been ? Grin

Probably best not to mention the story to any prospective employers actually...

Tee2072 · 10/05/2013 10:22

Anyone who has paid the slightest bit of attention, that's who.

I'm sorry this happened but it's not a secret that a large letter needs more postage and has done for ages.

mytitsareonfire · 10/05/2013 10:22

Well I knew. And like I said there's signs up in post offices.

And yeah sorry, have a fever and clearly am being a bit of a scatterbrain!

MrsHiddleston · 10/05/2013 10:25

'who knew?'

... Honestly? I think most people know - large letters have cost more for ages now. :(

Sorry you missed out though.

somedayma · 10/05/2013 11:27

everyone knew...

PatPig · 10/05/2013 11:37

Have you not posted a letter in the last SEVEN YEARS?

YABVU

OhLori · 10/05/2013 11:43

Yes, I know its a postal "fact" too ... but really, wasn't it simpler before all this shit? Sending a parcel or letter now is like doing a mini Maths GCSE. And, we have to carry so many useless facts like this in our head now, its a wonder we don't all explode.

HoHoHoNoYouDont · 10/05/2013 11:59

Royal Mail are taking a bashing on MN today aren't they!

Unfortunately on this occasion they're not as fault as we know from reading all the other poster's comments.

Shame about your job application though. Hope a similar opportunity comes up again soon. Smile

littlecrocodile · 10/05/2013 12:15

Usually if there's underpaid postage the person you're sending it to will receive a slip saying that they need to pay the underpayment (plus the £1 fee) before receiving it. We get them quite regularly at work. We always pay it and then receive the post, not sure how long we have to pay it but assume it would only get returned to sender after that deadline. So it may be that the company you applied to ignored the slip that should have come through from Royal Mail to let them know it was there.

olivertheoctopus · 10/05/2013 12:17

The large letter thing has been around for a few years I'm afraid. Might be worth forwarding it on to the company you were applying to and explaining the situation. If they haven't yet got their house in order re sifting candidates etc they might be prepared to consider you. Worth a shot? They can only say no and then you'd be no worse off than you are the moment. Pain in the ass though.

samandi · 10/05/2013 12:22

The new pricing system has been around for a long time now. Several years. You were very clearly at fault and YABU to try and deflect the blame. If the application was so important you should have ensured you put the correct postage on it.

CokeFan · 10/05/2013 12:30

Of course, if you'd folded the application form in half and posted it in an A5 (or is that C5?) envelope then an ordinary first class stamp would have been fine (weight and thickness permitting).

I really hate the large letter thing. We normally get stamps from supermarkets and I don't think they sell the large letter ones in books so I always have to go to the post office to get a stamp (and usually get the item weighed) if it's A4 sized.

cornflakegirl · 10/05/2013 12:41

You can weigh and measure the item at home, and then print the postage label off yourself from the Royal Mail website, to save a trip to the post office.

Trill · 10/05/2013 12:45

YABU to be very annoyed at Royal Mail. Large letter stamps were introduced in 2006.

The recipient will have been informed that they were sent an item with insufficient postage and given the option to pay the excess and the handling fee, or to have the letter returned to the sender. The place where you were applying for the job clearly didn't mind that much that they could be missing out on their ideal candidate.

sapphirestar · 10/05/2013 12:55

I'm afraid yabu, even if you weren't aware of the large letter thing, if it was important to you, it's worth taking it into post office to make sure.

We get loads of people who want to double check and we don't mind helping them.

cokefan it is possible to buy books of 1st large or 2nd large stamps

NotYoMomma · 10/05/2013 13:01

Oh dear

YABU

SisterMonicaJoan · 10/05/2013 13:17

YABU

Plus, Royal Mail are officially allowed to open post in certain circumstances. In the even of a non-delivery, due to situations like this or invalid address etc. they have a duty to make sure the post is returned back to the sender.

So no breach of the Data Protection Act I'm afraid.

cumfy · 10/05/2013 18:56

Why was it 9p difference though ? It should be 19p

The only way it would be 9p difference is if it was sent "Signed For", and you could only do that via a Post Office.
In which case it would be the PO's responsibility.

.... in which case YANBU.Wink

cumfy · 10/05/2013 18:58

That's just completely wrong.

Sorry.Blush

It is 9p difference. But so's "Signed For"

sapphirestar · 10/05/2013 20:45

first class - 60p
second class - 50p

first class large - 90p
second class large - 69p

first class signed for - £2.00
second class signed for - £1.79

All based on weight being 100g or less, which I'm guessing your application would be.

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