Do royal mail keep items longer than 18 days

According to Royal Mail's guidelines, they typically hold onto items for 18 working days (not calendar days) before returning them to the sender as "undeliverable". This is known as the "undeliverable for 18 days" rule.

However, there are some exceptions and circumstances where Royal Mail might hold onto an item for longer than 18 days:

1. Holidays and weekends: Royal Mail doesn't count holidays and weekends as working days, so if the 18-day period falls on a weekend or a bank holiday, the clock will continue to tick on the next working day.
2. Special circumstances: In cases where there are exceptional circumstances, such as severe weather, natural disasters, or industrial action, Royal Mail might extend the holding period beyond 18 days.
3. Items sent to PO Boxes: If an item is sent to a PO Box, Royal Mail will hold onto it for 28 days before returning it to the sender as "undeliverable".
4. Items sent to addresses with multiple recipients: If an item is sent to an address with multiple recipients, Royal Mail might hold onto it for longer than 18 days to try to deliver it to the correct recipient.
5. Items with incomplete or incorrect addresses: If an item has an incomplete or incorrect address, Royal Mail might hold onto it for longer than 18 days to try to contact the sender or the intended recipient to resolve the issue.

It's worth noting that Royal Mail's policies and procedures can vary depending on the specific circumstances and the type of service used (e.g., First Class, Second Class, etc.). If you're concerned about an item that's been missing for longer than 18 days, you can contact Royal Mail's customer service team to inquire about the status of your item.