At Isle of Man Post Office, we do everything we can to make sure your mail is delivered safely. Sometimes, however, items cannot be delivered due to an incomplete address, damage, or unsuitable contents. This page explains what happens in these situations.
At Isle of Man Post Office, we do everything we can to make sure your mail is delivered safely. Sometimes, however, items cannot be delivered due to an incomplete address, damage, or unsuitable contents. This page explains what happens in these situations.
For local mail, if a return address is shown on the outside of the item, we will send the item back. If no return address is visible, we may open the mail to try and identify the sender. Where this is not possible, the item will be held for up to three months in case of enquiry. If unclaimed, it will be securely disposed of.
Inbound items which cannot be delivered—such as those refused by the addressee or where the address is inaccessible—will be classed as undeliverable and returned to the original sending carrier with a note explaining the reason.
If an item is received which is damaged but still identifiable and deliverable, we will carefully repair and deliver it with an official notification card.
Where damage involves spilled liquid or broken glass, the item will be disposed of immediately for health and safety reasons. If the address is still visible, we will record the details and inform the intended recipient so they can contact the sender. If the address is no longer legible, the same process used for inaccessible or invalid addresses above will apply.
For local items containing perishable goods, undeliverable mail will be held for 48 hours in case we are contacted. If no sender details are available and no enquiry is made, the contents will be disposed of. Items that pose a hazard are disposed of straight away.
A log will be kept for reference of recipient name and address, date of postage and contents in line with our retention records
Undeliverable perishable goods are usually returned to the original delivery partner on the next despatch date. Hazardous items are disposed of immediately, with details recorded for reference.
When mail cannot be delivered or returned, items are treated with care.
Claims can be made for up to 12 months after posting. If an item has already been disposed of, we will confirm this using our records.
