Can you ask for compensation if Royal Mail damaged your RIF?

[Pinovic]

I sent an SMG to a buyer via Royal Mail Tracked 48. I packed it as best as I could and put a red label saying 'Fragile'. However, the folding stock was broken upon arrival, and the buyer was, understandably, very upset.

Given that it's an RIF, is there any chance I can ask for compensation from Royal Mail? Their maximum cover for a parcel is £75.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[ButcherBill]

I don't see why not but the max cover might just be a small blessing, did you give a value when you booked the postage?

https://www.royalmail.com/sites/royalmail.com/files/2025-05/prohibited-and-restricted-items-english.pdf

 

[Austeyr]

Was it sent in compliance with the UK law? That will be the first thing asked if you mention sending a RIF

 

[ForkTailedDevil]

Airsoft guns should be sent with Parcel Force 48. Royal Mail will likely tell you that you've used a service they said you shouldn't and didn't declare it properly and thus have no requirement to pay up.

 

[Pinovic]

PF and RM websites have now been merged. When you send a small or medium parcel, it goes through RM; larger parcels are handled by PF. The website no longer asks what the item is.

I’ve sent a few large parcels recently, all collected by my local postman. I assume they were then delivered by a PF driver.

 

[Pinovic]

Airsoft guns should be sent with Parcel Force 48. Royal Mail will likely tell you that you've used a service they said you shouldn't and didn't declare it properly and thus have no requirement to pay up.

Click to shrink...

Thanks for your message. The website automatically determines the service based on the parcel size—small and medium parcels go via RM, while larger ones are handled by PF. However, this isn’t clearly indicated during the ordering process.

 

[Pinovic]

Was it sent in compliance with the UK law? That will be the first thing asked if you mention sending a RIF

Click to shrink...

The website no longer asks what the item is.

 

[Pinovic]

I don't see why not but the max cover might just be a small blessing, did you give a value when you booked the postage?

https://www.royalmail.com/sites/royalmail.com/files/2025-05/prohibited-and-restricted-items-english.pdf

I

Click to shrink...

I don't recall them asking for the value anymore. They used to ask that

 

[ak2m4]

@Pinovic regarding ordering the service via the website and just dropping off. I actually questioned this a couple of months ago but never got a complete answer,

I suspect since you used Tracked 48 they won't honour any warranty. There's a link on Click and Drop that lists all the restricted items, here's the snippet:



Let us all know how you get on...

 

[Tommikka]

Put in the claim online, compensation is automatically covered up to the maximum value of the method used, irrespective of whether or not a value had been declared.
You use the transaction as the valuation

Ideally get photos from the buyer that shows the package condition on arrival.


You could stumble on the method being found to be unsuitable, and it depends on how you packaged it / what has happened to the package to cause the damage
A fragile label is not good enough, it remains the senders responsibility to pack appropriately

In future don’t be put off by a package being “too small” for the right method. If a large is the right method for a small isn’t then then buy postage for a large package

If you’re ever in need of packaging find a small independent retailer and ask about their delivery boxes & packaging - it costs them money to dispose of it under commercial waste

 

[Cannonfodder]

Yes you can ask, whether they'll say yes is an entirely different matter. Even if it was sent via the right service ak2m4's picture shows that rifs specifically aren't covered by the enhanced insurance so you'll get £75 max.

The website no longer asks what the item is.

Click to shrink...

I don't recall them asking for the value anymore. They used to ask that

Click to shrink...

They don't need to, it's down to the person sending the parcel to make sure they use the right service and follow the t&cs