Postwatch - The Consumer
Council
Postwatch offers
advice and information about postal services in general and where you stand as a
customer in particular.
As well as the
national council, Postwatch has a network of nine regional committees around
England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The chairman of each committee
sits on the national council and feeds back as much information as possible
about people's concerns and aims for postal services in their area.
Complaints about
licensed postal services should first be taken up with the licensed operator
supplying the service. If you have already complained direct to a licensed
operator and are still dissatisfied, Postwatch will take up the complaint on
your behalf. There is no specific consumer body for postal services that operate
in the unregulated part of the market (i.e. outside the licensed area) -
however, your statutory rights are not affected. To find out more information
about Postwatch and what they do, or to make a specific complaint, use the
website link below.
Useful contact details
Postwatch website: http://www.postwatch.co.uk
Address: 28-30 Grosvenor Gardens, London, SW1W 0TT
Tel: 08456 013 265
Fax: 020 7730 3394
Background
The postal reforms
brought about with the introduction of the new framework were designed to
promote interests of consumers. The Postal Services Act 2000 created a new
consumer body, The Consumer Council for Postal Services, to replace the old Post
Office Users' National Council. The new body has strengthened powers, with its
main roles comprising:
-
having responsibility for all issues of customer representation and the handling of complaints about the Post Office company's services and those of other licensed operators. (Government Ministers would expect to be able to refer all complaints to the Postwatch and not to be involved in specific complaints, except in the most exceptional cases involving the national interest, when consulted by Postwatch);
-
providing strategic advice to the regulator on consumer interests;
-
providing advice and information to consumers.
Postwatch monitors complaints and, where it considers appropriate, makes representations to the regulator about remedial action, including the level of penalty to be imposed for a failure to meet service performance standard
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