<P> Royal Mail has, in some quarters, a poor reputation for losing mail despite its claims that more than 99.93% of mail arrives safely and in 2006 was fined £ 11.7 million due to the amount of mail lost, stolen or damaged . In the first three months of 2011, around 120,000 letters were lost . </P> <P> In July 2012 Ofcom consulted on a scheme proposed by Royal Mail to alter its delivery obligations to allow larger postal items to be left with neighbours rather than returning them to a Royal Mail office to await collection . The scheme was presented as offering consumers greater choice for receiving mail when not at home, that is if Royal Mail deliver items as per their stated contractual obligations and was said to follow Royal Mail research from a' delivery to neighbour' trial across six areas of the UK that showed widespread consumer satisfaction . In a statement dated 27 September 2012, Ofcom announced it would approve the scheme after noting that more goods were being purchased over the internet and that Royal Mail's competitors were permitted to leave undelivered items with neighbours . People who do not wish to have parcels left with neighbours, or to receive those of others, can opt out by displaying a free opt - out sticker near their letterbox . Royal Mail remains liable for undeliverable items until they are received by the addressee or returned to sender . </P> <P> Ofcom suggested in October 2012 that the first and second class post systems could be replaced by a single class . The new class would be set at a higher price than the current second class, but would be delivered in a shorter time - frame . </P> <P> Royal Mail operates a network of 38 mail centres . Each mail centre serves a large geographically defined area of the UK and together they form the backbone network of the mail distribution operation . Mail is collected and brought to one of the mail centres . Mail is exchanged between the mail centres and then forwarded to one of 1,356 delivery offices, from where the final delivery is made or a P739 card is left . </P>

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