Information for the customers of Česká pošta (Czech Post)

With effect from 1 April 2005, the Czech Telecommunication Office (CTO) has also been acting as the postal service regulator (See Section 37 of Act No. 29/2000 on Postal Services, as amended by Act No. 95/2005).

The task of the postal regulator is to ensure general accessibility of good-quality basic services. Basic services means the most important postal services and foreign postal services that are essential for the public (ordinary letters, registered letters, parcels, money orders).

The purpose is to assist Česká pošta’s customers in three areas:

  1. The Czech Telecommunication Office defines the services that must be provided by Česká pošta in public interest (those regarded as the basic services). The CTO also makes decisions on the conditions of the basic services, including the quality requirements.
  2. The Czech Telecommunication Office supervises how Česká pošta carries out its tasks. To do this, the CTO conducts various inspection events and observations.
  3. The Czech Telecommunication Office helps customers in their disputes with Česká pošta (in some countries, this function is sometimes referred to as “Postal Ombudsman”). This covers cases where the customers’ discussions with Česká pošta do not lead to a satisfactory solution or cases where customers feel that their rights were violated. In accordance with the Act on Postal Services, the CTO gives its technical opinion in such disputes, and if the customers’ dissatisfaction is justified, the CTO ensures that the situation is remedied.

The relations between the sender, the addressee and Česká pošta in the provision of the basic services are regulated (in addition to the provisions of the Act on Postal Services) by the Postal Conditions and by the Basic Quality Requirements.

The Postal Conditions regulate, in particular, the rights and duties of the customers and Česká pošta in relation to service provision. Postal services are provided on the basis of agreements between the sender and Česká pošta; the part of the Postal Conditions the customer selects from the many options offered represents the content of such agreements.

The Basic Quality Requirements on Česká pošta relate, for example, to the density of service provision points, the opening times of the Post Offices, methods of mail delivery to addressees, speed of mail transport, claims treatment etc.

The Act on Postal Services, the Postal Conditions and the Basic Quality Requirements are available to anybody at every Post Office. Who does not wish to study these large documents may request information or detailed explanations etc. from the CTO, Department of Communications and Postal Services Regulation.

Suggestions related to Česká poštas activities, requests for information etc. can be delivered personally or sent in writing to the address of the Office.

Note:
All documents (excluding the Act on Postal Services) are only in the Czech version.