Originally Posted by
corporate-wage-slave
Durham is currently churning out renewals in about 4 working days (!!!!!). In fact the courier company DX Secure is sometimes taking longer to deliver than HMPO to print up the new one, but that's another issue
I renewed my 48 page passport online, just used the regular service (not premium or one-week): sent in the old passport the next day by first class registered post; and the new landed on my doorstep two days later (!) My documents and the old passport were returned separately to me a few days after the new passport.
This was from the Peterborough office.
[Slightly marred by the fact that there was an omission in it, but they did fix it and they have sent out a new one again, received today within four days of receiving my complaint ...]
Anyway, I would say, any passport you send them will be invalidated (by chopping off the corners), so don't send in both.