Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Why should you select boatmail.co.uk ?

What period can I have my mail forwarded for ?

How often are items forwarded ?

What is the scanning/e-Delvery service ?

What is the email2mail service ?

How long does it take to set up the service ?

What happens to my money if boatmail.co.uk ceases trading ?

What is mail forwarding ?

Mail forwarding (sometimes called mail redirection) is the resending of mail from a specified address to one nominated by a customer. When people move home, location or have a travelling lifestyle, providers of such a service can either forward mail to a particular address for a specific period of time or to one that changes as the recipient changes location. Customers can also choose to have mail sent to a Post Office (Post Restante service) for collection. Increasingly, users of auction sites (such as e-Bay) who live in other countries other than UK, are using a mail forwarder for their purchases.

Who are boatmail.co.uk ?

boatmail.co.uk was originally conceived as a specialist mail forwarding service for continuously cruising narrowboats on the canals of England. As development of the concept took place, this expanded to include all individuals who require mail forwarding services from the UK to anywhere in the world. boatmail.co.uk has been formed from a group of waterway enthusiasts who have worked and have extensive management experience from within the mail industry. The service has been designed for people who require their mail on the move so we are able react to a changing delivery address.

Why should you select boatmail.co.uk ?

boatmail.co.uk has over 40 years of experience of the mail industry. We can draw on personal experiences from being senders of mail, suppliers and management of mail services in such areas as customer interface, quality of delivery and customer service.

What period can I have my mail forwarded for ?

Mail can be forwarded for any length of time from as little as a one off item, for a month or any continuous period according to individual circumstances. We have annual and monthly subscription services and Pay as you Go offering (see our fees page)

How often are items forwarded ?

Mail is forwarded as per the customer request - on receipt, weekly, monthly (last working day of the month) or at the customer’s request. Mail is normally delivered to us by Royal Mail early in the day so customers requesting mail to be forwarded on receipt normally have their mail forwarded on the same day. We are aware that other mail forwarders do not achieve this. Mail is normally forwarded Monday to Friday. No mail is forwarded at weekends, Bank and Public holidays and when boatmail.co.uk closes for holidays (customers are informed in advance of any outage)

How are items forwarded ?

Items are forwarded by Royal Mail 1st class post in the UK so delivery can be made to every address across the UK the next day and by Royal Mail Airmail services or ParcelForce across the world. Transit time is usually around a week tor the post to arrive in the country of delivery. We can use other carriers (e.g. DHL, UPS etc) by special request Customers using our mail scanning service will have their items forwarded to the last advised e-mail address with the scanned mail as an attachment (PDF) to the e-mail.

What is the scanning/e-Delivery service ?

When we receive mail, we electronically scan the items and forward as a PDF attachment as part of an e-mail to you, therefore, wherever you are in the world you are able to receive/view e-mails. You also receive the emails sent to you many days before physical mail would arrive. We retain the scanned items for a month and then destroy (shredded). If you require any of the scanned items to be forwarded to you, we can do this on receipt of your instruction at cost.

What is the email2mail service ?

Wherever you are in the world, access to email will provide you with the ability to compose a letter or greeting, forward to us electronically and we will print and send on your behalf. Although the world is moving to communication by electronic means, some people are not able to receive in this format and physical mail is still regarded by some as more personal.

What are your fees ?

Our fees are based on what is reasonable for the service offered and are presented to be simple, clear and easy to understand (entering ‘mail forwarding’ into one of the popular search engines will show other service providers in the market) or we have a provider comparison chart here. We have two membership fee based services and one based on only the number of items forwarded. For all offerings, we have an item charge so that every item handled incurs a cost. Full details of our current mail forwarding fees can be found here.

How do I apply ?

The ‘Apply’ section of the website has an application form which can be printed, completed and sent to us for service to commence. An acknowledgement will be sent on receipt of the form which will include full instructions on what is required for the service to operate. Some companies will accept on-line applications, however, as mail security is a sensitive subject for individuals, we require each applicant to sign to agree to have their mail forwarded to help prevent any fraudulent activity.

How long does it take to set up the service ?

Once we have received your application form (which can be completed, scanned and sent by e-mail) and payment (we accept payment via PayPal or bank transfer) your mail forwarding service can begin. We aim to be able to commence service on completion of the above within 24 hours.

What happens to my money if boatmail.co.uk ceases trading ?

Unlike some other mail forwarding providers, we account for the postage bonds separately from other funds and only draw on this when required. If, in the remote possibility that boatmail.co.uk ceases trading, all customers money that has yet to be used for mail forwarding can therefore be refunded to customers.