ANOTHER DAY IN THE LIFE OF!

Realising that I only had a few months left on my passport I decided to renew it ready for when I decide to take my next holiday. I duly completed the form had my photographs taken at a reputable shop had then countersigned by a professional friend before taking all the documents to the post office to be checked for an extra charge of £8.17. I did this for what I thought would be peace of mind and save them being returned from the passport office, how wrong can you be I ask myself now?

Ten days later I Received a letter from the Passport Office in Ireland to say that my photographs were not acceptable due to the fact I was too far from the camera and they did not show enough of my face and would I please send two new ones.

It was a freezing cold day but off I set in my electric wheelchair to town to re-visit the shop and ask for replacement photos. Unfortunately for me the gentleman that took the photos before was not there and because he did not give me a receipt for my £5 fee the lady that day said I had to pay again.

Feeling a little let down by the service I had received from the post office clerk who had re-assured me that the document and photos were in order I revisited said post office for an explanation. I was asked to produce the passport application day.

receipt and notice which was given to me after full payment of handling charge and passport fee. It was then pointed out to me in very small print the following (Post Office Limited will check your passport photographs for obvious errors but this does not guarantee that the photographs will be accepted by the Identity & Passport Service IPS) this being so I was not entitled to a refund of my handling charge.

No provisos were given me at the time of purchase and as the receipt was given to me after payment there was no way of me knowing there might be a possible photographic issue with the passport office.

I was given the managers apologies for any inconvenience experienced and assured that the counter Clerks would be given better instructions for passport checking for future transactions.

I have written to the Post Office Complaints Department for a refund of the handling charge as I feel I did not get the service I purchased and also to high-light the future possibility of the happening to other customers.