Setting up forwarding address from the UK

[RickG16]

I want to do this as it will save me a lot of hassle - I assumed through the Post Office would be the most reliable way of doing this, since they handle the post?

 

They are quoting 66 quid for a year. 

 

Does anyone know of a way I can do this cheaper? And if not will the Post Office will send overseas by recorded delivery?

 

Cheers

[grollies]

Before I moved here the post office in the UK quoted me £400 per year to forward mail to Thailand so £66 is a bargin.

[AbeSurd]

Royal Mail's 66 GBP charge is for mail redirection from one UK address to another UK address for a year.

 

From the UK to Thailand for a year it's 243.99 GBP.

 

Google 'royal mail redirection'.

[RichCor]

Unless you're receiving goods, I'd suggest finding a service that opens/scans to .pdf any posts and only emails them on then hold, bin, or forward upon reply to email receipt.

 

A small portion of the stuff that initially was forwarded to me here never actually makes it. So now I have everything scanned to .pdf and held in case I need it sent on (to me or someone else such as my tax accountant). Usually the only thing I have actually forwarded are the useful credit/debit cards.

[RickG16]

1 hour ago, AbeSurd said:

Royal Mail's 66 GBP charge is for mail redirection from one UK address to another UK address for a year.

 

From the UK to Thailand for a year it's 243.99 GBP.

 

Google 'royal mail redirection'.

 

Cheers -  yup, looked into further and this is correct, and if it was sent by normal post it gets forwarded on by normal post, so no guarantee of it arriving. 

[RickG16]

46 minutes ago, RichCor said:

Unless you're receiving goods, I'd suggest finding a service that opens/scans to .pdf any posts and only emails them on then hold, bin, or forward upon reply to email receipt.

 

A small portion of the stuff that initially was forwarded to me here never actually makes it. So now I have everything scanned to .pdf and held in case I need it sent on (to me or someone else such as my tax accountant). Usually the only thing I have actually forwarded are the useful credit/debit cards.

Thanks - do you know of such a service?

[skorts]

I have used U.K. Post Box for the last 18 months.

 

https://www.ukpostbox.com/

 

Service is great and never hand any issues. Really quick and helpful support team either via on-line chat or email. 

 

They offer different plans depending on your expected volume of post. I started off on the Lite Plan - includes 35 items of post received and 35 Pages scanned (1st Page) per month. You then decide whether to have the rest scanned. Sometimes you can see from the envelope scan and decide to shred.  Costs £119.40 (plus VAT) for 12 months. 

 

Now on PAYG as level of U.K. post has dropped and more cost effective. 60 p per item received and 90p for each page scanned. Both plus VAT. 

 

You can avoid the VAT by providing them with proof of your Thailand address etc. 

 

Items, once scanned, can be emailed to you which is which is a useful facility. 

 

Works really well as post re-directed by Royal Mail to U.K. Post box at their Poole address. 

 

Now you can renew an annual Royal Mail re-direction for up to 4 years a long term solution. 

 

Might not be the cheapest way to get your post but being able to access your post on-line anywhere in the world makes it worth it. 

 

 

 

 

[AbeSurd]

1 hour ago, skorts said:

Works really well as post re-directed by Royal Mail to U.K. Post box at their Poole address.

 

Can you explain? Are/were you having mail redirected by Royal Mail from your UK home address to UK Postbox Ltd in Poole?

 

In which case the cost of the Royal Mail redirection needs to be added to the costs you give above?

[Bannoi]

I used to use boatmail.co.uk/ always found them very good and reliable also the cheapest especially if you don't have a lot of mail that needs forwarding the pay as you go is free just deposit £25 to cover postage.

 

You get a UK residential address which helps as well.

[AbeSurd]

There's also this company. Haven't used them myself:

https://www.mbe.co.uk/

 

Of course using services like this can involve having strangers read your mail

[Sumarianson]

I am so lucky, I have a friend that has been doing all that for me for 5 years for free. No sending just scan. 

Don't you guys have family and friends who would do the odd letter? 

If you still have a business or a lot of mail i'd understand.

[RickG16]

2 hours ago, Bannoi said:

I used to use boatmail.co.uk/ always found them very good and reliable also the cheapest especially if you don't have a lot of mail that needs forwarding the pay as you go is free just deposit £25 to cover postage.

 

You get a UK residential address which helps as well.

This is great, but I guess you need to factor in the Post Office redirection fee? Unless you changed your address on everything?

 

Cheers

[jerry921]

My advice, fwiw. I'm not from UK, but it's basically the same in the US, except we socialize the cost of domestic mail forwarding.

 

You should change your address on everything to the mail service that you choose. You can pay for an initial period of royal post domestic forwarding to catch anything you missed, then drop it. Bear in mind there are important things that only come once a year.

 

If you are planning a move overseas in the next year, you can set up the mail service immediately and get started on changing addresses while you still live at the old address. That will enable you to reduce the amount of time you pay for royal post forwarding after you move.

 

Don't neglect to change "home" addresses for things where you have "gone paperless".

[sandyf]

On 2/15/2018 at 9:31 AM, skorts said:

I have used U.K. Post Box for the last 18 months.

 

https://www.ukpostbox.com/

 

Service is great and never hand any issues. Really quick and helpful support team either via on-line chat or email. 

 

They offer different plans depending on your expected volume of post. I started off on the Lite Plan - includes 35 items of post received and 35 Pages scanned (1st Page) per month. You then decide whether to have the rest scanned. Sometimes you can see from the envelope scan and decide to shred.  Costs £119.40 (plus VAT) for 12 months. 

 

Now on PAYG as level of U.K. post has dropped and more cost effective. 60 p per item received and 90p for each page scanned. Both plus VAT. 

 

You can avoid the VAT by providing them with proof of your Thailand address etc. 

 

Items, once scanned, can be emailed to you which is which is a useful facility. 

 

Works really well as post re-directed by Royal Mail to U.K. Post box at their Poole address. 

 

Now you can renew an annual Royal Mail re-direction for up to 4 years a long term solution. 

 

Might not be the cheapest way to get your post but being able to access your post on-line anywhere in the world makes it worth it. 

 

 

 

 

I have been using this service for about 6 years now and I also have their residential address facility, as some entities will not send to a PO box number. The amount of mail I get doesn't make it a cheap option but the service and convenience outways that by a long way.

Three years ago I took British Airways and their agent to the small claims court, something I couldn't have done without that sort of service.

The only problem I have encountered was when L&G sent out a life certificate which had to be signed for by the addressee but that was quickly resolved.

Anything I need to keep I have put in the Physical Store and then about once a year I have it sent to my son's home and I pick it up from there.

Its a good long term solution.

[skorts]

Completely agree. Only issue we have had was when someone sent my wife a birthday cake forgetting we were not in the U.K. The parcel got re-directed correctly by Royal Mail. Not an easy thing to scan but the staff at U.K. Post Box enjoyed eating it!


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