How long does royal mail keep undelivered items
Royal Mail, the UK's postal service, has a standard retention period for undelivered items, which varies depending on the type of item and the circumstances. Here are some general guidelines:
- Letters and parcels: Royal Mail typically retains undelivered letters and parcels for 12-18 months before they are returned to the sender or disposed of. This period may be longer if the item is a valuable or high-value item, such as a package containing jewelry or electronics.
- Unclaimed mail: If an item is undelivered and the recipient cannot be traced, Royal Mail may retain it for up to 3 years before it is returned to the sender or disposed of.
- Special delivery items: For items sent via Royal Mail's Special Delivery service, which provides a tracking number and signature on delivery, the retention period is typically 12 months.
- International items: For international items, the retention period may be longer, typically up to 2 years, due to the complexity of tracing and returning items to their country of origin.
- Items with a value: If an item has a value of £100 or more, Royal Mail may retain it for up to 5 years before it is returned to the sender or disposed of.
It's worth noting that Royal Mail may also retain items that are:
- Suspected to be fraudulent or contain illegal content
- Contain hazardous materials or substances
- Are deemed to be of no value or are damaged beyond repair
If you're concerned about an undelivered item, you can contact Royal Mail's customer service team to inquire about its status and potential retention period.