Low / Ground-level Letterboxes Campaign Update – New Scottish Building Regulations

Low / Ground-level Letterboxes Campaign Update – New Scottish Building Regulations

Dear Colleagues,

The purpose of this LTB is to report a positive development in the CWU campaign to make the industry standard, minimum letterbox heights mandatory under the law for all new builds and new front doors.

As Branches will be aware, the industry standard BSEN 13724:2013 (Annex B, Page 27), referring to the letterbox as the ‘aperture’, states: ‘For ergonomic reasons the lower edge of the lowest aperture and the upper edge of the highest aperture should be at a height between 700mm (approx. 2ft 3½in) and 1700mm (approx. 5ft 7in) measured from the delivery floor level.’

It is therefore a welcome step, although one limited to Scotland only at this time, that the new edition of The Scottish Building Standards Technical Handbook Domestic contains a specific reference to the BSEN 13724:2013 industry standard.

The Handbook, which comes into effect from 6^th April 2026, states: ‘If fitted with a letterplate, the height of the aperture should be located at a height between 700 mm and 1.7 m above ground level so as not to endanger the health and safety of persons using such apertures in accordance with the recommendations of BS EN 13724: 2013’.

Therefore, if any new letterbox is notfitted in accordance with this standard after 6^th April, we encourage CWU Representatives and Branches in Scotland to cite health and safety endangerment on any challenge to homeowners or home builders who are not compliant with the above.

While this is a welcome step in the right direction, it is disappointing that building regulations covering the rest of the UK are not yet amended in accordance with the longstanding aims and aspirations of the CWU.

Branches will recall that, as reported back in January in LTB 015/26, CWU representatives met with Samantha Dixon MP (Chester North & Neston), who is the Under-Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government. The Under-Secretary told us that she was sympathetic with the CWU position and was awaiting a report relating to a review of building regulations within her own area of authority.

We continue to request further progress on this and we will, of course, update Branches as and when we hear further news. In the meantime, the Department is continuing to ask Area Delivery and Area Safety Reps, outside of Scotland, to assist in further strengthening the union’s case by continuing to undertake the following:

1. Please monitor and note significant new build construction projects within your area.
2. Please make contact with the respective local authority and the company concerned with regard to these projects, ensuring that they know about the recommended letterbox placement dimensions as advised by the relevant section of BSEN 13724:2013, the reasons why the CWU is prioritising this issue and request their compliance.
3. Please note the details and report back to the Outdoor Department and / or Jamie McGovern on jMcGovern@cwu.org.

Your assistance in this is much appreciated. 

Any enquiries to the content of this LTB should be directed to the Outdoor Department, email address: Pharacz@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely,

Tony Bouch

Assistant Secretary

LTB 091/26 – Low and Ground-level Letterboxes – Scotland Update

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