IRCs no longer available in UK! HELP! =[

[carly_90]

Hello!!

I live in the UK and my post office ran out of International Reply Coupons. After a while I got worried so I phoned Royal Mail and they said they will no longer be printing IRCs.

I also checked on their website and it states - "The current version of the International Reply Coupon has an expiry date of 31st December 2011. After this date, International Reply Coupons with this expiry date can no longer be exchanged for postage."

This is rubbish!

Does anyone know how else I can get autographs returned from abroad?

If anyone has any info or advice I would be really grateful!!

Thanks!

[kimmylee]

I am not sure what is going on here.

Firstly, the same thing happens every year with IRC's and the RM website. I purchased 2 IRC's summer 2011 with an expiry date of 2013.

I wasn't even aware it was Royal Mail who printed them honestly.

The only thing I can suggest is trading/purchasing stamps on the Autograph Sale/Exchange forum. I do this for US stamps. However I have had French/Irish requests where it is easier and cheaper to send an IRC. If no IRC's then I would have to find somehwere which aloows me to buy small amount of foreign currency and for example get some 5EURO notes.

Now I am worried too even though I think it is false information you have been given, RM are well known for getting things wrong!

Have you asked your Post Office for any extra details?

Maybe someone else has better info and will reply.

[carly_90]

Thanks for the tip kimmylee!

I'm hoping they are wrong!

However when speaking to the woman from Royal Mail (who was most unhelpful) She told me my IRCs that I already have are no longer valid..and cannot be refunder or exchanged for the stamps.

She then told me it was The Post Offices fault and gave me a number to call, they also said that IRCs will no longer be printed, and that ones already bought "should" work.

I have written Royal Mail a letter, so hopefully I will get a response in some way, as it's going to make the whole process so much more difficult without them! =[

[dfreely]

I've always assumed a central UPU office or such prints IRCs, not individual countries.. could be wrong about that though.

Either way, the current-issue IRCs do not expire until 2013, and were first issued back in 2009. There has never been an IRC that expires in 2011, so the information from Royal Mail is incorrect. If you can't purchase IRCs, then it may be worth it to buy stamps from countries you send to often, as kimmy suggested.

[swiftndbieber]

Hi I live in the UK also and I used to use IRC's until a few months ago as I found them too pricey and found a cheaper option, go to the post office and aske if you can buy $3 it only costs about £1.50 and you put $3 in with your request and it is more than enough to cover the return postage

[carly_90]

Oh thanks!

That's a good idea, I shall try that from now on then.

Thank you for everyones help! =]