More help and Information about Franking
- Making sure the prices are correct in your equipment at all times
- Ordering your essentials - bags, trays, outer envelopes, ink
- What should I do if I make a mistake when franking my mail?
- Your Franking Machine - technical Issues and posting during breakdown
- Prices, Products, Tariff
- Money – VAT claims, re-crediting, refunds and end of machine leases
- Easy printable posters to help you prepare your mail for posting or collection
- License and Royal Mail Legal Scheme for Franking Letters and Parcels 2008
- If you have received a letter from Royal Mail about Franking
- Daily updates on our service around the country
1. Making sure the prices are correct in your equipment at all times
The Royal Mail Scheme for Franking Letters and Parcels 2008 states in section 7.2 that you must have the correct prices in your equipment at all times. Please contact your manufacturer or supplier to ensure you update your machine with a tariff chip or price download ready for the new prices from 30th April 2012.
2. Ordering your essentials - bags, trays, outer envelopes, ink
Where can I order Low Volume Posting Envelopes? - You can order these from Royal Mail approved manufacturers and suppliers
Low volume posting envelopes can be posted in any Royal Mail post box and the envelope must be clearly marked “franked mail”. You can use up to two low volume posting envelopes per day with a maximum of thirty items in each.
Where can I order labels and ink cartridges for my franking machine? - You can order labels from any of the Royal Mail approved manufacturers and suppliers
You are free to chose who you wish to purchase your cartridges from, however check with your supplier that they can confirm that they supply cartridges containing Royal Mail approved red ink. If you are using our Cleamail® products you need to use blue ink. Please contact your machine supplier/manufacturer for more details.
The companies listed below are approved to supply Royal Mail red ink:
Essex
Pitney Bowes Ltd
Elizabeth Way,
The Pinnacles,
Harlow
CM19 5BD
Tel: 08705 252 525
Neopost Ltd
South Street,
Romford
RM1 2AR
Tel: 0800 515 297
Kent
Francotyp Postalia
LakesideHouse,
74 Questor,
Powdermill Lane,
Dartford
DA1 1EF
Tel: 0500 223 563
Hertfordshire
Frama UK Ltd
15 Limes Court,
High Street,
Hoddesdon
EN11 8EP
Tel: 01992 451 125
Cumbria
Totalpost Services Plc.
1 Skelgillside,
Alston,
Cumbria
CA9 3TR
Tel: 01434 381182
Fax: 01434 382035
Where can I order other mail supplies? You can order more red and green franked mail pouches, bags and labels free of charge by visiting the online mail supplies page or calling the Royal Mail stationery and stores department on 08457 950950
3. What should I do if I make a mistake when franking my mail?
Wrong date
If you frank your mail with the wrong date, you just need to put a line through the incorrect date in black ink, then change the date on your franking machine and set the postage to £0.00.
You then re-frank the envelope with the correct date on the reverse. Alternatively, frank a label with zero postage and the correct date and place it on the envelope to the left of the original impression, covering the incorrect date but not the postage paid.
Missed last post
If you miss the last post or collection time and your mail is already franked, please re-frank your post with the following day’s date. If the mail is not urgent, you can hold on to the items and post them the next day.
Your alternative is to use a late posting envelope which are available from your machine supplier. You are however limited to using one late posting envelope each day with a limit of thirty letters. The advantage is that that they can be posted in any Royal Mail post box. Please bear in mind that if you post after the last collection time the mail will be processed the next day. If you miss the last posting time, please re-frank your post with the following day’s date. If the mail is not urgent, you can hold on to the items and post them the next day.
Too little postage
Did you not pay enough postage, add another impression with the necessary amount to the bottom left hand corner, franking the shorter edge of the envelope or frank a label with the extra amount and place it on the envelope to the left of the original impression.
Too much postage
If you spot that you have franked your mail with too much postage, do not post the item. Remove the contents and start again with a new envelope. Send any unused prints to Royal Mail and as long as the total claim is for at least £10.00 and all the impressions are clear and readable and made within six months of the date you will get a refund. Please send your unused impressions to:
Royal Mail Franking
Stone Hill Road
Farnworth
Bolton
BL4 9XX
You will get a cheque refund for the value of the unused impressions minus a 5% administration fee charge.
4. Your Franking Machine - Technical Issues and posting during breakdown
What should I do if my machine breaks down and I am unable to get it repaired before my next mailing? - First, arrange for your machine to be repaired as soon as possible by contacting your Royal Mail approved manufacturers and suppliers.
If your mail is urgent and needs to be posted before the machine can be repaired? Use Royal Mail Franking Machine Breakdown Service where Royal Mail franks your mail on your behalf. There is a small charge for the total postage costs of the mail plus a 20% administrative fee. The total amount due will be sent to you in writing, and you will need to return a franked impression for the total amount within seven days of your machine being repaired.
To use this service you can call 08457 950 950 and we will arrange to send you a copy of the Franking Machine Breakdown form which needs to be completed with details of the number, type and weight of the items you are posting.
All you do then is present this form with your mail at your local Mail Centre who will be aware of the details of your mailing. We will always try to accept the mail however, there may be times due to operational constraints when the Mail Centre will not be able to offer the exact service you require. In these cases a suitable alternative will be offered. If your mailing exceeds 4000 letters or 1000 packets or letters, a 24 hour notification is required for the mail centre to accept your mail. The Mail Centre will contact you directly if there are any problems.
Where do I find my franking machine Die number?Your Die number is unique to your franking machine and is shown on every franking print you make, just below the postage amount. If you need to find out what your Die number is, set your machine to £0.00 and print off a franked impression.
My machine Die number is different from the Die number that appears on the licence you have sent me. What should I do? - If the number on the print does not correspond with the number on the information you have been sent, please let us know as soon as possible. Call us on 08457 950 950 or can send the licence you have received back to us, quoting the actual Die number of your machine and we will investigate this for you. Write to:
Royal Mail Franking
Stone Hill Road
Farnworth
Bolton
BL4 9XX
Where can I find details of the current Royal Mail prices? - You can find all price information on the prices effective from 30th April 2012. From these pages you can also download a copy of the current Royal Mail price guide.
Find out about changes to the legal scheme
6. Money – VAT claims, re-crediting, refunds and end of machine leases
Where will I get my VAT invoice from?- If you have a SMART machine from Pitney Bowes, Neopost and Frama you will receive your invoice from your franking supplier. If you have a Francotyp Postalia franking machine will receive an invoice directly from Royal Mail. If your machine is leased/purchased from one of the many approved franking machine suppliers you will still receive an invoice from the franking manufacturer - except FP which will still be provided by Royal Mail.
Which services can I claim VAT back on?
Special Delivery Next Day (only when purchased with Saturday Guarantee),
Special Delivery Saturday Guarantee,
Special Delivery 9.00am and Airsure.
How can I get a copy of my VAT invoice? - You can either fill in an online request for an invoice copy or call Royal Mail Customer Services on 08457 950 950
How do I top up my machine with extra credit? - You will need to speak to your machine supplier. Find out the contact details of all Royal Mail approved manufacturers and suppliers here..
What if I decide I no longer need my franking machine? - You will need to contact your manufacturer/supplier to arrange for your machine to be withdrawn. Find out the contact details of all Royal Mail approved manufacturers and suppliers here. Your machine supplier will then contact Royal Mail with the details of your machine so we can process the withdrawal request on our database and arrange to send you a cheque refund for any credit balance remaining on the machine.
7. Easy printable posters to help you prepare your mail for posting or collection
- Find answers to all your Presentation questions by downloading our helpful pdfs
8. License and Royal Mail Legal Scheme for Franking Letters and Parcels 2008
Where can I get a copy of the Royal Mail Terms and Conditions – Scheme for Franking Letters and Parcels 2008? - You can download a copy of the Scheme for Franking Letters and Parcels 2008 here.
9. If you have received a letter from Royal Mail about Franking
Where can I get more information about a letter I have received from Royal Mail regarding a problem with some franked mail I have posted? - All the answers to all your frequently asked questions relating to letters about your presentation of mail can be found on the FAQ's for mail presentation irregularities letters you may have received site.
10. Daily updates on our service around the country
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