Customer's rights
Customer rights - universal service for everyone
Postal services covered by the universal service must be of good quality and available for all. The postal operator is responsible for the confidentiality of the deliveries and possible damages.
Universal service comprises
- letters weighing no more than 2 kilos and parcels weighing no more than 10 kilos;
- incoming mail weighing no more than 30 kilos; and
- registered and insured items.
The universal service tariffs must be reasonable and equitable. If the prices change, they must be made known at least a month before the change.
In order for everyone to have access to universal service, each municipality in Finland must have at least one postal establishment providing universal service. In addition, a clearance point where items of correspondence covered by the universal service can be deposited at must be located within reasonable distance from the users' homes. The universal service must include at least one clearance of items and one distribution every working day.
The quality standard of the Act on Postal Services requires that
- 85% of 1st class letters covered by the universal service must be delivered on the next working day; and
- 98% of 1st class letters covered by the universal service must be delivered by the second working day following sending.
So far, Itella Oyj is the only postal operator providing universal service in Finland.
Secrecy of correspondence must not be endangered
Postal operators must ensure that nobody's secrecy of correspondence is endangered. Persons employed by a postal operator have a professional secrecy obligation on customers and their matters, as well as on matters related to the secrecy of correspondence or business or customer relations.
Right to use mother tongue
Everyone has the right to obtain postal services in his or her mother tongue, in Finnish or in Swedish, in a similar manner as when they deal with authorities. Swedish-speaking customers must have access postal services in their mother tongue in a bilingual municipality. Also, the Lappish population's needs must be catered for.
Applying for compensation for damage
The postal operator is liable for damage caused to the sender or addressee of an item by the delay or loss of or damage to the item.
Sections 19 and 21 of the Act on Postal Services lay down provisions on compensation for damage and related responsibilities and restrictions.
Complaints regarding damage must be filed with the postal operator which, if necessary, gives advice on how to make the complaint.
If you disagree with the compensation issued by the postal operator, you may take the case to the Consumer Disputes Board. However, normally a general court of first instance must enforce the decision in matters regarding compensation for damage.
