Have you ever received a grey card from Royal Mail saying there is a “fee to pay” before they will deliver your mail item? These cards can cause confusion around who needs to pay the fee and whether the card is even legitimate. This article will break down exactly what Royal Mail’s “fee to pay” cards mean, who needs to pay, how to pay fees, and how to spot potential scams.
What Does “Fee to Pay” Mean?
A “fee to pay” card from Royal Mail indicates that there is insufficient postage paid on an incoming mail item for you. This means either the sender did not put enough stamps on the envelope or parcel to cover delivery to you, or no postage was paid at all.
Royal Mail will only deliver mail that has the full postage costs paid to cover their service fees. If an underpaid item arrives at the sorting office for your address, they will hold the mail and leave a “fee to pay” card for the recipient (you) to collect and pay the outstanding balance. This allows delivery to go ahead once the unpaid postal fee has been collected.
Who Needs to Pay the Fee on a Royal Mail “Fee to Pay” Card?
The recipient (person receiving the mail) is responsible for paying any postal fee on a “fee to pay” card left by Royal Mail in order to receive delivery of the item.
Even though it was the sender who did not pay enough postage initially, Royal Mail will not deliver the underpaid item until the recipient pays the outstanding amount. This is to cover the costs of the delivery service.
Some key points around who pays the postal fee:
- The recipient pays, even if it was the sender’s mistake.
- The fee cannot be charged back to the sender.
- Royal Mail will only deliver the item once the fee is paid by the recipient.
How Much are Royal Mail Fee to Pay Charges?
The fee amount depends on how much the postage was underpaid by the sender. Royal Mail will calculate the difference between what was paid and what should have been paid for the particular service, item weight and destination.
Some examples of typical fee amounts:
- £1.50 for a standard letter or small parcel with insufficient or no stamps.
- £2-£10 for larger parcels without the proper postage paid.
- Up to £25 for heavier international parcels with underpaid postage.
The fee amount will be clearly printed on the “fee to pay” card left by Royal Mail for the recipient. This ensures you know how much needs to be paid when collecting the item.
How Do I Pay a Royal Mail Fee?
There are a couple of ways to pay any postal fees and collect an underpaid item from Royal Mail:
- Pay online – The Royal Mail “fee to pay” card will include instructions and a barcode to pay the fee online via the Royal Mail website. You can pay by debit or credit card.
- Pay at the Post Office – Take the “fee to pay” card to your local Post Office branch and pay the amount due over the counter by cash, cheque or card. The Post Office staff will provide a receipt which you then show at the Royal Mail delivery office when collecting the item.
- Pay at the Delivery Office – Take the “fee to pay” card to your local Royal Mail delivery office and pay the fee due by cash or card when you collect your item.
Paying online is the quickest and easiest way to pay any postal fees. You can then track the item and get an estimated delivery date once paid.
How to Spot a Fake Royal Mail Fee Card Scam
While most Royal Mail “fee to pay” cards are legitimate notifications about underpaid postage, there are some scams to watch out for too. Fraudsters will sometimes send fake cards or emails claiming a parcel is held for you if a fee is paid.
Here are some tips for spotting a “fee to pay” scam:
- Royal Mail will never call you to demand payment of a fee.
- Carefully check the wording, design and contents of a card – fakes often contain spelling mistakes and low-quality prints.
- Never pay a postal fee to an individual person or random account details given – only pay official Royal Mail channels online or in branch.
- Legitimate Royal Mail cards will not ask for personal or banking details from you.
- If unsure, call Royal Mail customer service and verify if they are holding an item for you with a genuine fee to pay.
As long as you only pay any fees through official Royal Mail channels and do not hand over your personal or financial details, you can safely pay any genuine postal fees due. Report scams to Royal Mail to help stop others being targeted.
Why Does Royal Mail Charge Fees for Underpaid Post?
Royal Mail operates as an independent business – they are not government funded. They rely on the postal fees paid by senders to cover the costs of sorting and delivering mail all around the UK.
When a sender does not pay enough postage for an item, Royal Mail is initially out of pocket for the cost of delivery to you. By collecting the unpaid fee from the recipient, this allows them to recover their costs for the service provided.
It also encourages senders to pay the proper postage in future to avoid their mail being held until the recipient pays the extra charges. Fee collection is necessary for Royal Mail to sustain its universal postal service.
In Summary: Key Points on Royal Mail Fee to Pay Cards
- A “fee to pay” card means insufficient postage was paid by the sender for delivery of your mail item.
- The recipient is responsible for paying the postal fee, not the sender.
- Fees can be paid online, at the Post Office or Royal Mail delivery office.
- The card will specify the amount due based on underpaid postage.
- Watch out for scams demanding payment – only pay fees through official Royal Mail channels.
- Fee collection allows Royal Mail to cover costs when senders underpay postage.
Hopefully this clears up what those “fee to pay” cards mean and who needs to pay the fee. While annoying to have to cover sender’s mistakes, paying any due postal fees allows you to receive your mail safely and supports Royal Mail’s delivery operations. Now you can approach any grey Royal Mail cards through your door with confidence!
