If you have a question it's probably a good idea to have a look through our Frequently Asked Questions before contacting us, as there's a good chance that your question has been asked (and answered) before.

If your question isn't here, then please feel free to contact us.



I haven't been sent my membership number?

Please e-mail us at joining@britishpenpals.co.uk with the following information:

   1) Your name, age and postal address
   2) Roughly when you joined
   3) The e-mail address you used when applying
   4) The netbanx reference number you were given, if you paid to join online.

We aim to supply you with your membership confirmation details within 24 hours. The most common reasons for you not receiving your welcome e-mail are :

   a) You have typed in your e-mail address incorrectly (eg using .com instead of .co.uk at the end of your e-mail address.)
   b) Your security settings will not allow an e-mail from us to get through your firewall.
   c) Your e-mail account is over quota.

How do I use the site?

If you are trying to use the main site you don’t need a user name and password. When you have selected the penpals you want to contact, you fill in the form on the how to contact page, you will need your membership number for the form which you should have been sent, and then we will send you the contact details you have requested. 

If you are trying to access the forum at www.britishpenpalschat.com you need to register separately for this. If you click on the link you will find the register button towards the top right hand corner of the page. Follow the instructions and you will be able to choose your own user name and password.

How do I change my profile?

Send your amendments together with your name and membership number to joining@britishpenpals.co.uk and we will update the site for you as soon as possible.



How many penpals can I contact?

You are entitled to request details of up to 10 penpals for each month of your membership. In the event of one of your penpals having an unobtainable e-mail address, you will be able to make an alternative selection (once we have checked it for you).

What if I write to someone and their e-mail address doesn't work?

If your e-mail is sent back to you as undelivered, please let us know. We will check their contact details and if they are no longer valid you will be able to request a replacement. We find some people do change their e-mail addresses from time to time and they can forget to tell us, which is frustrating for everyone!

What if I want to pay by cheque?

We have set up an address, below, for people who wish to make membership payments via cheque, but we are unable to enter into postal correspondence, as this increases costs, and we are keen to keep membership costs as low as possible.

British Penpals
36 The Kings Gap,
Hoylake,
Wirral
CH47 1HF
United Kingdom.

Although, members can request correspondence via snail mail with other members, it is a requirement of membership to British Penpals that you have a valid e-mail address. As British Penpals is an online penpal club, the majority of our members want to correspond via e-mail, therefore the lack of an e-mail address can seriously affect the enjoyment you will get from joining British Penpals.



How do I cancel my membership?

All you need to do is e-mail us at cancel@britishpenpals.co.uk quoting your name, membership number and e-mail address. We will e-mail you back within 48 hours to confirm your membership has been cancelled.



Do I need to renew my membership each month?

If you have joined online, your membership will be renewed automatically for you each month, until you decide to cancel it. If you have joined by post your membership will be for a set period and you will need to renew this, should you wish to do so.



Will everyone I write to reply to me?

Whilst we would hope that they do, we cannot guarantee that everyone will write back. There are many reasons that this might happen, but please don't take it personally! We do find that people in the military don't have daily access to e-mail as they are busy on tours of duty etc, but they will reply as quickly as possible, so please be patient. We try and keep our files as up to date as possible and delete the profiles of people who are not interested in more penpals, so as to avoid disappointment whenever possible.