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Royal Mail lost House Contracts

Hi, the wonderful royal mail lost our signed house purchase contracts so I am filling in a form to claim compensation. Does anyone know how much the compensation should be realisticallyfor? I was lucky enough to have a good solicitor who agreed to fax the contracts through to save paying to have a new set sent out but I don't think Royal Mail should just get away with losing an important document. I sent it recorded first class. :confused:

Comments

  • The contracts are not lost, Royal Mail are just temporarily unsure of the location of said contracts.

    If you look in the Royal Mail website it outlines the compo: It depends on under what conditions they were sent (eg 2nd class plain envelope, Recorded-signed-for, Special-Delivery) and, where relevant the compo. signed up for on sending. When you sent them you should have got that info..

    Cheers!

    Lodger

    PS - These things happen, have happenned to most of us, usually several times: Move on? It is possible to go through life without always wanting things going wrong to be "someone-elses'-fault"
  • custardy
    custardy Posts: 38,365 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    cpholt wrote: »
    Hi, the wonderful royal mail lost our signed house purchase contracts so I am filling in a form to claim compensation. Does anyone know how much the compensation should be realisticallyfor? I was lucky enough to have a good solicitor who agreed to fax the contracts through to save paying to have a new set sent out but I don't think Royal Mail should just get away with losing an important document. I sent it recorded first class. :confused:

    so you spent under £2
    how much have you spent so far on the whole contract costs?
    thats why special delivery is there,for the very important things
  • natters_2
    natters_2 Posts: 306 Forumite
    recorded only covers you up to about £40 - although it is a signed for delivery it still goes with the rest of the mail - special delivery is handled differently and has to be signed for when it leaves the post office as well as when it arrives at the destination.
  • In common law, your compensation is limited to the actual financial loss you suffered. So, how much money did you lose - or how much extra money did you have to spend - for the loss of the contracts?

    You should also see the T&Cs for Recorded Delivery to see what RM's general terms are for payment of compo. I have a feeling it's a return of the postage only - unless you can prove additional financial loss.

    Unless you want to claim damages for distress ....? :confused:
    Warning ..... I'm a peri-menopausal axe-wielding maniac ;)
  • sarahb
    sarahb Posts: 318 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    You should also see the T&Cs for Recorded Delivery to see what RM's general terms are for payment of compo. I have a feeling it's a return of the postage only - unless you can prove additional financial loss.:confused:

    I don't think you'll get anything more than a book of first class stamps. In my recent experience it's not worth the hassle of claiming however annoyed you are by Royal Mail's incompetence!
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