Royal Mail !

[mike_vee]

UNHAPPY NEW YEAR

Managed to 'win' a "British Great War Veterans of America" British Legion Medal and was eagerly awaiting its arrival. Have only seen one of these before.

Woke up this morning to discover an e-mail from eBay that arrived at 01.35 stating that it had been delivered.

Immediately went downstairs to the mailboxes ............ no badge ! Checked the Royal Mail 'tracking' website and it showed it had been "signed for" at 14.35 yesterday. Checked the other mailboxes (there are 20 flats in the block) still nothing.

Visited Royal Mail Sorting and Delivery Office (10 minutes from house) and after they checked was informed that postman 'signed' for letter and had put it through the main door letter box. This is against their "signed for" policy as he should have gained access and delivered it to my flat or left an 'unable to deliver' card.

They told me to contact "Customer Service" but after numerous attempts (minimum 30 minute waiting time) I couldn't get through !!!!

I put in a Police report but they said there is nothing they can do ...case closed !

Have contacted the seller and explained what happened and he is going to put in a claim with Royal Mail.


RANT OVER !

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[Charliedog012012]

I feel your pain sir. I bought two medallions a couple of years ago at a cost of £30. After a 30 day wait and having contacted the seller twice, I got little help and the comment ‘I have proof of posting’ appeared to be his ‘coup de grace’. Tried Royal Mail and received no help from them either. Eventually I came to a settlement with the seller but nowadays I always prefer and ask for, ‘signed for’. I am fortunate in having a lovely postman who goes out of his way to be helpful and I am grateful for the favours he has done for me.....as for my purchase.....it never arrived.
Cheers
James

[grey_green_acorn]

I have no complaints about my postman who has done a great job during this difficult time. However, I recently bought a item on ebay shown as paid for on 12 December and sent 'signed for' on 13 December but the Royal Mail tracking number system showed that it was (already) delivered and signed for on 25 November! On 21 December when the item was actually delivered, I checked the tracking number and it did indeed match the number shown with the mysterious 25 November incorrect delivery date!

Tim

[mike_vee]

I've had a couple of cheap badges not turn up and because they were not sent "signed for" there is no way of knowing where/when they disappeared.

This time at least I could work out the details , doesn't help me with the medal but I have put notices up warning the other residents that mail is going missing.

PS. Have spent a good few hours over the past couple of days trawling the internet for info about the medal/group !

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[Hawthorn]

Signed for is, alas, no guarantee that a package will arrive and although you do have more of a claim if lost it only covers you up to £50. Have had an unfortunate experience where a signed for item valued at £75 went missing, I had tried to explain to the Buyer that Special Delivery was the best option which he would not accept and so after much arguing with Ebay and the Buyer I ended up £25 down.

I know in hindsight that I should have stumped up the extra postage cost myself but I think we all know that Ebay will always favour the Buyer in these cases.

So for me its always Special Delivery for items over £50. the sad thing in all these cases though is that I would much prefer that the item would arrive as opposed to the monetary value.

Simon.

[Home Guard]

Such is not limited to just Royal Mail, it's awful here in the US. I mailed a package to Montana from Tennessee on 11/9 and it still hasn't left the local sorting center. News reports say there are hundreds of bags of packages that sit unworked. It is so bad in some locations that they have had to rent storage space jut to put the unworked mail bags!

Terry

[dumdum]

It seems to be real lottery with this "signed for" malarky. We live at 71 and the dozy courier delivered to 78. When I checked, I was told that there was "permission to leave" noted on the form for our address...

Nah, they have that for No 78 but NOT for 71!

BTW, house number CLEARLY readable on the package.

The only good news is that the folks at 78 dropped the package off...eventually!

[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by Hawthorn

Signed for is, alas, no guarantee that a package will arrive and although you do have more of a claim if lost it only covers you up to £50.

the sad thing in all these cases though is that I would much prefer that the item would arrive as opposed to the monetary value.

Simon.

In my case 'covid' is partly to blame , previously the postman would have had to get my signature or leave a card and I would have collected the item from the sorting office.

Also , sometimes the monetary value can be low but the item simply one missing from your collection.

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[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by Charliedog012012

I am fortunate in having a lovely postman who goes out of his way to be helpful and I am grateful for the favours he has done for me

Originally Posted by grey_green_acorn

I have no complaints about my postman who has done a great job during this difficult time.

My problem is that I don't have "a postman" , because I live near the sorting office the "route" does not have a 'designated' postman and is covered on an overtime/whoever is available basis.

I can have a different postman each day or if no one is available ..... no delivery ! At the moment , due to staff shortages , deliveries are routinely every second day.


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[mike_vee]

I had put up notices in the block about items going missing , that Royal Mail and Police had been informed .

Well , someone must have had a bout of remorse as , sometime yesterday , the envelope (opened) was returned anonymously to my mail box !

I have contacted the seller , who has been very professional and courteous , and let him know what happened.

Will post details of item in a separate thread.

Now it is a Happy New Year !

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[Hawthorn]

Mike.

A complete pain but a result in the end!

Simon.

[Frank Kelley]

It was returned to your mailbox?

Originally Posted by mike_vee

I had put up notices in the block about items going missing , that Royal Mail and Police had been informed .

Well , someone must have had a bout of remorse as , sometime yesterday , the envelope (opened) was returned anonymously to my mail box !

I have contacted the seller , who has been very professional and courteous , and let him know what happened.

Will post details of item in a separate thread.

Now it is a Happy New Year !

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[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by Frank Kelley

It was returned to your mailbox?

The block of flats I live in has 'pigeon hole' mail boxes for the 21 residents , if the postman gets "buzzed in" (security system on main door) he puts 'normal' mail in each flats pigeon hole and should deliver any "signed for" items to individual flats.

I have no problem if he "signs" for mail and puts items through my flat's letter box.

If he doesn't get "buzzed in" he pops all normal mail through main door letter box but should not do this with any "signed for" or "recorded delivery" items , he should leave an "unable to deliver" card and items then can be collected from the sorting office (10 minutes walk from building).


The fact that whoever "mistakenly" took and opened my mail did not have the guts to knock on my door or put the letter through my letter box shows that it was not accidental.


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[Frank Kelley]

So do you think the item was actually stolen from your mail box?

Originally Posted by mike_vee

The block of flats I live in has 'pigeon hole' mail boxes for the 21 residents , if the postman gets "buzzed in" (security system on main door) he puts 'normal' mail in each flats pigeon hole and should deliver any "signed for" items to individual flats.

I have no problem if he "signs" for mail and puts items through my flat's letter box.

If he doesn't get "buzzed in" he pops all normal mail through main door letter box but should not do this with any "signed for" or "recorded delivery" items , he should leave an "unable to deliver" card and items then can be collected from the sorting office (10 minutes walk from building).


The fact that whoever "mistakenly" took and opened my mail did not have the guts to knock on my door or put the letter through my letter box shows that it was not accidental.


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[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by Frank Kelley

So do you think the item was actually stolen from your mail box?

Yes !

1. 30th December - Signed for as delivered by postman @ 14.35
2. 31st December - I checked pigeon holes @ 07.00 , not there.
3. 31st December - Checked with Sorting Office @ 10.00 , confirmed it was delivered.
4. 31st December - Put up notice about "missing mail".

5. 2nd January - After over 48 hours letter (which had been torn open) turns up in my pigeon hole.

If it was taken by mistake , why so long to return it ? Also , why not either knock on my door or put it through my letter box ?

So , yes I think it was stolen and when I put up notices that Police had been informed the thief got cold feet and returned it but did not want me to know who it was.

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