Letter Storage & Release Policy

This policy explains how EverSealed receives, records, preserves, manages, returns and releases sealed handwritten letters placed into our care.

Different procedures apply to Time Capsule Letters and Legacy Letters, so please read the section relevant to the service you have purchased.

1. Scope of This Policy

This policy applies to EverSealed services that expressly include physical preservation and future delivery of a sealed handwritten letter.

It applies to:

Time Capsule Letters;
EverSealed Legacy Letters; and
Small flat photographs or paper-based keepsakes included inside a letter where permitted by the relevant product instructions.

This policy does not apply to standalone EverSealed Writing Kits where no storage or future delivery service has been purchased.

It also does not apply to independent counselling or consultation services available through the EverSealed website. Those services are optional and operate separately from EverSealed's letter preservation, verification and delivery services.

2. Receiving and Recording Stored Letters

When a sealed letter is received by EverSealed, it is recorded against the relevant EverSealed order or archive reference.

This record allows us to connect the physical letter with the information needed to administer the selected service, including where applicable:

customer information;
recipient information;
future delivery details;
selected Time Capsule period or date;
Legacy verification contacts;
subscription information; and
future release instructions.

Customers should keep their EverSealed order or reference number safely.

3. Privacy and Sealed Correspondence

EverSealed is designed around private physical correspondence.

During normal storage and handling:

stored letters remain sealed;
EverSealed does not routinely open or read customers' letters;
EverSealed does not routinely photograph or copy the contents of sealed correspondence; and
access to stored letters is restricted to authorised operational handling.

Operational handling may include receiving, recording, storing, locating, returning and preparing a sealed letter for future delivery.

Where a tamper-evident security seal forms part of the relevant service, it should be used in accordance with the preparation instructions supplied.

4. EverSealed Reference Numbers

Each stored letter is linked to its relevant EverSealed order or reference information.

Customers should provide their order or reference number whenever contacting EverSealed regarding:

a recipient update;
a future delivery address;
a verification contact;
a subscription enquiry;
a letter replacement;
a return request;
cancellation;
or another matter concerning a stored letter.

This helps us identify the correct record and reduces the risk of an incorrect update being made.

5. Time Capsule Letters

Time Capsule Letters are designed for delivery at a predetermined future time.

Current Time Capsule options include:

1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
Custom Future Date

Time Capsule Letters are date-based services.

They do not require Legacy death verification or Legacy verification contacts.

6. Fixed-Term Time Capsules

For fixed-term Time Capsule services, including 1-Year, 3-Year, 5-Year and 10-Year options, the selected preservation period begins on the date the order is placed.

The scheduled future delivery date is calculated from the order date. Physical storage begins once the sealed letter has been received, identified and recorded by EverSealed.

Customers should return their sealed letter as soon as possible after placing the order. A delay in returning the letter does not extend the selected preservation period or change the scheduled future delivery date.

If the letter is returned too late for EverSealed to meet the scheduled delivery date, EverSealed will contact the customer to discuss the available options.

7. Custom Future Date Time Capsules

For a Custom Future Date Time Capsule, the customer selects the intended future delivery date when placing the order.

EverSealed preserves the sealed letter until the selected future date and then begins preparing it for dispatch using the most recent valid delivery information held for the order.

8. Time Capsule Delivery Information

Several years may pass between the date a Time Capsule Letter is written and the date it is delivered.

Customers are therefore responsible for informing EverSealed when important recipient or future delivery information changes.

This may include changes to:

delivery address;
recipient name;
email address; or
telephone number.

Updates should be provided as early as reasonably possible and should include the relevant EverSealed order or reference number.

When the Time Capsule becomes due for dispatch, EverSealed will use the most recent valid delivery information held for the stored letter.

9. If a Time Capsule Cannot Be Delivered

If a Time Capsule becomes due for delivery but the address held appears incomplete, invalid or no longer usable, EverSealed may delay dispatch while reasonable attempts are made to obtain or confirm updated delivery information.

EverSealed may use the customer and recipient contact information held for the relevant order to try to resolve the delivery issue.

A delivery-address problem does not convert a Time Capsule into a Legacy Letter and does not create a requirement for death verification.

10. Time Capsule Subscriptions

Standard EverSealed Time Capsule Letters do not require the ongoing monthly Legacy preservation subscription.

The applicable preservation period is included within the Time Capsule service purchased.

11. Legacy Letter Service

The EverSealed Legacy Letter Service is designed for customers who wish to prepare private handwritten letters for future delivery after the sender's passing has been appropriately verified.

Current Legacy options allow customers to prepare:

1 Legacy Letter
2 Legacy Letters
4 Legacy Letters
6 Legacy Letters

Each individual Legacy Letter may be intended for a different recipient.

12. Legacy Recipient Information

For each Legacy Letter, EverSealed requires relevant recipient information for future delivery.

This may include:

full name;
future delivery address;
email address; and
telephone number.

Where several Legacy Letters are stored, each letter is connected to its own recipient record.

Customers should notify EverSealed if recipient information changes during the storage period.

13. Recipient Name on the Physical Envelope

Customers should clearly write the intended recipient's full name on the outside of each individual Legacy envelope.

The full postal delivery address does not need to be permanently written on the Legacy envelope because delivery information may change over time.

EverSealed maintains future delivery information separately so that it can be updated where necessary.

14. Legacy Verification Contacts

Every EverSealed Legacy Letter Service requires at least one (1) verification contact.

Customers may nominate up to five (5) verification contacts.

Verification contact information should include, where requested:

full name;
email address;
telephone number; and
relationship to the customer.

Verification contacts may assist EverSealed when information is required in connection with the future release of Legacy Letters.

Being nominated as a verification contact does not:

give that person ownership of a Legacy Letter;
give them access to its contents;
allow them to open the letter;
or give them automatic authority to order its release.

Customers should keep verification contact information reasonably up to date.

15. Verification of the Sender's Passing

EverSealed will not release Legacy Letters solely because someone informs us that the sender has died.

The applicable verification process must first be completed.

EverSealed may request reasonable supporting evidence appropriate to the circumstances.

This may include official or other reliable documentation capable of helping confirm the sender's passing.

EverSealed may request further information where reasonably necessary to reduce the risk of:

mistake;
premature release;
fraud; or
unauthorised release.

Supporting information should be sent to:

support@eversealed.co.uk

16. Legacy Verification Process

When EverSealed receives information indicating that the sender may have passed away, the verification process may include:

reviewing the information held for the Legacy service;
contacting one or more nominated verification contacts;
checking relevant customer information;
requesting appropriate supporting evidence;
reviewing documentation supplied;
confirming the intended recipients; and
checking available delivery information.

EverSealed will not knowingly release a Legacy Letter until the applicable verification requirements have been reasonably completed.

17. Each Legacy Recipient Is Managed Separately

Where a customer has stored several Legacy Letters, each letter remains associated with its own recipient record.

Once the required verification concerning the sender has been completed, the individual letters may be processed separately.

For example, if updated delivery information is still required for one recipient, this does not necessarily prevent another correctly verified recipient's letter from being prepared for delivery.

18. Legacy Preservation Subscription

The EverSealed Legacy Letter Service operates through an ongoing monthly preservation subscription.

The subscription begins when the Legacy order is placed.

There is no separate starter-package charge.

The monthly price for the selected 1, 2, 4 or 6 Letter option includes the initial Legacy preparation package and the ongoing preservation service.

The subscription supports services including:

long-term physical preservation;
archive record maintenance;
recipient information administration;
verification contact administration;
future verification readiness;
future release administration; and
delivery handling when release requirements have been completed.

19. If Legacy Subscription Payments Stop

A missed, failed or stopped subscription payment does not mean that the customer has died.

It does not automatically trigger the release of any Legacy Letter.

If payments stop, EverSealed may make reasonable attempts to contact the customer regarding the subscription.

Where appropriate, nominated verification contacts may also be contacted to help clarify the status of the stored Legacy service.

No Legacy Letter will be released solely because subscription payments have stopped.

Further handling of the subscription and stored letters will be carried out in accordance with the applicable subscription and cancellation terms.

20. Returning or Replacing a Legacy Letter

Life circumstances can change and a customer may decide that they want to replace a Legacy Letter already held in storage.

Where permitted under the service, the customer may request the secure return or replacement of a stored Legacy Letter.

The request should:

come through the customer's authorised contact details; and
include the relevant EverSealed order or reference number.

A £9.99 handling and secure return fee applies under the current service terms.

Returning or replacing an individual Legacy Letter does not automatically cancel the ongoing Legacy preservation subscription.

The subscription remains active unless the customer separately requests cancellation.

21. Legacy Subscription Cancellation

Customers may request cancellation of their Legacy preservation subscription in accordance with the applicable subscription terms.

Where cancellation requires stored Legacy Letters to be returned, EverSealed will arrange the secure return process using delivery information confirmed with the customer.

A £9.99 handling and secure return fee may apply.

Cancellation does not automatically create a right to reimbursement of subscription amounts already paid, except where a refund is required by applicable law or provided under another applicable EverSealed refund or cancellation policy.

Where stored letters are being returned as part of the cancellation process, EverSealed will provide the customer with the appropriate return arrangements.

22. Release and Delivery of Legacy Letters

Once the sender's passing has been appropriately verified and the applicable release requirements have been completed, EverSealed will prepare each eligible Legacy Letter for delivery.

Before dispatch, EverSealed may review the most recent recipient and delivery information held for the relevant letter.

Delivery will be arranged using an appropriate secure tracked delivery service.

A signature or other delivery confirmation may be required where appropriate.

23. If a Legacy Recipient Cannot Be Located

If a Legacy Letter becomes eligible for release but delivery cannot be completed because:

the recipient cannot be located;
the available delivery address is no longer valid;
the recipient's information is incomplete; or
no appropriate delivery route can be established,

EverSealed will make reasonable attempts to resolve the situation.

These attempts may include:

checking the most recent recipient information held;
attempting to contact the recipient;
reviewing other contact details associated with the stored letter; and
contacting one or more nominated verification contacts where appropriate.

24. Three-Month Retention Period for Undeliverable Legacy Letters

Where an eligible Legacy Letter cannot be successfully delivered after reasonable attempts, EverSealed may continue to preserve the letter for up to three (3) months following the unsuccessful release or delivery attempt.

During this period, further reasonable attempts may be made to obtain valid delivery information or locate the intended recipient.

Before secure destruction is considered, EverSealed will make a further reasonable attempt to contact the intended recipient and, where appropriate, nominated verification contacts using the information available.

If, after the three-month retention period, no valid delivery address, intended recipient or reasonable means of completing delivery can be established, EverSealed may securely destroy the sealed letter using an appropriate confidential destruction process.

Secure destruction is a last resort and will only be considered after reasonable contact and delivery attempts have been exhausted.

This three-month procedure applies to Legacy Letters that have already become eligible for release.

It does not shorten or alter the normal preservation period of a Time Capsule Letter.

25. Small Photographs and Paper Keepsakes

Where permitted by the relevant Legacy product instructions, customers may include small, flat photographs or paper-based keepsakes that fit safely inside the supplied Legacy envelope.

The Legacy Letter Service is primarily intended for handwritten correspondence.

EverSealed does not operate a general valuables or personal-property storage service.

26. Prohibited Items

Customers must not place prohibited, illegal, dangerous or high-value property inside correspondence submitted for storage.

Items that must not be included include:

cash;
jewellery;
precious metals;
financial instruments;
original wills;
original legal documents;
illegal materials;
dangerous or hazardous materials; and
any other item that cannot lawfully or safely be stored or transported.

If you are unsure whether an item may be included, contact EverSealed before sending it.

27. Confidentiality and Personal Information

EverSealed uses personal information where reasonably necessary to administer the selected service.

This may include using information to:

identify stored correspondence;
manage customer accounts;
maintain recipient records;
maintain verification contact records;
communicate with customers and relevant contacts;
carry out verification procedures;
process updates;
administer subscriptions; and
arrange future delivery.

Further information about how personal information is handled is provided in the EverSealed Privacy Policy.

28. Responsibility for Keeping Information Current

Long-term preservation means that information may change while a letter is stored.

Customers are responsible for notifying EverSealed when they become aware of important changes relating to:

their own contact details;
recipient information;
future delivery addresses; or
Legacy verification contacts.

EverSealed will use the most recent valid information recorded for the service when administering future delivery and verification.

29. Limitation of Service Responsibility

EverSealed provides physical letter preservation, administration, verification where applicable and future delivery services.

EverSealed does not control or take responsibility for the personal content written by a customer or for the emotional, personal or relationship consequences of a recipient receiving a private letter.

Nothing in this policy is intended to exclude or restrict any liability or consumer right that cannot lawfully be excluded or restricted.

30. Independent Counselling Services

Any counselling or consultation service made available through the EverSealed website is separate from EverSealed's letter preservation, verification and delivery services.

Booking counselling is entirely optional.

A customer does not need to book counselling in order to purchase or use a Time Capsule or Legacy Letter service.

The counselling provider does not automatically: