NATIONAL
PHILATELIC SOCIETY CIRCULATING PACKET RULES - STAMPS
N.B.
Members must telephone ahead before passing packets (see Rule G1). All
correspondence,
remittance advice forms and payments, including first time requests* to sell
through the Packet, must be addressed to NPS Unit CP.
c/o
3 Dudley Road, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey KT12 2JT.
Tel: 01932 229316.
* Sellers will then be directed as to whom they should send
their books for circulation.
The words "Packet Secretary", "Circulating
Packet" or "Philatelic" must NOT appear on the
outside
of any letter or parcel (see Rule J1).
A)
MEMBERSHIP.
1)
The Circulating Packet is available at the sole discretion of the Packet Secretary
to a member of the National
Philatelic Society (NPS), resident
in the U.K., who is -
a)
18 years of age or over, on giving two satisfactory references.
b)
Under 18 but 16 or over, on giving two satisfactory references together with
a written
undertaking
by a parent or guardian to be responsible for complying with these rules,
including paying for
purchases.
2)
It is regretted that
a)
The NPS cannot accept material for sale in the Packet from members resident
outside the
United Kingdom, or material valued at £600 or over from members resident in the
Channel Islands or Isle of
Man,
since the Society cannot accept liability for V.A.T. charged on entry into
the U.K.
b)
Under the Members' Compensation Scheme, the Circulating Packet cannot be
sent to
members
resident outside the U.K.
3)
A member of the National Philatelic Society wishing to receive the
Circulating Packet shall
complete
an application form and submit it to the Packet Secretary.
4)
In accordance with data protection principles, information received in
connection with the Packet
must
not be used for any other purposes.
5)
The Packet Secretary may, at his/her sole discretion and without giving any
reason, terminate any
member's
involvement with the packet.
B)
CONTENTS OF A PACKET.
1)
Each packet should contain:-
a)
Booklets, numbered consecutively in either the top right or the top left
corner.
b)
A circulation list, showing the total number and value of booklets included,
and the names
and
telephone numbers of members to whom the packet is to be circulated.
c)
Remittance advice slips for use in notifying the Packet Secretary of the
receipt and dispatch
of
the packet and the amount of purchases made.
d)
Gummed and addressed labels for use when dispatching the packet by post
e)
A copy of these rules.
C)
PROCEDURE ON RECEIPT OF A PACKET.
1)
Having been advised by telephone that a packet is on its way to you (Rule
G1), advise the Packet
Secretary
and the member who has sent it, if it does not arrive within one week.
2)
On receipt of a packet a member MUST :-
a)
Check the contents of the packet and at once report to the Packet Secretary
and the member
from
whom the packet has been received, if any item listed in Rule B1 is missing.
b)
Check that the number of booklets agrees with that shown on the circulation
list, that all the
pages
in each booklet are present and that all spaces from which stamps have been
removed have been
signed,
and at once report to the Packet Secretary and the member from whom the
packet has been
received
if any booklet or page is missing or any space is unsigned. Any unsigned
space noticed should be
marked
"UNSIGNED WHEN SEEN BY (member's name) (date)".
c)
Report to the Packet Secretary any mis-description or other irregularity
which comes to your
notice.
D) PROCEDURE FOR DEALING WITH A PACKET.
1)
On purchasing a stamp, a member MUST:-
a)
Sign his/her name or use a rubber stamp in the space from which the stamp
has been taken.
b)
Fill in the numbers and values of the items purchased on :-
i) The front cover of the booklet.
ii) The remittance advice slip.
iii) The total value of purchases on the circulation list.
If
no stamps are purchased, a member MUST fill in the necessary particulars on
the remittance
advice slip and the circulation list.
E)
SAFEGUARDING OF A PACKET.
1)
a) A member is responsible for the safety of the packet from the time it is
delivered to his/her
address
to the time he/she obtains either a valid certificate of posting or the
signature of the next member on
the
remittance advice slip. If a packet is lost or stamps are lost or damaged
while a packet is in a member's
care,
that member will be required to make good the total value of such loss or
damage.
b)
If a member forwards a packet by post without obtaining a certificate of
posting and the
packet
is lost, that member will be liable for the full value of the packet.
F)
RETENTION OF A PACKET.
A member retaining a packet for more than three working days (i.e. not
including Sundays and
Bank
Holidays) shall pay a fine of 5p per day for every day in excess.
G)
PROCEDURE ON DISPATCHING A PACKET.
1)
If there are unsigned spaces on the circulation list indicating that
previous members have not
received
the packet, contact these members before proceeding to the next member.
Prior to dispatching a
packet,
a member MUST telephone the NEXT member on the list to confirm that they are
available to receive
the
packet. Allow time to contact members - at least one daytime and one evening
call should be made
before
moving to the next member. Only if previous members and the next member are
not available should
a
member further down the list be contacted, and the circumstances occasioning
this should be reported on
the
remittance advice slip.
N.B.
IN NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD A PACKET BE FORWARDED UNTIL ANOTHER MEMBER HAS
SIGNIFIED
THAT HE/SHE IS ABLE AND WILLING TO RECEIVE IT.
2)
The remittance advice slip must be completed in FULL.
3)
A packet may be passed by hand or by post. On passing a packet by hand
ensure that all
booklets
are present and in numerical order and that all other contents are present.
On passing a packet by
post,
ensure in addition that the packet is securely wrapped and sealed, that the
address label is firmly
affixed
on the front and the return address (NPS Unit CP, c/o
3 Dudley Road, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey KT12 2JT is either written on the
back or on a label securely affixed to the back, and if you have not already
affixed
postage stamps to the packet, ensure that the counter clerk affixes the
postage label to the same side
of
the packet as the address label.
4)
a) If the packet is passed by hand, the signature of the recipient must be
obtained on the
remittance
advice slip.
b)
If the packet is dispatched by post, a certificate of posting must be
obtained from the counter
clerk.
5)
Within 24 hours of passing on the packet, post to the Packet Secretary the
completed
remittance
advice form, the certificate of posting if the packet has been dispatched by
post, and a remittance
(cheque
or mint gummed UK stamps) to cover the purchases made and any fine payable.
N.B.:
IN NO CIRCUMSTANCES MAY TWO OR MORE PACKETS BE MADE UP INTO ONE PARCEL FOR
POSTING.
A
separate certificate of posting should be obtained from the counter clerk
for each packet posted. If two
or
more packets are sent in the same parcel and a loss occurs, the conditions
of the Members'
Compensation
Scheme will have been breached and the forwarding member will be held
responsible for the
full
value of the loss.
H)
RESIGNATION. CHANGE OF ADDRESS OR ABSENCE FROM HOME.
1) A member wishing to discontinue receiving packets, whether temporarily or
permanently, should
inform the Packet Secretary. Every effort will be made to inform a member
higher on the circulation list, so
that the list may be amended. If, despite this, a member wishing to
discontinue receiving packets should
receive a telephone call asking if he/she can accept a packet (Rule G1),
he/she is responsible for informing
the member who has telephoned that he/she no longer wishes to receive
packets.
2) A member changing address should notify the Packet Secretary of their new
address and
telephone number as soon as possible. If a packet is already in circulation
containing the old address and
telephone number, every effort will be made to inform a member higher on the
circulation list so that the list
and address label may be amended, and the co-operation of all members is
solicited to ensure the smooth
circulation of the packet.
I) PREPARATION OF BOOKLETS.
a) Stamps shall be mounted either in NPS booklets, or on sheets stapled
within NPS booklet
covers (n.b.these are no longer available from the Packet Secretary), or in
similar booklets. The size of booklets
must not exceed 8" x 5" and the number of pages in a booklet must
not exceed 10.
b) Stamps must be mounted on the RIGHT HAND PAGE ONLY.
c) Used stamps and mounted minted stamps must be securely affixed by means
of a NEW
hinge.
d) Unmounted mint stamps may be affixed in clear packets secured by
Sellotape, or in double
welded clasp mounting strips.
e) Covers may be included if they are contained in clear packets securely
affixed to the page by
Sellotape.
f) Net selling prices must be clearly marked in ink ABOVE the stamp. If a
catalogue price is
shown it must be distinct from the selling price.
g)
The full name of the owner must be filled in, on the front of the booklet.
h)
The Packet Secretary has the right to refuse to circulate any booklet which
is untidy or
contains badly mounted stamps or is otherwise unsuitable for circulation.
i)
The stamps in any booklet shall consist of ONLY Great Britain or
Commonwealth or Foreign,
so that the booklet may be included in the appropriate packet.
J) SUBMISSION OF BOOKLETS TO THE PACKET.
1) Booklets for circulation must be submitted as directed by the Packet
Secretary. The words
'Packet Secretary',
'
Circulating Packet' or 'Philatelic' should not appear in the address.
2) When sending booklets by post to the Society, a member wishing for
acknowledgement of receipt
must enclose a separate stamped self-addressed envelope or postcard for that
purpose. If the member
concerned changes address, or if the booklets are to be returned to an
address other than that in the
Society's records, the Packet Secretary must be notified in writing.
3) a) Books which have completed a circuit may, at the owner's request
and/or the Packet
Secretary's discretion, be included in a second circuit before being
returned.
b) Subject to Rule J2, booklets will be returned by the Packet Secretary to
the address of the
member contained in the Society's records at the time of disbursement. The
Society will use its best
endeavours to return all booklets to members. However, if a member, or a
deceased member's heir, cannot
be traced, the Society may dispose of his/her booklets for the best price
reasonably obtainable and hold the
proceeds to the account of the member or his/her heir for five years, after
which date the proceeds will
accrue to the Society
K) MEMBERS' COMPENSATION SCHEME.
1) a) The Packet Secretary shall provide facilities for every member to
access the Members'
Compensation Scheme for the contents of members' booklets to the limit of £100
per booklet. The
Compensation Scheme covers loss by theft, burglary, fire or water damage
from the time of receipt by an
officer of the Society up to and during transit from the Society to the
vendor, including during circulation to
members, and includes loss in the postal system during this period. The
Scheme does not cover loss before
receipt by the Society.
b) A member wishing to access the Compensation Scheme shall indicate clearly
on the front of
each booklet whether or not compensation is required. This may be to the
full value of the booklet, subject to
a limit of £100, or to any lesser amount or any fraction of the value. If
no indication is given, it will be
assumed that compensation IS required.
c) The charge for the Members' Compensation Scheme is 3 of the value of the
compensation
required. The percentage rate charged may change, but such change will be
notified to all members before it
is implemented.
L) COMMISSION.
1) a) A charge of 10% is made on all sales, with a minimum charge of 50p per
booklet. The
percentage rate charged may change, but such change will be notified to all
members before it is
implemented.
b) In addition to the commission and Compensation Scheme charges, postage
will be charged
at cost to cover 2nd class postage. Where appropriate, booklets will be
returned by Signed For or Special
Delivery post and the corresponding fee charged.
c) Any sums owing to the Society in respect of a member's involvement in the
Circulating
Packet may also, at the Packet Secretary's discretion, be deducted from any
remittance due to that member.
M) OTHER MATTERS.
1)
A Member shall not allow any other person to have access to the packet
except in his/her presence.
2) No member shall indicate by any mark that any stamp is a forgery or
wrongly described unless
he/she also signs his/her name, thereby undertaking to purchase it at the
marked price if his/her opinion is
not upheld by an expert. No member shall make any other mark upon a booklet
except in accordance with
RulesC2b and D1a.
3) A member shall settle any account rendered by the Packet Secretary at the
earliest possible date
after receipt and if such account is not paid within 14 days after receipt,
the Packet Secretary shall have the
power at his/her sole discretion to prevent the member receiving further
packets until settlement has been
made.
4) Neither the National Philatelic Society nor the Packet Secretary shall be
responsible for any
member's debts, or for stamps lost or damaged in transit except as under
Rule K1a.
5) In these Rules, the term 'member' shall be deemed to include 'life
member' unless the context
precludes
such interpretation.
(Issue
of December 2014)