Royal Mail introduces new ‘pick up’ rules with millions of UK households warned

Royal Mail said the previously free collection service had been a promotional period which has now ended after several years.

Royal Mail has introduced new “pick up” rules – with a sneaky charge leaving customers FUMING. Royal Mail said the previously free collection service had been a promotional period which has now ended after several years.

Royal Mail is now charging a 30p fee to collect parcels from homes. One UK household fumed: “Not sure who thought it was a good idea to charge 30p for collections. Shame as I really enjoyed the interaction with the postman.

“I guess I’ll be taking them to the PO (Post Office) again from here on out.” Another added: “When did you sneakily add a 30p collection charge onto collected items from home? Don’t recall seeing anything about it or in app alert.”

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“It’s 30p per time which is going to cripple the small business I run, as postage costs are already calculated by the online marketplace I (have) to sell through,” another raged.

Royal Mail said: “After a promotional period, we’re now reintroducing a 30p charge to our Parcel Collect service. Parcel Collect makes it easy to send and return items straight from your doorstep.

“Customers also have thousands of free options with our expanding network of lockers, parcel shops and the option to send small packages via our 115,000 postboxes – giving them more choice than ever.”

You can put all your orders from your online stores into your Click & Drop account and get your packages out the door in no time.

Royal Mail explains online: “Book your collection online or via the Royal Mail App. Choose for us to bring your label, or print one yourself. We’ll collect!

“Register and integrate your online accounts. Buy your postage. Book a collection – we’ll even bring your labels too.”

You can arrange to leave your parcels in your nominated Safeplace for collection. For returns, simply use the pre-paid returns label if you have one or buy your postage and print the label, book a collection and give it to your postie.