What to use as a proof of value for RM lost item claim?

kiwi_fruit · 1 July 2009 at 1:49PM

Buyer notifies me this morning postman told him his package was stolen before he could deliver it to him!

It was sent recorded! Contacted CS and after half an hour listening to automated questions finally been told to print lost item claim form and send it with the proof of postage.
My question is what do I use to proof the item value? Paypal money receipt? Ebay item number..? Do I put value as total with the postage or just item value alone? Do I send original proof of postage receipt or do I photocopy it? Sorry have to ask this, never had to deal with it. How will they pay back? Cheque..? Hope it's not 20 quid worth of stamps. Buyer seemed to be nice about it and just said he had to buy another one. I said we'll refund him when RM refunds us..?
Thanks to anybody who can reply.

Faxy_Fowler · 1 July 2009 at 1:57PM

Recorded delivery takes so long to get compensation. My last claim took over 6 months.

kiwi_fruit · 1 July 2009 at 2:00PM

:O
Thats ridiculous:( I guess whatever RM do they just can't do it..properly.

martindow · 1 July 2009 at 10:21PM

This sounds very odd. How would their postman know that something had been stolen? (Unless they were the thief of course).

I suspect that your buyer is fraudulent.

kiwi_fruit · 1 July 2009 at 10:41PM

martindow wrote: »

This sounds very odd. How would their postman know that something had been stolen? (Unless they were the thief of course).

I suspect that your buyer is fraudulent.

apparently somebody stole it from his "whatever he carries parcels in" when he left it unattended. well that's what buyer told me. RM website comes up with "there been a problem with your item and it hasn't been delivered" when I enter tracking number.

jamesb1239 · 1 July 2009 at 11:23PM

the proof of value is not the amount that you sold for, you have to provide proof of the amount that YOU originally purchased it for. theres an example on the rm website but i cant find it.
it was something like the a pair of jeans cost £5 for the manufacturer to make and they sell them to the shop for £15 & if they go missing RM pay the £5 as their value.
the shop sends them to a customer and charges £30 & they go missing so RM pays £15 ( the cost to the shop)
the customer then sells them on ebay for £60 and they go missing, RM refund the £30 they were bought from the shop at.

and refunds will be no greater than the value of 100 1st class stamps.

Hope that helps

kiwi_fruit · 2 July 2009 at 12:16AM

jamesb1239, well that's a shocker! how can I prove how much I've bought that thing for if it was years ago:eek: Am I supposed to refund the buyer amount he paid and be out of pocket because RM lost it? :eek:
Thanks for reply though.

kiwi_fruit · 2 July 2009 at 12:22AM

jamesb1239 wrote: »

the customer then sells them on ebay for £60 and they go missing, RM refund the £30 they were bought from the shop at.

oh and if customer purchased something for say £30 and sold on ebay at a loss of £15, will they refund you £30 then?

jamesb1239 · 2 July 2009 at 1:31AM

I found it;
You can claim the actual cost of the item to you i.e what it cost
you to acquire, purchase or manufacture the item (or repair in the
case of damage) up to a maximum of the market value or the
compensation payable for the service used, whichever is the lower.
Mrs Smith (the end purchaser) bought a pair of jeans and paid
£25 for them. If she posts them on and they go missing she can
claim the cost to her, i.e. £25. The shop (retailer) that sells the jeans
buys them from the manufacturer for £15. If they post them on and
they go missing they can claim the cost to acquire the jeans, i.e. £15.
The factory (manufacturer) that supplies the shop makes the jeans
for £10. If they post them and they go missing they can claim what
the item cost to manufacture, i.e £10.

its on the royal mail claim form HERE

NeilJung · 2 July 2009 at 3:31AM

They've been clamping down on claims recently apparently, so it's likely you would need the original reciept I'm afraid.

soolin · 2 July 2009 at 7:35AM

I do think though this is something that we should all take to postwatch (or whatever they are called). Many of us sell its and bobs from around our homes, how can we prove that value? Even for business sellers where you expect receipts to be available it is not always clear cut. I buy books in bulk, sort them, dump some and then list them, how can I value an individual book from a bulk lot where all I have is an auction receipt saying 'books'?