Consumer information

Current issues

‘Sorry you were out’ cards

When Royal Mail cannot deliver an item to your door (because it was too large to be posted through your letterbox, or nobody was available to sign for it) the postal worker will leave a ‘sorry, you were out’ (P739) card. This card explains why Royal Mail was unable to deliver the item, and tells you how to arrange redelivery or collection.

Consumer Focus’s 2009 omnibus survey revealed that 55 per cent of consumers had received one of these cards while they were at home to receive the item during the 12 months prior to the survey. Nearly a quarter (23 per cent) reported that this had happened at least three times.

‘Sorry, you were out’ cards should only be left after delivery of the mail item has been attempted. It is unacceptable for a card to be left without attempting delivery of the mail item. If this happens to you, you should complain to Royal Mail (see our How to complain section).