How to Fix Three Common Franking Mistakes

The three most common franking mistakes – franking the wrong date, paying too little postage, and paying too much – are all quick to put right. In short: cross out the error in black ink and re-frank with the correct date or the extra amount; and if you have overpaid, do not post the item, start again, and claim the unused postage back from Royal Mail. If you are unsure which type of machine you have, check with your franking machine supplier.

1. You franked the wrong date

Stop processing your mail as soon as you spot it, then:

1. Draw a line through the incorrect date in black ink.
2. Correct the date on your machine and run a zero-value test print to confirm it is right.
3. Re-frank the envelope with the correct date – on the bottom left-hand corner / shorter edge, or on a franking label placed to the left of the original impression.
4. If you used a zero test print, remember to re-select the correct product before your next item to avoid underpaying.

2. You paid too little postage

On a Mailmark machine:

1. Using black ink, cross through the 2D barcode so it is unreadable – do not cross through the price you paid.
2. Write your initials.
3. Re-frank with the extra amount, on the bottom left-hand corner / shorter edge or on a label to the left of the original impression.

On a standard machine, simply re-frank the item with the additional postage in the same position.

3. You paid too much postage

This is the simplest to fix, whatever machine you use:

1. Do not post the item.
2. Remove the contents and start again with a fresh envelope.
3. Claim the value of the unused, clearly readable impression back from Royal Mail by returning the whole unused envelope or label to their franking refunds team. Refund conditions are set by Royal Mail and can change, so check the current terms before claiming.

FAQs

How do I fix franking the wrong date? Draw a line through the wrong date in black ink, correct the date on the machine, then re-frank the item with the right date or use a correctly dated label to the left of the original impression.

How do I correct underpaid franking? Re-frank with the missing amount. On a Mailmark machine, cross through the 2D barcode (not the price), add your initials, then re-frank to the left of the original impression.

Can I get money back for overpaid franking? Yes – do not post the item, and return the unused impression to Royal Mail to claim its value back, subject to Royal Mail's current conditions.

A modern Mailmark machine makes these mistakes much rarer. See our Mailmark franking machines or call 01543 572 776.