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Getting your mail redirected by Royal Mail

Nov 21, 2017
Getting your mail redirected by Royal Mail
When you move house, one of the most important jobs is informing your friends, family, companies and organisations when and where you are moving, so that they don’t send post to your old address once you have.
This article outlines how and why you should get your mail redirected by the Royal Mail when you move home, whether you choose to do it online, in store or via post.

Why does this matter?

If you don’t change your address, you might be leaving yourself open to identity theft if the new owners open post that’s addressed to you containing cash, credit cards or cheques. You could also miss out on important notifications, for instance, if something you’ve bought is recalled or needs a new part fitting.

Royal Mail can help

To save yourself from having to contact everyone in the short term, or to make sure that no one slips through the net, you can sign up for Royal Mail’s redirection service. How much you’ll have to pay depends on the number of surnames in your household, how long you want the redirection to last, and whether you’re staying within the UK or moving abroad. However much it costs, it can be a small price to pay for your peace of mind.

How to apply

You can set up your redirection online, by post, or by visiting a Post Office, up to three months in advance, so you can do it as soon as you know what day you’ll be completing. The minimum amount of notice you can give is five working days, but ideally the Royal Mail recommends you apply four weeks before to make sure that it’s in place in time. You’ll have to be able to give both your current address and new address, including the postcodes, as well as the surnames and date of births of everyone who needs their mail redirected. If you’re married, but still receive some post in your maiden name, you’ll have to put down both surnames to make sure that all of your post gets redirected to your new address. The easiest way to apply is online, as the registered address of the debit or credit card you use to pay for the service, is used for proof of address.

Already moved?

If you’ve already moved home, but want to set up a redirection, this is possible as long as six months haven’t passed since you got your keys. You can apply online, by post, or by visiting a Post Office.

How long can a redirection last?

Initially, you have the option of choosing for your redirection to last three, six or twelve months, but you will later be offered the option to renew. A redirection should be a seen as a temporary measure, and when you receive post via the redirection, you should contact the sender to let them know of your change of address. If you do this, by the time your redirection is due to expire, you will no longer need it. For more moving house advice look at our advice and inspiration articles. 

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