URGENT - Mail Redirection from the UK - Royal Mail/ukpost.com/myukpost.com - Which one to choose? HELP!! | ExpatWoman.com
 

URGENT - Mail Redirection from the UK - Royal Mail/ukpost.com/myukpost.com - Which one to choose? HELP!!

20
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 07 February 2013 - 01:08

Hi Ladies

URGENT HELP NEEDED!!!

I am scheduled to move to Doha next month for work and am trying to establish what the best and reliable method is for mail redirection from the UK.

Royal Mail - are they reliable?
ukpost.com and myukpost.com - anyone using either of these companies? Are they reliable? They both offer a scanning service but am nervous about a complete stranger having access to letters with sensitive info such as banking/credit card/mortgage info.

We don't want to rely on family as we'd probably not receive anything in a timely manner and plus it's far too much to put on them so have not option but to have our mail forwarded on to us in Doha.

Any advise, guidance, experiences, suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

Sheba123

75
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 15 February 2013 - 13:46
Royal Mail stopped the redirection to our PO Box after 2 years as well and that was in Aug 2011. Have just had a detailed look at their website and it appears that the 2 year rule only applies if you are redirecting to a PO Box. I can't see anywhere that there is a time limit if you are redirecting to an actual address. This would explain why some people have had redirections for longer.
2725
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 15 February 2013 - 13:21
As of last April as far as I am aware, Royal Mail only let you redirect for 2 years max, as I received a letter informing me that I can no longer redirect from the original address.
75
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 14 February 2013 - 12:43
Hi ladies, Sheba124, unless Royal Mail have changed their policy, I have been redirecting my post to my family since July 2010 when I left, so that is into my third year now. My understanding is that it is three years that they will do it for. Post is particularly difficult here, and as others have said hit and miss (whether sending it From here, or getting it to here...) Two options; Family to scan and send, and then pick up anything when back on leave, or if you know someone who is going UK side on a regular basis (colleague/friend) get stuff sent to theirs, and then they will hopefully be happy to bring it out to you unopened!!
20
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 14 February 2013 - 01:57
Icebabe1 - thanks again for the tips. I have established that my mail from the UK will be sent to my office address in Doha. I think I'll use the UKPost.com or myukpost.com option to forward on mail, research has shown that Royal Mail redirection cannot exceed 2yrs. Cheers again!!
21
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 10 February 2013 - 15:06
we done two things - we redirected our post via Royal Mail - this worked well. However, the direction was to family in the UK - who scanned and emailed important documents. The other thing we done was change our postal address for banks, credit cards etc to that family member. All our utility bills we changed to e-bill. However this was only for a short time as we rented our house out and the tenant was responsible for paying the utlities.
20
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 08 February 2013 - 02:55
Ladies Many thanks for the replies and feedback. Forgot to say: 1) Yes we are renting out our home 2) We have no family we can rely upon to assist. From what you all say then in summary - as long as I have a PO Box or my work address, the deliveries should be fine as long as don't expect mail to be delivered to my apartment? hiccups - your are right, most of our bills, utilities, credit cards, mortgage, etc are paid online - we do however receive annual mortgage statements, etc, via mail. I have everything else in hand with regards to the move and am "slightly" panicking about this one particular issue so apologies for asking for further info/clarification. Thanks so much!!! Sheba123
46
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 07 February 2013 - 14:25
Oh, and forgot to say, you can change your address with a few of the U.K utility companies to your P.O box here if needed and cut having redirection for years.
676
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EW GURU
Latest post on 07 February 2013 - 09:21
Sheba the problem is not with Royal Mail, it is on this end. There is no mail delivery here, only PO Boxes.
46
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 07 February 2013 - 08:59
Hi Sheba, Post from the U.K to the Gulf seems to be a bit hit and miss but I have a feeling the miss might be on this side... When we moved to Bahrain two years ago we redirected our mail with Royal Mail, took three months for us to get the first set of post but then worked fine, we didn't have a P.O box which I suspect was part of the problem as the Gulf countries tend to get their mail to P.O boxes rather than your home address. When we moved again I just changed the address of all important stuff, bank correspondence etc to my mum's, when anything important comes through they just scan and email to me. Hope that is a tiny help :-)
234
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 07 February 2013 - 01:57
Sheba, are you leaving your UK address empty with friends and family checking it so mail stacking up is not such a prob, or renting it out so don't want your mail going there? I have no experience of Royal Mail redirection to ME (but good results in many other countries) when I first left UK 20+ yrs ago and rented out my main postal address I had a local UK redirection to my office who then sent a monthly DHL bag to wherever I was, that worked fine back in the day. I've also had international redirections (again fine but not in ME) I now survive on most things can be done online, utilities, council tax, banking, credit cards, insurance, etc Things I really want/need you'll find friends and family will step up to the mark eg annual stuff - bills will find you wherever you are! Sorry not much help to you I know, just a thought