Alternative to PO Box

[Casabian]

Hi. Can anyone suggest a cheaper alternative to Royal Mail PO Boxes?

I've just received my latest renewal invoice from RM and it's £312/year (for the forwarding/delivery option) which is ludicrous given that I now receive maybe one item of PO Box mail per month forwarded to my home address.

If anyone can suggest something more cost efficient it would be appreciated. Thanks folks.

 

[Ashley_Price]

To be honest, if you're only getting approximately one item a month, unless that item has any real value, then I think most similar types of forwarding service are going to be expensive. Many I would assume charge a set monthly fee, rather than per item.

Does it have to be forwarded to you? Could you not have it sent somewhere local that you could pick it up from?

 

[Casabian]

Hi Ashley. Pick-up isn't practical for me unfortunately. Actually since making my original post I've managed to find a couple of places that offer mail forwarding addresses for between £90-£120/year which, at a third of the price of RM, is a fair old reduction. I'll call them tomorrow to find out if there are any hidden costs.

 

[mkgreenfield]

I use these guys www.receivemymail.co.uk

 

[Scott@KarmaContent]

This service might be worth considering, I know a few people who use it.

https://www.scanmypost.co.uk/

 

[Casabian]

I use these guys... receivemymail

Thanks. That seems almost too good to be true - for the amount I'll be using it, it'll cost me a TENTH of what Royal Mail wanted for their PO Box. Brilliant!!

This service might be worth considering, I know a few people who use it.

scanmyspost

That one's also good to know. Useful if I'm out of the country. Thanks Scott.

 

[vocal]

Can also recommend receivemymail.co.uk

 

[MWM1]

I have just signed up for them, but have since requested a refund as I read lots about their parent company, 1st Secretarial, not being too legit. Whether I'll get a redund or not I don't know

 

[Nochexman]

I have just signed up for them, but have since requested a refund as I read lots about their parent company, 1st Secretarial, not being too legit. Whether I'll get a redund or not I don't know

So... are you going to stick with Royal Mail or go elsewhere?

 

[MWM1]

I have a few other alternatives - more expensive than receivemymail.co.uk but still not too expensive. My local chamber of commerce is well priced too.

 

[Casabian]

I have just signed up for them, but have since requested a refund as I read lots about their parent company, 1st Secretarial, not being too legit. Whether I'll get a redund or not I don't know

I just googled them and I see what you mean! Not good at all. Who did you go with in the end?

 

[MWM1]

I went with my local chamber of commerce. More expensive but I know Ii can trust them! I'm trying to get a refund from 1st Secretarial at the moment. When I ring I get told they'll call me back but they're not replying to emails. Fortunately it wasn't a lot of money but I am extremely unimpressed

 

[Casabian]

Probably the best choice. Good luck with claiming your refund. At least it wasn't Royal Mail PO Box level of money.

 

[S Goodman]

Best option, and free as well, is to have mail sent to your business/home address and be open and honest as to who, and where, you are. Clients/customers appreciate that and these days are generally wise to "fake" addresses.

 

[Casabian]

That would be ideal but I think there are still valid reasons for wanting to keep your home address private - e.g. the risk of your office or virtual-based business being judged unfavourably by your dwellings, or not wanting to risk customers knocking at your door in private family time, to give just two examples.

From my point of view, it's certainly not about lack of honesty. Pretty much all my clients know that I work from home. It's just to send out the message that, yes, I do, but that doesn't mean it's a walk-in walk-out kind of business premises.