Royal Mail says it may pause deliveries if a property “does not provide a safe delivery point,” which includes hazards at the front door such as obstructed steps, loose paving, poor lighting or an access route that can’t be safely reached.
Over the festive period, when postal workers make significantly more doorstep visits, simple changes at the entrance of a home can make a big difference to safety.
Royal Mail’s guidance urges customers to review their front-door layout, access paths and delivery point to avoid interruptions.
When your property layout stops the postie
Royal Mail’s official Delivery Exceptions page makes clear that delivery may stop where a property “does not provide a safe delivery point,” listing health and safety, insecurity, difficulty of access, customer request and public holidays as grounds for non-delivery.
This means hazards such as blocked paths, unstable steps, unlevel gardens, obstructed driveway gates, poorly lit areas or renovation-related access problems may all fall within its “difficulty of access” criteria if they prevent safe delivery.
Royal Mail’s published rules give it the right to pause deliveries until the customer provides a safe access route and a safe delivery point.
Dogs and other immediate threats to postal workers
In its dog-safety information, Royal Mail confirms 2,197 dog attacks on staff in the year to 31 March 2025, with some resulting in “permanent and disabling injuries.”
Almost half of all attacks (46%) occurred at the front door, with many others taking place in gardens and driveways. Royal Mail warns: “Even the most lovable dog can be a danger to postal workers. Dogs are territorial by nature and if they feel they need to protect their family, they can become unpredictable.”
It urges households to ensure pets are secured before opening the door to a postal worker.
What Royal Mail says householders should do
Royal Mail provides several clear, published instructions for making homes safer for deliveries. The following measures come directly from Royal Mail’s customer guidance and dog-awareness materials:
- Keep dogs secured before the postie arrives. Royal Mail says: “Please help us to deliver your post safely by keeping your dog secure and out of the way before the post person arrives.”
- Use a letter cage to prevent bites or injuries if your dog can reach the letterbox.
- Install an external delivery point if your dog frequently interferes with mail at the door. Adding a mailbox to the front of your house or a front garden wall is an option.
- Do not open the door to receive mail if your dog is loose behind you – secure it first.
- Ensure the delivery point is safe, as Royal Mail warns: “Your mail can be suspended if a safe delivery point is not provided.”
- Remove obstructions or hazards that make it difficult for the postie to reach your delivery point safely (as covered under Royal Mail’s “difficulty of access” rule).
Quick buys to make deliveries safer
This simple addition to your door will catch your post as it comes through the letterbox so there’s no chance of the dog chewing your letters (or your postie’s fingers). A flip-up lid ensures easy access to your mail.
Made from powder-coated steel in a smart black finish, this mailbox can be installed on the exterior of your home or on a garden wall or gate. It’s fully lockable and comes with two keys.
Fully charged within six hours, these solar lights will then provide up to 12 hours of illumination. IP65 rated, they are fully waterproof and suitable for outdoor use. Ideal for lighting the pathway to your front door.
Following some simple measures, as suggested by Royal Mail’s guidance, will help to ensure deliveries to your front door remain uninterrupted, even at the busiest time of year.
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