Are royal mail allowed to leave parcels on doorstep

In the United Kingdom, Royal Mail, the national postal service, is generally allowed to leave parcels on the doorstep of the recipient's address, as long as it is safe and convenient to do so. This is known as a "safe place" delivery.

According to Royal Mail's guidelines, they will attempt to deliver a parcel to the recipient's address, and if no one is available to receive it, they may leave it in a safe place, such as:

  1. The doorstep: If the parcel is small enough, Royal Mail may leave it on the doorstep, as long as it is not obstructing the path or creating a tripping hazard.
  2. A porch or entrance: If the parcel is too large for the doorstep, Royal Mail may leave it in a porch or entrance, as long as it is not obstructing the path or creating a tripping hazard.
  3. A designated safe place: If the recipient has specified a safe place for Royal Mail to leave the parcel, such as a shed or a designated delivery point, they will attempt to deliver it there.

However, there are some exceptions and considerations:

  1. Large or heavy parcels: Royal Mail may not leave large or heavy parcels on the doorstep, as they may be too heavy or bulky for the recipient to handle safely.
  2. Valuable or fragile items: Royal Mail may not leave valuable or fragile items on the doorstep, as they may be at risk of being lost, stolen, or damaged.
  3. Recipient's instructions: If the recipient has specified that they do not want their parcel left on the doorstep, Royal Mail will not do so. Instead, they will attempt to deliver it to the recipient's address or leave a card with instructions for redelivery.
  4. Weather conditions: Royal Mail may not leave parcels on the doorstep in extreme weather conditions, such as heavy rain, snow, or high winds, as they may be damaged or destroyed.

If you are concerned about the security or safety of your parcel, you can consider using a tracked delivery service, such as Royal Mail's Tracked 24 or Tracked 48, which provides additional security features and tracking information.