THERE'S an old saying about the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing.

Royal Mail's dealings with its industry regulator Postcomm seem to prove the accuracy of this.

It appears Royal Mail did not know that strike action is now a legitimate reason for customers to claim compensation for late deliveries.

Postcomm quotes the new rules, chapter and verse -- proving conclusively that when it comes to reading the small print, Royal Mail is sadly dismissive.

Perhaps the regulations should be given post codes and the sorting machines left to do the thinking.