Best way to get compensation from Royal Mail

helenyw

I've just made a special trip to the local sorting office (the notorious London SE1 one) to pick up something that the postman had allegedly tried to deliver to me three days ago but it was too big for my letterbox.
My sister was home all day that day, and actually heard the postman dropping the letters through the letterbox. Among the letters contained the red "Sorry you were out" card. By the time my sister went out to call the postman he had gone. Here's my first suspicion: the postman didn't actually bother bring the parcel (a birthday present for my sister) to deliver, because otherwise why would he not bother knocking the door or ring the door bell and risk having to carry it all the way back to the post office.
Yesterday and the day before we spent ages on the phone trying to arrange a redelivery, but never got through to a real person. Today I went to the post office, and after waiting for a few minutes, the man at the counter comes back empty handed. The postman has not returned the parcel.
This is not the first time that this has happened. Last time, I managed to get through (only by calling the Royal Mail customer service number) and got a reference number for the redelivery. I waited all day. The postman came and went but no sign of the parcel. I called and was eventually told that "the item is now lost".
Has anyone tried to contact Royal Mail for compensation? Do they ever answer letters or phone calls? I have tried the customer service line, only to be told that there is nothing they could do as the item was already lost. This is ridiculous. I lived in southern and west Africa for almost 15 years and this was what used to happen until we got to know the people in the post office. This is yet another example of how this country is headed for a social "regression" while others progress - definitely a first of its kind!

arnie&caseysma!

I have previously contacted Royal Mail through their website and I have responses on every query (including £5 voucher on one where the incapable jobsworth in the post office didnt stick the postage label on - it was too big and I had to pass it through a separate area for her to stick it on which she didn't do and the recipient had to pay extra and pick it up!). The only one I haven't had a response to is one where the parcel was lost! They obviously don't want to accept any responsibility. I got refunded for this through a paypal dispute as it was an ebay purchase and the seller was refusing to refund and then claim from Royal Mail. I have since left it in the buyers hands to chase up with the post office......you can try but you probably won't get any reponse!

pinkfluffybabe

helenyw wrote:

I've just made a special trip to the local sorting office (the notorious London SE1 one) to pick up something that the postman had allegedly tried to deliver to me three days ago but it was too big for my letterbox.
My sister was home all day that day, and actually heard the postman dropping the letters through the letterbox. Among the letters contained the red "Sorry you were out" card. By the time my sister went out to call the postman he had gone. Here's my first suspicion: the postman didn't actually bother bring the parcel (a birthday present for my sister) to deliver, because otherwise why would he not bother knocking the door or ring the door bell and risk having to carry it all the way back to the post office.
Yesterday and the day before we spent ages on the phone trying to arrange a redelivery, but never got through to a real person. Today I went to the post office, and after waiting for a few minutes, the man at the counter comes back empty handed. The postman has not returned the parcel.
This is not the first time that this has happened. Last time, I managed to get through (only by calling the Royal Mail customer service number) and got a reference number for the redelivery. I waited all day. The postman came and went but no sign of the parcel. I called and was eventually told that "the item is now lost".
Has anyone tried to contact Royal Mail for compensation? Do they ever answer letters or phone calls? I have tried the customer service line, only to be told that there is nothing they could do as the item was already lost. This is ridiculous. I lived in southern and west Africa for almost 15 years and this was what used to happen until we got to know the people in the post office. This is yet another example of how this country is headed for a social "regression" while others progress - definitely a first of its kind!

I get this 'while you were out' thing a lot when someone is at home when the postman comes, obviously they don't bring the parcels out of the sorting office because they can't be bothered.

Put the details in here; http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/jump3?catId=400144&mediaId=15400382 and someone will email you within a couple of days to let you know what they are going to do about it. They are usually quite effective and you often get stamps by way of an apology (although this doesn't make up for whatever has gone missing).

BONJOEY

i sent a letter to royal mail recorded delivery , and guess what they havent recieved it, its not even been signed for!!!
the letter contained a recipt and lost item form, with all the proof etc, how convienient
i have emailed them, i await my reply!!

fwhorn

Hi,

I have had problems with the post office before, but must say i have a great postman so cant knock him. Whenever i have a problem with the post or people who work for the post then i get in contact with postwatch, I always tell them i want a response and what is happening. They have nothing to do with the post office but i think are goverment sponsered and the figures and stats count. Give these a try.

CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS 08456 01326.

Like i said they are nothing to do with the post office so be nice with them and you should get a result.

Good luck

straws

I don't know if you've sorted this out yet, but the exact same thing happened to me a while ago. They finally gave me a form to fill in, but it asked for details I couldn't possibly know, such as where was it posted etc, so I emailed customer services of the company I'd bought from and they immediately said they'd send me another item and claim from Royal Mail themselves! It's definitely worth a try if the company you bought the present from have decent customer service.