Royal mail - Guaranteed Delivery by 1pm... Didn't arrive!

Jimmy_McGrinny

Hi There,

I needed an item urgently and wanted to make sure that it arrived before the weekend, so Thursday Morning, first thing, I went for the Royal mail - guaranteed Delivery by 1pm option... 1st Class would probably have been fine, but I wanted to be sure... I wanted to... GUARANTEE that it would arrive on time..

Friday 1pm came and went.

luckily Royal mail have a very useful online tracker, so I tried that to see exactly where it has got to...

"Your item with reference SZ724937524GB is currently progressing through our network. Your item is currently progressing through our network for delivery.
To check your item's progress please come back later."

Excellent! None the wiser!!

I phoned them up at 2pm and got someone who was very sympathetic, but could offer nothing more on this except that it departed the West Midlands yesterday at 3pm (heading to me in Glasgow). After a little bit of prompting, he kindly agreed to phone both depots and phone me back. He advised me that the parcel was in transit and nothing more could be done, and also suggested that when it finally arrived, I phone back and get reimbursed since the delivery had not been made as promised.

Now here is the thing... I expect to get AT LEAST the difference between guaranteed delivery and 2nd class, BUT they have broken a contract. It could be the case that the item ordered is now no longer of any use to me as it was ONLY good for the time ordered - like a costume for a Stag-Do for example, useless after the event.

My question is (apologies for taking so long to get to it), is there any justification in requesting MORE than just the postage refunded, or am I being greedy/futile?
If the item went missing all together, then the item's value up to £500 would be covered, so is there an additional cost for breaking the guarantee?

Would really appreciate anyone's input on this. Believe it or not, it's not particularly about making a tenner out of Royal Mail, it's about being really aggrieved over having a promise or guarantee broken, and then finding that there is no consequence or recourse... You're simply paying for a 'first class stamp service', if it 'happens' to arrive on time, then they make more money, if it doesn't then oh well, never mind.. next time.

If I sound like I'm whining, I apologise, but I've got my angry hat on!

Look forward to hearing from someone, ANYONE, even if it's just to tell me to just accept that these things happen and I should just learn to live with it!!

Cheers,
(Non-Grinning) Jimmy

:mad:

987654

The reason for non arrival may be due to the fact that mail is flown between Midlands & Scotland - obviously not last night.

I'll leave it to others to respond re compensation.

custardy

http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/content1?catId=112300784&mediaId=112400779

Would really appreciate anyone's input on this. Believe it or not, it's not particularly about making a tenner out of Royal Mail, it's about being really aggrieved over having a promise or guarantee broken, and then finding that there is no consequence or recourse... You're simply paying for a 'first class stamp service', if it 'happens' to arrive on time, then they make more money, if it doesn't then oh well, never mind.. next time.

the planes are grounded,how can RM foresee/prevent this?

Now here is the thing... I expect to get AT LEAST the difference between guaranteed delivery and 2nd class, BUT they have broken a contract. It could be the case that the item ordered is now no longer of any use to me as it was ONLY good for the time ordered - like a costume for a Stag-Do for example, useless after the event.

which is why consequential loss insurance is available

fifitrix123

I have just had the same thing (before smog) and sent several emails until I was told to go get a form from the post office and do it that way!
I asked what the point was of offering a service but not providing it even though they charge much more for it but as usual no one bothered so long as they have their money.........:mad:

Last year a post man put 3 parcels of mine in my recycling bin as I wasn't in............. I was away for 2 weeks and guess who came to empty the bins..... All I could claim was £34 for each parcel even tho the postie had been told off before for leaving parcels on doorstop. Idiots

cyberbob

Calm down use a little common sense. These words may help Volcano and No planes. You can claim as custardy says but even the RM can't forsee a volcano in iceland

custardy

nothing like tagging a rant onto a thread that has no bearing on the original post

Jimmy_McGrinny

Sorry, forgot to include the point about the means of transport at the end of my rant... I'm well aware of the skyward chaos which is occurring - it's kind of hard to miss!! My Dad was stuck in Nuremberg today, now Vienna tonight, trying to get back, having had all flights now cancelled from Vienna from this evening, AND Trains and Ferry's completely swamped!!

Anyway, I completely agree that if it was due to the fact that mail is usually flown up, then it is totally beyond their control and I have every sympathy for them and of course I wouldn't expect miracles! HOWEVER, I specifically asked the chap on the phone whether the mail was flown from the Midlands to Glasgow, and if that was the cause of the delay, however, he said that it was driven by van/truck.

His information may not be correct, but that is what I was told, so can we please assume that the mail was (or should have been) driven up overnight. If it turns out that the delay is due to volcanic ash then all is forgiven!!

custardy

i would expect the SD's to be flown in

987654

It is flown from East Midlands airport to Scotland.

Ivory_Tinkler

We had an email at work yesterday from royal mail suspending the special delivery guarantee due to planes being grounded. SD items do tend to go by air so this would account for your problem. Irritating yes, forseeable by RM, no. I would expect that they have a clause in their terms that they would not pay compensation for events such as this, rather like all those people stuck at airports or in holiday destinations not being able to fly but not being able to claim from their insurance.

drsquirrel

Ivory_Tinkler wrote: »

We had an email at work yesterday from royal mail suspending the special delivery guarantee due to planes being grounded. SD items do tend to go by air so this would account for your problem. Irritating yes, forseeable by RM, no. I would expect that they have a clause in their terms that they would not pay compensation for events such as this, rather like all those people stuck at airports or in holiday destinations not being able to fly but not being able to claim from their insurance.

It tends to be the airline that doesn't pay up for these issues, whereas the point of additional insurance usually do...

I was caught up at the time of some of the hijacking attempts and insurance paid out...


I agree with the general sentiment - it's sad that your service falls short, but it's hardly fair to be "mad" at RM for it.