Sending mail
Applies to Account Holding Customers only
Postal Services is responsible for handling all outgoing University mail. We offer a full range of services, from posting a single letter to sending multiple packages internationally by courier, and we have access to nationally negotiated discounts on many of these services. To get an idea of the cost of sending an item, you can request a quote using our online form.
All items we receive will leave the University on the day we receive them provided they have been prepared as described below.
Important courier service information
Since April 2017 the University's courier service suppliers (DHL and Parcelforce) have been required by UK's Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) in respect of 'Denied Parties' legislation to check sender and receiver details against a government database. To this end, we are required by the carriers to supply the full names and email addresses of senders and receivers of all qualifying items.
Courier companies now refuse to accept items destined for a PO Box address, particularly overseas. If there is no alternative address you will have to use basic mail services for these addresses.
How to send external mail
We will only collect and process mail that arrives in the post room in one of our black or green pouches; with a Service/Reference Request sticker; or with mailing docket. Use the docket when you can't fit mail in a pouch, when your pouches are missing, or when we have been asked you to keep something separate from your pouches. Please do this regardless of any other system you currently use to identify your mail. You can print off
a copy of the Mailing Docket whenever you need one, request copies via the or by contacting us at postroom@reaAing.ac.uk or on +44 (0)118 378 6530.
If you don't have pouches or service request labels, you will need to set up a postal account. Please email postroom@reading.ac.uk to begin the process.
Our van collection rounds are designed to accommodate many customer requirements, which is, necessarily, a complex compromise. We can't collect as late as many locations might like but we prioritise collections as late as possible from sites that are furthest from our mail processing base in Whiteknights House. Departments with earlier collections tend to be closer to us, from where it is easier to bring urgent and late items to us on foot.
Hand delivered items can be processed up to 4.30pm but we recommend you bring complex to handle items (any tracked service for example) before 3.30pm. If we receive a lot of these late, we may not be able to process all of them before Royal Mail collect. DHL and Parcel Force items should also be brought before 2.30pm as these carriers collect earlier. Phone 6530 before bringing last minute items to check if the carriers have already collected.
General instructions
You can use Postal Services green or black pouches for any type of mail. It is OK to mix mail classes and types across both pouches but please bundle the types together within each pouch. You don't have to send both pouches.
If you are uncertain of the pouch arrangement in your area contact us at postroom@reading.ac.uk or ask your School Finance Officer
Please check the 'Meeting non-UK customs requirements' section below for further details when sending anything other than documents outside the UK.
There are essentially 5 types of mail that we process/handle on your behalf, some require pre-preparation by you:
non-UK mail (not signed or tracked)