Can I get compensation?
Regulation 15 (1) of S.I. No. 616 of 2002 provides that An Post and any other postal service provider with “an annual turnover of €500,000, exclusive of VAT” must draw up “transparent, simple and inexpensive procedures for dealing with users complaints, particularly in cases involving loss, theft, damage or non-compliance with service quality standards (including procedures for determining where responsibility lies in cases where more than one operator is involved).
These procedures shall enable disputes to be settled fairly and promptly with provision, where warranted, for a system of reimbursement or compensation or both.” These procedures should be drawn up in accordance with guidelines laid down by the Regulator in consultation with the postal service provider
ComReg has issued legally enforceable guidelines to An Post and all Operators who have indicated that they are providing services within the scope of the universal service.(ComReg Doc 07/105)
The main objective of these legally enforceable guidelines is to assist postal service providers who provide postal services within the scope of the universal service, to draw up transparent, simple and inexpensive procedures for dealing with user complaints and to ensure an appropriate form of redress is available to the user in the event of loss and substantial delay, theft, damage or non-compliance with service quality standards.
The guidelines will assist postal service providers when preparing, revising and publishing their respective Code of Practice, in a way that is easily accessible to postal consumers.
Postal consumers will now have an appropriate form of redress, regardless of service provider, and have the further guarantee of an appropriate compensation mechanism. The scheme for compensation in these cases can be in the form of a number of stamps and/or a cash amount, provided that the claim is in proportion to the actual cost of the mailing.
The publication of a “Complaints and Dispute Resolution Code of Practice” by each postal service provider will give confidence to postal consumers that the Irish postal industry maintains consistent complaints and redress standards. ComReg believes this is a welcome development for both Irish postal users and the industry which serves them.
All postal service providers providing a service within the scope of the universal service are obliged to implement a Code of Practice. To view An Post’s Code of Practice, please visit the ‘Getting it Sorted’ section of the An Post website.
If you experience difficulties
Let us know if you have any difficulty having your complaint dealt with or if you are entitled to compensation (according to the relevant terms and conditions) and you experience difficulty securing that compensation. We may be able to contact the relevant postal service provider for you if the product or service falls within our regulatory control.
