Postal Service

Postal Services

Based on the Main Campus within the John Owens Building the Central Post Room processes all internal and external mail for the University.

Our aim is to deliver every item of mail as cost effectively as possible, to the correct address, without loss, damage or delay.

Please remember our team are only as good as the information supplied by you. If you change building or department please ensure your details are correct on Staff Net.

For all enquiries and advice on postal matters please contact extension 52708, opening Hours are Monday – Friday 06.30 – 18.30.

Should you have an enquiry regarding post within your building please contact the Deputy Building Superintendent within your building.

Mail Services

1st & 2nd Class Mail

Airmail

Special Delivery

International Signed for Mail

Airsure

Deltec Courier

Messenger Services

Internal Mail

Courier Mail

All couriers have a legal responsibility to deliver the mail to the addressee and therefore all couriers will be directed to the addressee in each building. As House Services have no means of securing courier mail in a secure manner within each building House Services are not able to sign for any courier items.

Post Containing Confidential Information

If you need to send confidential information through internal or external post, you should consider the risk of this information going astray, or being read by unauthorised persons, and the harm which might result. Where possible the information should be sent electronically as an encrypted document (see http://www.itservices.manchester.ac.uk/secure-it/encryption/file/ ). In the exceptional circumstances where this is not possible, and significant harm or disruption might arise if the letter is lost or misdirected, you should use “Track and trace” or similar services for external mail, which require a signature at each stage in the movement of the package and on final receipt. If internal mail is being used, it may be possible to arrange for House Services staff to deliver mail directly to the individual recipient, rather than to the building for onward distribution, otherwise, the sender should hand-deliver it themselves.

It is recommended that confidential papers should be “double enveloped”, where the sealed outer envelope is NOT marked “confidential” or similar, as this may draw unwanted attention to the letter, but the sealed inner envelope IS marked “confidential”. In order to minimise the risk of misdirection, reusable internal envelopes should not be used for confidential papers sent via internal mail.

Examples of documents which contain restricted data and should be handled with care can be found here http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/DocuInfo.aspx?DocID=15677

If you believe that any confidential information has gone missing in the internal or external mail please report this to infosec@manchester.ac.uk.

Transport of Dangerous Goods

High Cost Mail

  • All envelopes, packages and parcels likely to have a high delivery charge and all Special Delivery, Recorded, Airsure and International Signed For, mail must have the name and location of the sender on the reverse side to comply with Royal Mail terms and conditions.
  • All Mail must be marked e.g. First, Airmail, etc. Unmarked mail will be sent Second, Standard Parcel or Surface Mail.
  • Recorded, Special Delivery, Airsure, International Sign For and Compensation Fee Parcel slips should be completed by the sender and attached to the envelope.
  • Do not peel off any of the bar codes or numbers.

Validity

  • When there is any doubt about the method of posting or the validity of mail, the Central Post Room Supervisor may contact the sender, return it or refer it to the Operations and House Services Manager who may open the mail or deal with it as necessary.
  • All mail for destinations in the British Isles must be sealed. Do not use double flap or metal fastener envelopes. All inland envelopes must be Royal Mail approved designs and sizes. If in doubt Central Post Room staff will advise.

Personal Mail

  • Personal Mail is not to be sent out of the University via the University PPi system, Courier or any other method. Personal mail can be sent to the mail room and will be posted when it has a valid postage stamp or paid for by the individual. Should any personal mail be inadvertently sent by the University, the University is not liable for any items lost or damaged.
  • Personal Mail should not be sent to the University and the Directorate of Estates and Facilities are unable to take responsibility for any personal items lost or undelivered should items be delivered through this route.