Post Rates from 6 April 2009

A PFD file of the Royal Mail's prices can be downloaded here.

As you will see from the list, there is the potential to make substantial savings by using A5 envelopes instead of A4 - 15p per letter. (One department recently used envelopes that were LARGER than A4, for 3 pieces of paper, because this classified them as "packets", it cost them an extra 84p per item!)

Sending Cash/Valuables in Post

Staff are advised that under no circumstances are they to place any items of cash or valuables in the post systems.

Suspect parcels

From time to time there are news reports of suspects parcels received in the post.

I have listed below indicators that might give cause for concern when you are handling the post:

• It is unexpected or of unusual origin or from an unfamiliar sender.
• There is no return address or the address cannot be verified.
• It is poorly or inaccurately addressed, e.g. incorrect title, spelt wrongly, title but no name or addressed to an individual no longer with the company the address has been printed unevenly or in an unusual way the writing is in an unfamiliar or unusual style.
• There are unusual postmarks or postage paid marks.
• A Jiffy bag, or similar padded envelope, has been used
• It seems unusually heavy for its size. Most letters weigh up to about 30g, whereas most effective letter bombs weigh 50–100g and are 5mm or more thick.
• It has more than the appropriate value of stamps for its size and weight
• It is marked ‘personal’ or ‘confidential’
• It is oddly shaped or lopsided
• The envelope flap is stuck down completely (a normal letter usually has an ungummed gap of 35mm at the corners)
• There is a pin-sized hole in the envelope or package wrapping
• There is any unusual smell, including but not restricted to almonds, ammonia or marzipan
• It has greasy or oily stains on the envelope
• There is an additional inner envelope and it is tightly taped or tied (however, in some organisations sensitive material is sent in double envelopes as standard procedure).

If there are any doubts at all that a postal item(s) is suspect, CALL SECURITY CONTROL CENTRE (Gatehouse) on EXT 22083.

Brendan

Using your DHL account

Please click here to learn how to use the DHL service, and to download tariff guides etc.

Sameday Courier Items

If you have an item which needs to be delivered on the same day it is posted, DO NOT put it in the internal system, nor book in with DHL. You need to phone the postroom on 22780, or 22776, and speak to Andi or Brendan to arrange collection from you by our Sameday couriers, On The Dot. You will also need to confirm the details in an email addressed to the postroom, details on our contact page. We need the sender's name, room and telephone numbers, the same details for the recipient, your stamp number, and the delivery deadline.

Royal Mail Special Delivery

Royal Mail Special Delivery will guaranteed your mail for either 1:00 pm, or 9:00 am next working day. A maximum weight of 2 kilos applies to the 9:00 am service. Please write on the envelope in the top left corner, either "RMSD" or "RMSD - 9:00 am"

There is also a Saturday Delivery option, for mail sent on Fridays, this is charged at £2.00 extra per item. Please write on the envelope "RMSD - Saturday Delivery".

Send the item with your normal post, but keep it separate from the rest of your mail, not in any bundles so it can be easily seen.

If you regularly send many items using either "RMSD" or "Recorded Delivery", please ring the postroom; we can send you a roll of labels and a record book, so that you may keep a handy record of your shipments.

The service is a lot cheaper than using courier services, and the reliability of this service should outperform all other courier services.

Compensation options up to £2,500 for loss or damage is available in addition there is optional consequential loss compensation available also.

For information about this service please contact the postroom and speak to either Andi or Brendan.

International Mail

We can send international letters and parcels from University Departments at a fraction of the normal cost, due to our bulk-buying power!Please note that ALL AIRMAIL needs to have your departmental stamp number on the front, of the envelope. NOT JUST THE FIRST ENVELOPE.

Warwick HRI (Wellesbourne) and Clinical Sciences, Walsgrave

These are internal post destinations. We deliver to HRI on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; and every day to Walsgrave. The van leaves Westwood at 9:00 am. Please put envelopes in the internal mail, we will keep them together until the next delivery. Please note that only mail for Clinical Sciences is internal, NOT the rest of the hospital, which should be fully addressed for Royal Mail to deliver.

'Banding Post'

The postroom staff at the Westwood Postroom handle all of the University's Domestic and International post. In addition all of the internal mail is handled and sent to the departments. The sortation process commences every day at 06:30, and the mail is all delivered by 16:00 each day.

In order to make the above process run smoothly please bundle with elastic bands into first class, second class, Special Delivery, internal, and International Mail. Please do not mix, this assists the postroom staff. Any international items which are mixed with UK mail, may be franked at UK rates, and therefore returned or delayed, and also surcharged.

If you require elastic bands contact the postroom on extension 22780.

Commonly asked question.

We are asked on a daily basis 'Do you keep post in the postroom?'
Answer 'No'

All post both internal from departments and that delivered by the Royal Mail to the postroom is processed on the same day and delivered that day.

We handle in excess of 2 tons of post every day, we quite simply do not possess the capacity to store.

However, we occasionally recieve items without a full address, simply a name. In this case we will look on the University's e-mail database and re-direct to the department indicated. If there is no record of the person, the item will be "returned to sender".

Outside bodies

If you encounter any problems with postal deliveries we will make every effort to help.

Please contact either Andï or Brendan.

How to Find a Package You Are Waiting For!

If you are a student, try the Students' Post Room first!  Telephone 22098.

If you have a Royal Mail tracking number, try our Tracking page, the shortcut from a computer on the campus network is go/tracking, or from outside the University, http://go.warwick.ac.uk/tracking.

Other useful contact are listed in the right-hand column.

Contact Details

Main Post Room,
The University of Warwick,
Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK

Tel: 024 765 22780
Fax: 024 765 74022