Missing post help

patsydecline

I have had no post for the last few months and have just discovered that the elderly woman in the flat below has been sending all my post back to sender saying that I don't live at the address although she has never asked me my name. I have spent months emailing and calling the Post Office, my bank, utilities providers, magazines that I subscribe to etc trying to get things sorted out as I assumed I was just receiving poor service. The postman finally rang the doorbell and asked if I lived there since all my post has been returned so I went to the woman and she had a letter from my bank with a PIN held in her flat. She doesn't speak English so I had to just show her some letters and I don't think she will send them back anymore.

The Royal Mail say they cannot do anything as the post was delivered successfully and that if my post has been stolen it needs to be reported to the police. The police say that this is an error not a crime and of course there is nothing to be gained by charging someone who is not a criminal, just old. If and when post starts arriving again I am concerned I will have missed credit card payments and other things which will cost me money and affect my credit rating. I was planning to get a mortgage in the near future and am very concerned about the potential of any black marks. Is there anything I can do to clear my record given that I can't get a crime reference number or anything?

I am so depressed as I try so hard to save money towards a deposit and keep a spotless credit record and am faced with losing money and credit score with no redress. Is there anything I can do?

savemoney

Could you fit a metal letterbox fitted outside the flat like below and put a sticker on to say address flat number on

http://www.aquaticandpetwarehouse.com/products/traditional-metal-postbox.html

patsydecline

Thanks, that looks really affordable!

savemoney wrote: »

Could you fit a metal letterbox fitted outside the flat like below and put a sticker on to say address flat number on

custardy

how is the building set out?
does it have a letterbox on the external door or what?

fluffnutter

patsy, I assume you know which credit cards you have (and other types of card payment, e.g. store cards). Phone each company in turn, explain that you've not been receiving your post and ask them whether you have outstanding balances. If you have, pay them quickly! And ask the credit companies to remove any default notices that you might have on your credit file. I'm hoping that most of your outgoings, e.g. tv licence, gas, electric, rent are done by direct debit so won't be affected. I'm also hoping that you have at least some idea of what you've been spending in the most few months! If your cards are issued by banks you should be able to bank online; I'd recommend you looking into that as well.

Good luck. I think it will probably be a while before you manage to sort everything out, but hopefully you won't get any more returned post.

patsydecline

custardy wrote: »

how is the building set out?
does it have a letterbox on the external door or what?

There is a slit type post box in the door and the post for both flats comes through that to a communal hallway.

patsydecline

fluffnutter wrote: »

patsy, I assume you know which credit cards you have (and other types of card payment, e.g. store cards). Phone each company in turn, explain that you've not been receiving your post and ask them whether you have outstanding balances. If you have, pay them quickly! And ask the credit companies to remove any default notices that you might have on your credit file. I'm hoping that most of your outgoings, e.g. tv licence, gas, electric, rent are done by direct debit so won't be affected. I'm also hoping that you have at least some idea of what you've been spending in the most few months! If your cards are issued by banks you should be able to bank online; I'd recommend you looking into that as well.

Good luck. I think it will probably be a while before you manage to sort everything out, but hopefully you won't get any more returned post.

Thanks for the advice! I am starting work on this now and will let you know if I have any problems along the way but it's obviously going to take weeks.

custardy

patsydecline wrote: »

There is a slit type post box in the door and the post for both flats comes through that to a communal hallway.

well you have options
obviously your set up keeps the building secure
so either go with an external box or get another letter box cut into the door and fit a locking cage behind that letterbox
until you get it sorted you may want to organise a free mail collect from the delivery office
that way your mail is held at the office and no chance of the neighbour getting to it

custardy

Limit wrote: »

Custardy, if I suspect someones interferred with the mail also stolen mail, do I just ring customer services?

you mean someone from Royal Mail?
if so then thats your forst call

patsydecline

custardy wrote: »

well you have options
obviously your set up keeps the building secure
so either go with an external box or get another letter box cut into the door and fit a locking cage behind that letterbox
until you get it sorted you may want to organise a free mail collect from the delivery office
that way your mail is held at the office and no chance of the neighbour getting to it

It is a rented flat so I would need the landlord's permission to do any of that. I may just ask him if he would consider doing either of these though.

Thanks for all your ex postie expertise!