Used mail stamps

[ASuperGav]

Are unused mail stamps still legal if they are unfranked

[Mamjet]

unused stamps are always unfranked.

[ASuperGav]

No silly,

If you peel them off the envelope in hot water

[meglet]

Not actually silly SuperGav as you meant used unfranked stamps when you actually said unused unfranked stamps.

[Buenchico]

If you re-used the stamps, you'd be deceiving the Post Office into thinking that you'd paid their fee for carrying your mail. (When you purchase a postage stamp, you're not really buying a piece of paper; you're buying the right to use a service).

This is regarded as 'obtaining a service by deception' (or possibly as 'evasion of liability by deception'
and is contrary to Section 1 (or possibly Section 2, if 'evasion of liability') of the Theft Act 1978. The maximum penalty for a conviction before a magistrates' court is 6 months imprisonment. Before a Crown Court, the maximum penalty is 5 years imprisonment:
http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?LegT ype=All+Legislation&title=theft+act+1978&searc hEnacted=0&extentMatchOnly=0&confersPower=0&bl anketAmendment=0&sortAlpha=0&TYPE=QS&PageNumbe r=1&NavFrom=0&parentActiveTextDocId=1501888&Ac tiveTextDocId=1501888&filesize=17737

Chris

[north star]

surely if i stick a stamp on an addressed letter I am entitled to change my mind, not post the letter, cut the stamp off the envelope and stick it on another letter I DO wish to send.

[ASuperGav]

I agree entirely with North Star.Who's to say how the unfranked stamps came to be. I've often had to remove stamps from envelopes I was going to send only to find for some reason, I didn't need to e.g. I mucked up the address or received correspondence from the person you were going to write to before I could send the newly stamped envelope to them. It's a very grey area and one which is hard to prove malicious intent in deceiving the Post Office..Another question I have is : can stamps be used as legal tender. I got a bill from Amex for 26p! So I sent them stamps!