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Had Recorded Delivery mail go missing?

Have you had mail sent via the Royal Mail's Recorded Delivery service go missing? Seems like mail sent via standard delivery is safer these days. I had no problems with the post until I began sending things via Recorded Delivery. Anyone else in the same boat? It seems that Special Delivery is the only way to ensure your packet, letter or parcel arrives at its destination these days.
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  • custardy
    custardy Posts: 38,365 Forumite
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    DemiDee wrote: »
    Have you had mail sent via the Royal Mail's Recorded Delivery service go missing? Seems like mail sent via standard delivery is safer these days. I had no problems with the post until I began sending things via Recorded Delivery. Anyone else in the same boat? It seems that Special Delivery is the only way to ensure your packet, letter or parcel arrives at its destination these days.

    you realise standard mail and RD's travel together?
  • DemiDee
    DemiDee Posts: 528 Forumite
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    Yes, I already knew that, Curtardy. I believe that this 'service' should be scrapped, and people can either send via normal first or second class, or else pay for special delivery, which has less of the problems experienced by those who resort to paying for a signature which often never materialises! As it happens, I have had wonderful postmen over the years, but this particular service does not live up to what it promises.
  • MrsManda
    MrsManda Posts: 4,457 Forumite
    The point of recorded delivery isn't to ensure that the parcel arrives but to allow the sender to prove that it has been received. You also get more compensation should it go missing than you do with simply sending an item first/second class.


    Why do you think this service should be stopped? If you don't like it, don't use it.
  • You also get more compensation should it go missing than you do with simply sending an item first/second class.

    Nope.
    The compensation for recorded mail is exactly the same as for standard 1st or 2nd class items. It is set at the equivilent of 100 1st class stamps.
  • marleyboy
    marleyboy Posts: 16,698 Forumite
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    edited 23 December 2010 at 12:51AM
    I remember when I used to run the mailroom for a well known bank. They have since gone with TNT but in those days the RM was used. Certain post as you can imagine for a bank, would go Rec Delivery, but more important documents would go Special Delivery.

    One particular case involved Title Deeds, so you can imagine the value and importance of such a document, this went Special Delivery but got lost via RM, who at first, flatly denied getting such a letter, causing my boss to call me in and explain where it had gone. However, as part of my job was to keep records, I was easily able to show the signature of the RM staff member who received it, confirming they had indeed received it.

    It was not long after that, the branch decided to use TNT for the mail, but whatever happened to that case, I will never know, I cannot imagine a refund for it even coming close to replacing something as crucial as a Title Deed.
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  • custardy
    custardy Posts: 38,365 Forumite
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    marleyboy wrote: »
    I remember when I used to run the mailroom for a well known bank. They have since gone with TNT but in those days the RM was used. Certain post as you can imagine for a bank, would go Rec Delivery, but more important documents would go Special Delivery.

    One particular case involved Title Deeds, so you can imagine the value and importance of such a document, this went Special Delivery but got lost via RM, who at first, flatly denied getting such a letter, causing my boss to call me in and explain where it had gone. However, as part of my job was to keep records, I was easily able to show the signature of the RM staff member who received it, confirming they had indeed received it.

    It was not long after that, the branch decided to use TNT for the mail, but whatever happened to that case, I will never know, I cannot imagine a refund for it even coming close to replacing something as crucial as a Title Deed.

    so still using RM then?
  • marleyboy
    marleyboy Posts: 16,698 Forumite
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    I couldn't possibly say, I am going back nearly 10 years.
    :A:dance:1+1+1=1:dance::A
    "Marleyboy you are a legend!"
    MarleyBoy "You are the Greatest"
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  • marleyboy wrote: »
    I couldn't possibly say, I am going back nearly 10 years.

    RM deliver TNT mail ;)
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  • DemiDee
    DemiDee Posts: 528 Forumite
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    MrsManda wrote: »
    The point of recorded delivery isn't to ensure that the parcel arrives but to allow the sender to prove that it has been received.

    Yes, but surely the two go hand in hand? The sender cannot prove that the item has been received if it goes missing in transit, which is my case, is quite a common scenario when sending via RD.
    MrsManda wrote: »
    You also get more compensation should it go missing than you do with simply sending an item first/second class.

    Unless this has changed in the last week, that's not correct. You get the same compensation as if you'd sent an item with a proof of postage via standard mail.

    MrsManda wrote: »
    Why do you think this service should be stopped? If you don't like it, don't use it.

    Because I've had over twenty items go missing over the past year, when using this service, whilst mail sent via standard delivery has reached its destination. Why did I continue using RD, you might ask? Because Special Delivery can be fairly expensive, and since the items weren't of significant monetary value, it didn't seem worthwhile paying the extra. If we all took the attitude of 'if you don't like it, don't use it' when something is failing to live up to what is being paid for, then nobody would ever complain, and nothing would ever change.
  • Amanita_2
    Amanita_2 Posts: 1,299 Forumite
    IMNSHO Recorded delivery is a complete waste of money. I have had a number of recorded delivery packages delivered to private homes without a signature being obtained so I cannot prove receipt. Fortunately the recipient has been happy to let me know the packages arrived safely

    It has got to the stage that I have asked for and received compensation several times for RM failing to provide the service I have PAID for - a signature on delivery.
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