Royal Mail Ruined My Photo

paulpud

I yesterday arrived home to find a photo enlargement that I had ordered had been delivered but crudely bent double and stuffed through my letterbox.

It was sent in a stiff card envelope clearly marked in several places with a photo centre logo yet the postman clearly thought forcing it through the letterbox was a better option than leaving a card telling me to collect it or leaving it at the side of the house under the carport, as what has happened previously with an oversize packet.

I appreciate delivering mail does not require the operative to hold a degree but a little common sense wouldn't have gone amiss. I am expecting another to follow and have put a suitably worded note on the door, sincerely hoping that reading and understanding it is not beyond their abilities.

I am annoyed and want to complain, and would appreciate it if anyone could advise on the best way of doing this.

And if anyone knows of a way of effectively removing creases and bumps from photos that would be a bonus

fluffnutter

Check out their complaints procedure, paulpud.

With regard your photo, no advice I'm afraid

Was the photo from a company (i.e. not a friend)? I'm not sure whether you might not actually have some right of redress with the original company who sent the photo. It's their responsibility to get the picture to you and they *might* be liable if the courier (RM) fails to do this. If this is the case, the company should send you another one (which hopefully won't get mangled). I'm not sure about this though - I expect others will be able to confirm.

shaun_from_Africa

Did the envelope have any "do not bend" warnings on it?

If not, RM may well refuse to pay out as this is one of their packing requirements when sending photographs.

Place in a heavy duty cardboard envelope or if possible roll and send in a rigid tube, seal and clearly mark package PHOTOGRAPHS - DO NOT BEND

However, even if they don't give any compo, that's not your problem. The people who sent you the pic is the one who should ensure that the packing is to the standard stated by RM.
Give them a call stating what happened and tell them you would like a replacment, and offer to keep hold of the packing from the original one in case they want it in order to make a claim.

moonrakerz

I used to a lot of photography when I was in the Navy. One day a large card backed envelope arrived for me containing some large photographs.
In large red letters the envelope said:

PHOTOGRAPHS
DO NOT BEND

In even larger letters, someone had hand written: "Oh yes they do !!!!"

Dave_C_2

paulpud wrote: »

<snip>
And if anyone knows of a way of effectively removing creases and bumps from photos that would be a bonus

Back in the old days of wet printing, I have removed the odd bump from a photo with an iron (as part of the mounting process).
Suggested method, be warned this may not work with a modern printed photo.
1) Put clean sheet of paper on a clean flat piece of card on a worktop.
2) Cover with clean brown paper and iron (switch steam off) with a warm to hot iron.
3) Check paper for marks from brown paper.
If it's OK then
4) Put photo picture side up on the clean flat piece of card on a worktop.
5) Cover with the same clean brown paper and iron (switch steam off) with a warm to hot iron. Try it on a corner first.

As I said, I'm not sure about modern prints, so try at your own risk.

More on the dry mounting process here, except they use blotting paper.

Dave

PS You can always try the process on a modern printed photo that you don't mind ruining.

kalaika

paulpud wrote: »

And if anyone knows of a way of effectively removing creases and bumps from photos that would be a bonus

Just contact the company you ordered it from and tell them it has arrived damaged. They should send you a new one and take up the issue with RM (hold on to the original photo and packaging in case they ask for it back)

paulpud

Thanks for all the advice.

The envelope actually doesn't say 'Do Not Bend', just Asda Photo Centre in fairly large green letters on a stiff cardboard envelope. Perhaps they put a bit too much faith in the Royal Mail realising that it's not to be bent.