Australia Post price increase - period of grace?

[cathyjoyjoy]

Is anyone aware if there is a "period of grace" after 4 January, where the old letter rates will be accepted without the recipient being charged for underpaid postage?  In the past there has been an "unwritten period of grace", sometimes two weeks or a month.

This is the case where you drop a pre-stamped letter into a red post box.  Of course once you approached the post office counter, the latest postage would be charged.

Happy New Year and thank you for all the very helpful "inside advice".

[clarry100]

We intend to use up all our stocks of the 60-cents stamps before we go up the $1 ones.

That will possibly take a week or so.

[4myson2003]

Happy new year from au post. 70c to $1.00 is your present for today onwards. Stay tuned for more presents.

[cathyjoyjoy]

Australia Post states that the price rise is from 4 January.  So I'm assuming any standard letter dropped in a red post box with a 70c stamp, up to and including 3 January, would not be classed as underpaid.  I'm trying to find out if there is a period of grace from 4 January onwards.

[dotm2004]

I seem to remember there was a 'period of grace' a few years ago when there was an increase?    I can't remember for how long though - others may be more helpful 🙂

[davewil1964]

At least you should get away with 4 Jan as they wouldn't know that you didn't drop it in the box after Sunday night clearance.

I wouldn't bet on it, though. They did give warning. If you are one of the 0.0001% who can navigate their site.

[cathyjoyjoy]

Lol .... Good pick up ..... so from 5 January then?

[4myson2003]

my local post office worker told me a few days ago the rise was officially as of 1st jan 2016 but since there are public holidays/ weekends in between its from tuesday 5th jan in reality if thats any help..

[*tippy*toes*]

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@4myson2003 wrote:

my local post office worker told me a few days ago the rise was officially as of 1st jan 2016 but since there are public holidays/ weekends in between its from tuesday 5th jan in reality if thats any help..

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My local PO has a sign up saying it's from the 4th. It's been up for over a month, so I have no excuse!

I think there would be some kind of grace period as they have to allow for letters already in the system. As a lot of the stamps on letters posted in the red box don't get cancelled when they go that way, there is no saying when they are posted. I used to just drop them all in the red box, but the last few months, if I'm posting parcels at the same time I hand them over the counter and they cancel them while I'm there. At least if the buyer can see the date stamp they know when it was posted. None of my Christmas cards I received this year had the stamps cancelled, so it's anyone's guess when they were posted.

[lyndal1838 · Accepted solution]

They usually allow a week to 10 days grace to allow for mail already in the system to be delivered.

Anything posted from the 4th onwards should have the correct postage on it.

A lot can depend on your local post office/sorting centre....in the past I have had mail delivered with an Underpaid notice but the postie did not bother to collect the money from me....nearly 2 weeks after the official price rise.