If you’re not happy with Royal Mail’s decision about compensation

This advice applies to Scotland. See advice for See advice for England, See advice for Northern Ireland, See advice for Wales

If your post was damaged, lost or delayed and you claim compensation from Royal Mail, they’ll usually make a decision within 30 days. It can take up to 90 days if the item was sent to somewhere outside the UK.

If you’re not happy with the decision, you can complain to Royal Mail’s customer services team. You can complain by phone, send a letter or use their online contact form.

Royal Mail Customer Services

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Royal Mail Customer Services

Telephone: 03457 740 740

Textphone: 03456 000 606

Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

Saturdays, 8am to 1pm

Twitter: @royalmailhelp

You can also contact Royal Mail using the form on their website.

Your call is likely to be free of charge if you have a phone deal that includes free calls to landlines - find out more about calling 0345 numbers.

If you're not happy with the response to your complaint

Contact the Postal Review Panel using their online form or by writing them a letter. The Postal Review Panel are part of Royal Mail but they’ll look at your complaint fairly. They should get back to you within 30 days.

Postal Review Panel

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Postal Review Panel

You can also contact the Postal Review Panel using the form on the Royal Mail website.

If the Postal Review Panel can't resolve your complaint, they’ll usually refer you to an alternative dispute resolution scheme run by the Postal Redress Service (POSTRS). POSTRS is independent and will examine the case from both sides to reach a decision they think is fair.

You can go straight to POSTRS without a referral from the Postal Review Panel if Royal Mail:

  • take longer than 90 days to solve your complaint

  • haven’t followed their complaints procedure

You should check if POSTRS can investigate your complaint before you contact them. For example, if the item was posted to somewhere outside the UK, they can usually only investigate complaints from the person who posted it.

You can download the application form from the POSTRS website or call them to start a claim.

POSTRS (Postal Redress Service)

70 Fleet Street

London

EC4Y 1EU

Tel: 020 7520 3766

Fax: 020 7520 3768

Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm

Email: postrs@cedr.com

Website: www.cedr.com/consumer/postrs

Calls usually cost up to 55p a minute from mobiles and up to 13p a minute from landlines. It should be free if you have a contract that includes calls to landlines - check with your supplier if you're not sure.