Q: The Royal Mail has stopped delivering letters to my address and claim that they are able to terminate their service. I have had a few disagreements with our usual postman over the fact that he says my dog is dangerous and scary (Barley is miniature poodle of a calm temperament) and so this wasn’t completely out of the blue. But surely they cannot do this?
A: The Royal Mail, under its universal service obligation, has a responsibility to deliver mail to every UK address on every working day. The introduction of the Postal Services Act 2011 sought to ensure this universal service. However, many people ask, “Can Royal Mail refuse to deliver your post?” and the answer is yes, in specific circumstances.
Royal Mail say they are extremely reliant upon their frontline staff who will inevitably face challenges whilst on their rounds and will only be expected to make reasonable and practical efforts to deliver the mail. This means there can be exceptions to the universal service obligations. Delivery may, for example, be impossible due to certain location or access conditions of an address, or if an address is considered unsafe or may pose a risk to its staff. In such cases, Royal Mail may refuse delivery, either temporarily or permanently, if they believe that continuing the service places their staff at risk.
As you can appreciate, safety of staff is extremely important and, on average, seven postmen and women are attacked by dogs each day. Therefore, they consider it to be reasonable to prevent delivery where a dog is considered dangerous, and they can terminate your deliveries should they think it is necessary. So, if you're wondering, “Can Royal Mail refuse to deliver if they feel threatened?”, the answer is yes, under their health and safety policy. It is not uncommon for Royal Mail to suspend delivery to properties where repeated risks have been reported.
You may need to collect your mail until you find a solution, perhaps by attaching a metal box around your post box, placing a mailbox on the edge of your property, or simply by keeping your dog away from the box during the delivery time. This is a practical short-term fix if Royal Mail is not delivering to your address due to concerns raised by your postman or the local depot.
You may wish to appeal the decision to suspend delivery of your mail or alternatively seek specialist advice on the area. Challenging the decision involves contacting Royal Mail Customer Services in writing, asking for a review of the situation, and proposing reasonable solutions. If you're facing continued disruption, it may also help to obtain third-party support, especially in complex neighbour-related access disputes or ongoing safety concerns.
If you would like to speak to someone about this or any other legal matter, book an appointment by visiting GHP Legal or contacting one of our offices:
Email: wrexham@ghplegal.com
Phone: 01978 291456
Email: llangollen@ghplegal.com
Phone: 01978 860313
Email: oswestry@ghplegal.com
Phone: 01691 659194
