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My mail arrived damaged - what should I do?
We apologise if you’ve received damaged mail. We do all we can to keep your deliveries safe and secure but if something has gone wrong, we’re here to help.
How was your mail damaged?
The item was not packaged correctly
Sometimes packaging is of poor quality or the wrong size and this can result in damage to your item. If we spot a damaged item we'll place it in a Royal Mail bag to try and prevent further damage. To minimise the risk of this happening in the future, please read our wrapping and packaging advice.
We provide a range of water-proof delivery equipment to help protect your mail. However, adverse weather conditions can sometimes cause damage. If your mail frequently arrives damaged from the rain, please let us know by visiting our contact us page and we'll try to prevent it happening in the future.
If it looks as if your mail has been opened, this may be due to machine damage. However, please check to see if anything is missing. We take the security of your mail seriously so let us know if you think your mail has been tampered with. In addition, please keep the envelope, as it may be needed during our investigation.
How to claim for a damaged item
If you’re the sender of the item you can claim for damage online here.
Please note that we can't accept claims for the following items:
- Banknotes, cheques and coins, tickets, vouchers and high value items - unless sent using Special Delivery Guaranteed®
- Mail containing prohibited or restricted items
If you didn't buy the postage from us or you're not sure how the postage was paid, you should contact the sender of the item to confirm this or make a claim on your behalf.
See full details of Royal Mail’s Compensation Policy for Damage.
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