Cancel Scheduled Send: Step-by-Step Guide

How to cancel your an post scheduled send service in ireland

Understanding an post scheduled send and why you might want to cancel

An Post's scheduled send service (also called MailMinder) allows you to arrange mail redirection and forward communications to a future address on your chosen date. This is useful if you're moving house or need mail held temporarily, but it operates on a time-bound basis with specific renewal terms. You might decide to cancel because your circumstances have changed, you no longer need the service, or you prefer to handle mail differently. Whatever your reason, Tocancel is here to guide you through the cancellation process step-by-step and ensure you understand your consumer rights under Irish law.

The key to cancelling successfully is understanding An Post's notice requirements and submitting your request in the correct format to the right address. This guide walks you through exactly how to do that.

What the scheduled send service costs

An Post's scheduled send offering varies depending on your redirection needs and duration. Here's a breakdown of typical charges you might encounter:

Your exact charge depends on which redirection package you selected and how long your service runs. Check your most recent An Post invoice or confirmation letter to identify your current plan and its expiry date before you cancel.

Why cancelling before your service start date matters

An Post requires at least five working days' notice before your scheduled send service begins. If you cancel within this window, you can avoid charges entirely. Once the service starts, you may still be able to cancel, but An Post's terms may permit a non-refundable fee or retain charges depending on how far into your service period you are. In practice, this means acting quickly makes the difference between a full refund and a partial one.

Tocancel recommends checking your confirmation letter for the exact start date and submitting your cancellation request immediately if you've changed your mind.

Your consumer rights in ireland under the consumer rights act 2022

Irish consumer law protects you when you cancel a service, and understanding these rights is your strongest position.

What the consumer rights act 2022 guarantees you

The Consumer Rights Act 2022 (which implements the EU Consumer Rights Directive in Irish law) is the primary statute protecting your cancellation rights. Here are your key legal protections:

• Right to clear information before purchase: An Post must tell you the main contract terms, the total price, the duration, and how to cancel before you commit to the service.
• Right to a 14-day cooling-off period: For distance contracts (including telephone and online bookings), you have 14 calendar days from the date you accept the terms to cancel without penalty and receive a full refund, provided the service has not yet started.
• Right to cancel after the cooling-off period: Once 14 days have passed, you can still cancel, but An Post may apply cancellation charges if permitted under the contract terms.
• Right to clear renewal notices: If your service auto-renews, An Post must remind you at least 15 days before renewal with the renewal date, price, and cancellation method.
• Right to easy cancellation: The method you use to cancel must be as simple and transparent as the method you used to buy the service.

Your legal position is clear: you have the right to change your mind within 14 days if the service has not started, and the right to cancel anytime after by following An Post's stated procedure. The Consumer Rights Act 2022 is enforced in Ireland by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), which you can contact if An Post refuses to honour these rights.

What happens if an post refuses to cancel

If An Post declines your cancellation request or fails to process it, you have a formal escalation route. You can lodge a complaint with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) at www.ccpc.ie, or call them on 01 402 5555. The CCPC has the power to investigate breaches of the Consumer Rights Act 2022 and can require An Post to refund you if they have acted unlawfully. Tocancel advises keeping copies of all your communications with An Post, as these will support your complaint if needed.

How to cancel your an post scheduled send service

Cancellation must be done in writing and submitted to An Post's Redirection Unit with the correct notice period.

Step-by-step cancellation process

1. Check your service start date. Look at your An Post confirmation letter or email to find the exact date your scheduled send service begins.
   • If you are more than five working days away from the start date, you are within the cancellation window and can request a full refund.
   • If you are fewer than five working days away, An Post may not be able to cancel before the service starts, but submit your request anyway to stop any future renewal.
2. Write a cancellation letter in plain language. Your letter must include:
   • Your full name and current address.
   • Your An Post customer reference number (found on your confirmation or invoice).
   • The address or mail you want the redirection to stop for.
   • A clear statement: "I request cancellation of my scheduled send service effective immediately" or "before [your service start date]".
   • Today's date.
   • Your signature.
3. Address your letter to the correct An Post unit. Write the envelope or form with:
   • An Post Redirection Unit
   • Ground Floor
   • GPO
   • O'Connell Street Lower
   • Freepost
   • Dublin 1
   • D01 F5P2
4. Send your letter by registered post or hand-deliver it. This gives you proof of submission, which is crucial if An Post later disputes receipt. Do not send it by standard post, as there will be no record.
   • Register the letter at your local An Post office and keep the receipt.
   • Note the date you posted or delivered it; this is your evidence of timely notice.
5. Expect a written confirmation within 5 to 10 working days. An Post will send you a confirmation letter stating whether your cancellation was accepted and, if applicable, details of any refund.
   • If you hear nothing within 10 days, contact An Post customer services by phone at 1800 47 47 47 (Ireland) to chase your cancellation.

You have now taken the legally correct steps to cancel your service; Tocancel recommends keeping your registered post receipt and any confirmation letter for your records.

When to cancel to avoid charges

The timing of your cancellation determines whether you pay. Here is the critical timeline:

• More than five working days before your start date: Submit your written cancellation request now. An Post must process it in time, and you will receive a full refund.
• Fewer than five working days before your start date: Submit your cancellation immediately. An Post may not be able to stop the service from starting, but you can dispute the charge with your bank or request a refund after the fact if the service was not actually used.
• After the service has started: Your cancellation still counts, but An Post's contract terms may permit them to retain a proportion of the fee. Check your terms letter to see if a pro-rata refund is offered.

This means your most important action is to post your cancellation letter as soon as possible, especially if your service is starting within the next two weeks.

Refunds and what to expect after you cancel

Understanding your refund entitlements removes uncertainty and helps you track the money coming back to you.

Refund timescales and amounts

If your cancellation is accepted before your service starts, An Post will process a full refund to your original payment method. Here is the typical timeline:

• Refund processing: An Post will issue the refund within 14 calendar days of receiving your cancellation request.
• Bank processing: Your bank will then take a further 3 to 5 working days to credit the money to your account, depending on your bank's speed.
• Total time: You should see the refund on your statement within 19 to 21 days of submitting your cancellation letter.

If the service has already started, An Post may deduct a cancellation fee or retain a portion for the days used. If this happens, ask An Post in writing for an itemised breakdown of what they are keeping and why, so you can verify it is fair under the contract terms.

What to do if your refund does not arrive

If 21 days have passed and your refund has not appeared, follow up immediately. Contact An Post customer services and request a refund status check. Provide them with:

• Your customer reference number.
• The date you submitted your cancellation letter.
• Your registered post receipt number (if applicable).
• The original payment amount and date.

An Post should respond within 5 working days with a status update. If they fail to refund you within a further 14 days, or if they refuse to refund you without legal justification, you have the right to escalate your complaint to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) or dispute the charge with your bank. Tocancel has helped thousands of consumers recover delayed or withheld refunds by taking this formal route.

Common cancellation mistakes and how to avoid them

Cancellation can feel stressful, especially if you are worried about losing money or missing a deadline. The good news is that most mistakes are easily avoided if you know what to watch for.

Mistake 1: assuming email or phone is enough

An Post's official policy requires written cancellation sent to the Redirection Unit address. Emailing customer services or calling to cancel may not be recorded as a formal cancellation request and could leave you without proof. Always use registered post to submit your written letter; this is the only method that protects you if there is a dispute.

Mistake 2: missing the five-working-day deadline

An Post's five-working-day notice period is strict. If you submit your cancellation fewer than five working days before your service starts, An Post may not be able to stop the charges. Count backwards from your service start date and post your letter immediately if you are within this window. Remember that weekends and bank holidays do not count as working days, so a service starting on Monday requires cancellation by the previous Tuesday at the latest.

Mistake 3: not keeping proof of submission

If you send your cancellation letter by standard post without tracking, you have no evidence that An Post received it. Register your letter at the post office and keep the receipt. This single piece of paper is your legal protection if An Post later claims they never got your request.

Mistake 4: forgetting to include your customer reference number

An Post processes thousands of cancellations. If your letter does not include your customer reference number (found on your confirmation letter or invoice), they may not be able to identify which service you want to cancel. Always include this detail in your letter.

Mistake 5: not following up if you hear nothing

An Post should acknowledge your cancellation within 5 to 10 working days. If you do not hear back, do not assume it has been processed. Contact them by phone to confirm and ask for a written response. This keeps the pressure on and creates another record of your cancellation request.

The best way to avoid all of these is to follow the step-by-step process outlined in this guide exactly, keep copies of everything, and escalate to the CCPC if An Post does not honour your cancellation within the promised timescale.

Checklist for cancelling your an post scheduled send service

Use this checklist to ensure you have completed every step correctly and have all the evidence you need if a dispute arises later.

After you cancel: what happens next

Once you have sent your cancellation request, there are a few important things to remember during the waiting period.

Monitoring your account and communications

While you wait for An Post to process your cancellation, keep an eye on your email and post for their response. An Post will send you a written confirmation to the address they have on file. If you do not receive it within 10 working days, contact them to chase it. Do not assume silence means approval; you need that written confirmation to prove the cancellation was processed.

Your mail during the cancellation window

If your cancellation is accepted before your service starts, no redirection will happen and your mail will go to your original address as normal. If your service has already started and you cancel mid-way through, An Post will stop redirecting your mail from the cancellation date onwards, and your original address will resume receiving post. This is not a problem unless you have already moved; if you have, you will need to arrange alternative redirection or collect your mail from your old address until the original service would have ended.

Disputing the charge with your bank if needed

If An Post refuses to process your cancellation or fails to refund you after 21 days, you have the right to dispute the charge with your bank or credit card company. Contact your bank's disputes team and explain that you cancelled a service before it started (or shortly after, if applicable) and that An Post is not honouring your refund request. Your bank can then open a "chargeback" investigation and may reverse the transaction. Tocancel recommends trying to resolve this with An Post first through the CCPC, but chargeback is always your safety net.

Comparing your options: keep, pause, or cancel

Before you finalise your cancellation, you may want to consider whether cancelling is really your best option, or whether pausing or downgrading might suit you better.

Contact An Post customer services at 1800 47 47 47 to ask whether a pause option is available for your plan; not all plans offer this, so cancellation may be your only choice. If you are certain you want to cancel, proceed with the steps outlined in this guide immediately.

Your next step: submit your cancellation letter now

Cancelling your An Post scheduled send service is straightforward once you know the correct process and your legal rights. The key is to act quickly, submit your request in writing to the correct address, and keep your registered post receipt as proof. Remember that the Consumer Rights Act 2022 protects you; if An Post refuses to honour your cancellation or refund without a valid reason, the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) is your enforcement body.

Do not delay. If your service is starting soon, write your cancellation letter today, register it at your local post office, and keep the receipt. Tocancel has helped thousands of consumers cancel services like this one, recover their money, and take back control of their subscriptions. You have the right to change your mind, and An Post must respect that right.

Contact details for an post redirection unit

Submit your written cancellation request to:

An Post Redirection Unit
Ground Floor
GPO
O'Connell Street Lower
Freepost
Dublin 1
D01 F5P2

For customer service enquiries, call An Post on 1800 47 47 47 (Ireland). To escalate a complaint if An Post refuses to cancel or refund, contact the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) at www.ccpc.ie or 01 402 5555.