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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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:

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.