Wrong Postcode On Parcel
So you've posted a letter, document or package and realised afterwards that you put the wrong postcode. Before panicking, here are what steps you should take so that your delivery reaches the correct destination.
What To Do When You've Put The Wrong Postcode
The wrong postcode on a parcel may lead to a delivery posted to the wrong address. After realising that the incorrect postcode has been added, the first step is to contact the delivery company via telephone or email, requesting the company to intercept the package before it gets delivered and informing them of the correct postcode the delivery needs to be sent to.
The carrier may ask the sender to provide evidence to minimise the risk of fraud and deception. This can be in the form of a photo id like a passport or a driver's licence and a utility bill that provides proof of address.
Why Postcodes Are Important
Postcodes provide delivery companies with the geographic area and district where a package needs to be sent.
Mail is sorted mechanically using specialised machines, and documents, parcels and mail that bear the correct postcode will be sorted correctly and sent to the right destination. Mail with no postcode has a high risk of getting lost, delayed or not sent.
How Couriers Deal With Packages That Have The Wrong Postcode
Once identity has been established and the package hasn't arrived at its destination, the carrier will make an effort to halt the movement of the item in its system and for the item to have the correct postcode attached and re-routed to the correct delivery address.
Suppose the courier cannot intercept the package in time and the item is out for delivery. In that case, the delivery driver will realise that the postcode does not match up with their route, and the driver will drop off the parcel at their local depot, where the correct postcode will be attached.
Unreadable Postcodes
If a postcode is unreadable and the sender doesn't inform the carrier of the correct postcode, the courier will take a package to a depot, where a worker will conduct a Google search to find the valid postcode. The carrier will do this by using the address or company name, if both of these are readable — and finding the correct postcode the package needs to be sent.
If this method cannot locate the correct postcode, a carrier may use a phonebook to find the valid postcode.
Summary
An incorrect address on a parcel can lead to delivery delays and items not getting delivered or lost. Making sure that the postcode on goods sent is correct is critical in ensuring delivery problems do not happen.
