Royal Mail Parcel Weight

[JessUK98]

I've just done an online postage label for a parcel. I used mechanical scales and it said 2kg. So I selected small parcel, which has a max weight of 2kg. I've dropped my item off at the garage "post office" and was just looking at the receipt I was given as proof of postage and the weight on that says 2.043 kg.
Is this going to cause me problems? I would have hoped that the staff member would have been notified that the delivery method was not adequate and given me the option to make up the cost of the extra postage otherwise, or is this out of their remit?

Ty,

Jess

[chas49]

An article on another forum suggests you will be safe:

Royal Mail does not apply a surcharge to items where it is evident that
they were priced and posted at a Post Office outlet, as the customer has
been charged in good faith by an accredited agent of Royal Mail.

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/ ... ght_limits

EDIT: Just realised you priced it yourself - but I would assume that the checking into the system would be treated in the same way

[pje16]

presumably your scales are accurate?

[BullDog]

I think there must be an allowable tolerance on weight before the Post Office asks for more money. I have been asked just once for more money when I have self weighed and printed a postage label. So, it does happen. But within bounds I suspect there's no charge made.

[JessUK98]

presumably your scales are accurate?

Well I put a 1.1 kg dumbell on them and it showed as 1.1 kg so I’m presuming they aren’t totally out. It shows increments of 100g on the scales though being mechanical rather than digital.

[pje16]

ok thanks
I wouldn't have thought 0.043 kg would cause much of a problem

[AF62]

From the link posted by chas49

You requested "the tolerance around weight limits of posted items, as
applied by the Revenue Protection arm of Royal Mail.”

I am unable to either confirm or deny that Royal Mail holds information
falling within the scope of this request. To confirm or deny the existence
of any such tolerance would be likely to result in an increase in mail on
which postage was underpaid. This would prejudice Royal Mail’s commercial
interests and the exemption under section 43 of the Freedom of Information
Act therefore applies.

So there might be a tolerance which this falls in or there might not be.

Do you feel lucky…

[jfgw]

From the link posted by chas49

You requested "the tolerance around weight limits of posted items, as
applied by the Revenue Protection arm of Royal Mail.”

I am unable to either confirm or deny that Royal Mail holds information
falling within the scope of this request. To confirm or deny the existence
of any such tolerance would be likely to result in an increase in mail on
which postage was underpaid. This would prejudice Royal Mail’s commercial
interests and the exemption under section 43 of the Freedom of Information
Act therefore applies.

So there might be a tolerance which this falls in or there might not be.

Do you feel lucky…

I would expect Royal Mail to hold the information!

If disclosure of such information would be likely to result in an increase in underpaid postage, there must be some tolerance. The question is, how much tolerance?


Julian F. G. W.

[AF62]

From the link posted by chas49

You requested "the tolerance around weight limits of posted items, as
applied by the Revenue Protection arm of Royal Mail.”

I am unable to either confirm or deny that Royal Mail holds information
falling within the scope of this request. To confirm or deny the existence
of any such tolerance would be likely to result in an increase in mail on
which postage was underpaid. This would prejudice Royal Mail’s commercial
interests and the exemption under section 43 of the Freedom of Information
Act therefore applies.

So there might be a tolerance which this falls in or there might not be.

Do you feel lucky…

I would expect Royal Mail to hold the information!

If disclosure of such information would be likely to result in an increase in underpaid postage, there must be some tolerance. The question is, how much tolerance?


Julian F. G. W.

Of course Royal Mail hold the information - but they are not saying whether there is a tolerance or not because if they did say the tolerance is (say) 10% then people with a package slightly over the weight band would pay the lower rate.

So is the tolerance zero - probably not because that would generate lots of arguments, but is it 5%, 10%, or whatever - well the people who know aren’t saying.

[redsturgeon]

Surely once the parcel has been weighed and accepted at the Post Office then it will not be weighed again. So all should be fine.

John

[88V8]

RM don't have time to worry about trivial weight variances.
Nor do couriers.
Unless you are really taking the pee you will be fine.

V8

[chas49]

Moderator Message:
In the spirit of DAK, can we limit further responses to direct answers please and not further extended discussion. Thanks (chas49)

[JessUK98]

To update - the parcel was delivered without incident.

[john10001]

I don't think they have a tolerance on dimensions. I once got something weighted and measured in the post office. They put it through their special thing to see if it would fit and it did. Despite that, it got one of those underpaid postage things to the person I sent it to.

They were never able to collect it because they were ill for a few months at the time with some sort of fever after coming back from holiday in Morocco. This was several years ago. So I wasted all that money on the item I sent them and the postage which was correctly measured and weighed in a major post office of a big city. I sometimes hate Royal Mail.