Royal Mail - Lost Special Delivery

ellawaude

Good Morning

I was wondering if any of you could help, as I'm sure you all have more knowledge than me about things like this.

I send some jewellery via Royal Mail in September. Special Delivery and insured for the correct amount. Before sending it I checked through the Royal Mail website and followed all their instructions and advice. Did you know that if its not in their Special Delivery bags it's not necessarily covered?

They didn't deliver the parcel, and subsequently have decided that they have lost it. I submitted a claim form, although on the claims form it does state something along the lines of 'if claiming for compensation of actual market value you must provide original proof of purchase'. I don't have this, so called and they asked me to find a comparable item on line or in a catalogue to act as proof - so I did.

They then told me this wasn't good enough. I have explained to several of their customer service advisers, and was promised that a cheque was on its way to me by four different agents (unfortunately I didn't get their names as I assumed a promise was a promise). People have promised to call me back and then never bothered.

After talking to one woman eventually, she asked were there any photographs or valuations I had of the items and I said I had an absolutely appalling photograph of them, you could hardly make it out as it was taken on a camera phone purely by chance. She asked for that so I sent it to her. She has since said that it is not acceptable quality. The Royal Mail want something to say I had it in my possession and that I posted it. One gentleman was very rude saying 'You can't just put in a cheap plastic thing and claim it was a tiara'.

It has since gone though to the Directors Office for review and they are again asking for the photograph and I feel this is just going round in circles. I have spent over £60 on the phone to them because they do not ring me back when they say and I want what I feel I am entitled to as they have lost something I cannot replace.

On their labels for Special Delivery it states;

If your item is lost or damaged...
We'll pay you the compensation for the value of your item, up to the level paid for.

I have since searched the website again and gone into my local post office and it does not appear to say anywhere other than the claims form (by which time it is a little late!) that you need original proof of purchase.

I used to work for the post office and we were made aware of a lot of things. But never this. Perhaps I should've known better than to trust the Royal Mail?

All the Royal Mail have done so far is cause me a lot of stress and refund me my postage, and create a huge telephone bill.

What can I do???

Please help

vicshippers

Here's a little help (although I'm a little late I'm afraid) - the direct number for Royal Mail according to 'saynoto0870' is 01752 387112 Maybe that will help with the phone bill from now.

Royal Mail must require proof of the value of the item, as (unfortunately) that can't trust the word of the general public. Without proof of purchase/valuation we could all send hundreds of paperweights through their system in the hope that one got lost and we could claim it was £500 of gold). While I appreciate that this is not helpful to you - I'm hoping that it helps show that they are not trying to fail you, they have to have these processes in place.

I do agree that maybe they could make it more obvious to the sender, before the item is sent.

superboobs

I too am having trouble with royal mail deliveries, I was at work when they called oneday so they posted me a card and took all items (7 in all) back to the sorting office (even ones that would have fit through the letterbox) when I arranged for redelivery they never came-twice! I had a round trip in a taxi cost me £18, to collect them myself, only to find that they had lost some of them, and one that they told me had been lost a couple of weeks before, was still in the sorting office! Now they are ignoring my complaints, the whole company is a waste of space. I am in the process of contacting post watch to complain and I suggest you do the same, just wish I could be more helpful, good luck!
www.postwatch.co.uk

ellawaude

Thank you for your help. :rudolf:

I understand why they ask for the receipt, and I'm not just being awkward if I had it I would provide it. Had I known what I know now I would have perhaps had thing valued. Now I'm in quite an awkward position.

However as a friend pointed out, how does a receipt prove you put it in there anyway. Next they'll be making you put it in in-front of them and having to stamp to say they've seen it!

I will contact post watch. At the moment it's with the directors office so I shall see if I have any more joy with them. It's just so frustrating.

Ste_C

vicshippers wrote: »

Royal Mail must require proof of the value of the item, as (unfortunately) that can't trust the word of the general public. Without proof of purchase/valuation we could all send hundreds of paperweights through their system in the hope that one got lost and we could claim it was £500 of gold). While I appreciate that this is not helpful to you - I'm hoping that it helps show that they are not trying to fail you, they have to have these processes in place.

But they could stop fraudulent claims by delivering the item in the first place - which is what people are paying a premium for.

Zanzibar

Without proof of purchase/valuation we could all send hundreds of paperweights through their system in the hope that one got lost and we could claim it was £500 of gold).

Hold on, what stops you showing any old receipt or picture for any item to them?? There is no way for them to check so your scam of paper weights and gold could actually work - though the loss rate I suspect is quite low for Special Delivery and you'd spend more in delivery charges than you could con...

Also..

I have since searched the website again and gone into my local post office and it does not appear to say anywhere other than the claims form (by which time it is a little late!) that you need original proof of purchase.

I did see this:

Covered for up to £500


When you use Special Delivery™ Next Day you can claim compensation up to £500 or the value of the item, whichever is the lower. If the item is more valuable you can buy additional compensation cover up to £2,500.

You can claim compensation for late delivery in writing within 14 days of posting. Remember to include your proof of purchase receipt.

You can also claim compensation for loss or damage in writing within 12 months of posting, as long as you include your proof of purchase receipt.

http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/content3?mediaId=22700549&catId=400026

mazza111

superboobs wrote: »

I too am having trouble with royal mail deliveries, I was at work when they called oneday so they posted me a card and took all items (7 in all) back to the sorting office (even ones that would have fit through the letterbox) when I arranged for redelivery they never came-twice! I had a round trip in a taxi cost me £18, to collect them myself, only to find that they had lost some of them, and one that they told me had been lost a couple of weeks before, was still in the sorting office! Now they are ignoring my complaints, the whole company is a waste of space. I am in the process of contacting post watch to complain and I suggest you do the same, just wish I could be more helpful, good luck!
www.postwatch.co.uk

Not gonna respond to the fiasco about the redeliveries as i don't know what happens in your local office. When you say some went missing? Could they have been recorded items? Recorded or tracked items are only kept for 7 days (at least i think it's 7 for tracked) and the others are kept for 3 weeks before being returned to sender. Just wondering with the time scale that's involved here.