News and press releases

• Royal Mail’s trial of a new initiative to make it easier for people who are not at home during the day to receive deliveries has been a success
• Royal Mail is the only major delivery company currently not allowed to deliver to a neighbour as part of standard practice
• 92% of people* whose items were delivered to a neighbouring address because they were not at home during the day were satisfied with the experience
• 90% of people* who received items on behalf of a neighbour who was not at home when delivery was attempted were satisfied with the experience
• Approximately 748,000 homes in Edinburgh, Gatwick North, Hull, Norwich, Swansea East, Wigan and Bolton took part in the trial which started in November 2011
• Royal Mail welcomes Consumer Focus research which also found delivery convenience was improved for customers
• Royal Mail is now asking Ofcom to amend the regulatory arrangements which will allow us to extend Delivery to Neighbour across the UK later this year

The trial, which was approved by the regulator following a public consultation, is part of a process of bringing Royal Mail’s terms and conditions more in line with other delivery companies.  

It allowed Royal Mail to deliver items to a neighbouring address in trial areas if no one was at home. Currently, Royal Mail is the only major delivery company not allowed to deliver to a neighbour as part of its standard practice. 

Feedback from households in the trial areas revealed that 92% of customers whose item was left with a neighbour were satisfied with the overall experience. 90% of neighbours who accepted an item expressed overall satisfaction.

When questioned about their reasons for satisfaction, convenience and ease were top of the list. Royal Mail has written to Ofcom requesting that it amends the regulatory arrangements to allow us to extend Delivery to Neighbour across the UK later this year. 

Royal Mail welcomed research by Consumer Focus which also found that delivery convenience was improved for people whose undeliverable post was left with a neighbour as part of the trial.

Its report, Everybody Needs Good Neighbours, said: “Both recipients and neighbours reported that items were collected quickly and conveniently, with no reports of loss or damage. Almost all consumers involved believed they had benefitted from the delivery to neighbour trial.” 

The trial was launched in November 2011 in Edinburgh, Gatwick North, Hull, Norwich, Swansea East, Wigan and Bolton. Approximately 748,000 households were involved in the trial and around 220,000 items were successfully delivered to a neighbour during the trial period. 

Royal Mail wrote to every address in the trial areas informing customers of the initiative and giving them the opportunity to opt-out if they wanted to. During the trial less than 1% of households requested an opt-out. 

Mike Newnham, Royal Mail’s Chief Customer Officer, said: “The results of the trial have been very encouraging. Customers welcome the convenience of having items delivered to a neighbour if they are not at home to receive them.

Royal Mail is now seeking regulatory changes to allow us to extend Delivery to Neighbour across the UK for the benefit of customers.”

Changes to the regulatory arrangements to allow the introduction of Delivery to Neighbour by Royal Mail across the UK would be subject to a public consultation by Ofcom.

Once agreed, Royal Mail would write to every address providing information about the initiative, including details of how they can opt-out if they want to.

Ends

For further information contact:

Akudo Ike on 020 74414269 or 07725 447937

         Notes to editors:

*The research of 720 customers was carried out between 12 January and 9 February 2012 by Illuminas. Findings of the trial can be found at www.royalmailgroup.com/regulation/regulation-framework

Special Delivery and inbound international items requiring a signature were excluded from the trial.