Royal Mail making big change to parcel deliveries as new system set to be rolled out

Royal Mail is changing the way parcels are delivered. A new system will be introduced from next month that is designed to save people time.

The changes will come into effect on May 2. A “something for you” card will be posted through your door if you are not at home when a parcel is being delivered – this will state whether the item has been left with a neighbour or in a safe place.

If neither of these options are available, postal workers will bring back parcels for another delivery attempt the next day, if they are too big for the letterbox or need a signature. Royal Mail staff will do this automatically, YorkshireLive reports, with the aim of saving people time by not having to go to a depot.

Deliveries can also be rescheduled for a more convenient day, either to the original home address, to a neighbour, safe place or a local post office. This will remain a free service.

Once the changes are up and running it will mean people can no longer collect parcels from a delivery office after the first attempt. Royal Mail says: “You can’t collect your parcel until after we’ve made the automatic redelivery attempt the next working day (excluding Sundays and Bank Holidays).

“If a redelivery is unsuccessful, the postie will leave another Something for You card stating your options. You can choose to organise another redelivery or you can collect your item from your local Customer Service Point from the following working day.

“If the item remains undelivered and we receive no instruction from you, the item will be stored for up to 18 days (21 days where customs fees are due) and if not collected or redelivered it will be returned to the sender. This is the existing Return to Sender process.”