Royal Mail is to begin trials this week of its controversial “Delivery to Neighbour” scheme, in which parcels will be left next door if a recipient is not at home.
The company is running the trial in select areas across the UK, including Bolton, Wigan, Edinburgh, Hull, Gatwick, Norwich and Swansea. It covers nearly 750,000 addresses, 1,406 delivery rounds, and runs until February 25, 2012.
When the plan was first revealed, more than half of those surveyed were “unconvinced and unimpressed” by the proposal. The postal operator managed to allay some fears by introducing an opt-out clause.
On the trial, when a mail carrier cannot fit an item into a residential letterbox and the addressee is not home, they will choose a neighbour in close proximity to ask if they will look after the package. The intended recipient will then receive a notification card with details of where the parcel can be collected.
The service will not apply to special delivery mail or international post requiring a signature, but will include Royal Mail’s recorded delivery service. For domestic mail requiring a signature, the neighbour will sign for the package, and if no neighbour is available the item will return to the Delivery Office as usual.
Royal Mail said if any items get lost or damaged when left with a neighbour, intended recipients will be able to claim for compensation.
Robert Hammond, director of postal policy at Consumer Focus said the organisation welcomed the trial. He said: “Customers in these areas have been notified that the trial is taking place, and many may see this new approach as convenient. People who don’t want to take part have been offered the chance to opt out.”
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