Unpaid Postage - Funny Story, Need Advice

k66yla

He could've also paid online and the item would of been sent straight to him the next day. There was no need to travel.

visidigi

I disagree - this is spam mail (confirmed now after I reread the original post).

He could have paid online, he could have refused, but this entire process could and should have been avoided if the OP's company did not send spam mail.

Its the sheer point of it being spam mail which has caused the recipient to treat it the way they have, they are rightly irritated by the situation caused by spam mail.

This person was inconvienienced by a company spamming a professional - who then giggled at a letter critisising the incompetence of the postal payment process within that company.

As for him getting someone else to get his post, well its his right if he gets his own or not - additionally for the 6 miles in an hour - easily possible if in london.

For me, the OP's employer has a significant responsiblity in this, one which should be more impacting that £4 or whatever - they are sending spam mail - and for that they should be finanacially liable beyond the fee imposed beyond royal mail.

Again, had the spamming sender done a proper job the recipient wouldn't have complained.

This could become damaging for the company, as there are always alternatives in the heathcare industries.

custardy

visidigi wrote: »

I think the point is its spam mail, if unsolicited, if it was legitimate mail and they wanted it they wouldnt have complained to the same extent.

And the problem with this situation is the RM will not show you what it is before you pay as they are still having the cost of posting to deal with.

so to find out if it is legitimate mail DOES require the person to pay.

since when?they wont bring it to you until its paid but you can see the item before paying

unholyangel

custardy wrote: »

since when?they wont bring it to you until its paid but you can see the item before paying

I can 2nd this. I've refused delivery of items i didnt want that didnt have correct postage paid.

And as others say, you can pay online or call them to arrange re-delivery. I think the guy would have a hard time getting his £120 per hour. What kind of health professionals were you sending these mails to? Surgeons?

Even at a 35 hour week, thats 220k a year. I obviously cant speak for other areas but around here only specialist surgeons would earn anywhere near that amount.

Equaliser123

pinkshoes wrote: »

Someone paid that much has a secretary who would collect it and write the letter of complain for them!

And if he took 1 hour to drive 6 miles and write a complaint letter, then let's hope he's more efficient at his £120/hour job!

I'd offer to pay the £1.32, petrol money, and 1 hour of time at minimum wage.

Why would he have a secretary? What a generalisation!

Offering to pay is, frankly, an admission of liability.

This will blow over quite nicely if the OP ignores it.

bod1467

custardy wrote: »

since when?they wont bring it to you until its paid but you can see the item before paying

You can see what is IN an envelope before paying? I suspect not.

If this was a plain envelope with no external marking and addressed to a specific name then that person will have had no idea whether this was important or junk mail before paying and opening it.

(For example - Virgin send out their junk mail in official-looking envelopes with no external markings to suggest who it is from. You don't know who it is until you open it).

SandC

If this guy is a professional, as he says, then he is not going to be expecting the full amount. Like all claims for comp, you start off with a figure to negotiate with, he will be grinning ear to ear if he's paid the amount he asks for.

In my opinion I can understand why he is doing this. Unless you are used to it, if you receive notification that there is some mail for you and it requires collecting from the sorting office and paying a fee because insufficient postage has been paid then you kind of presume it's something that is important - or at least relevant. There is no differentiation given between post that has insufficient postage on it, to post that has not been franked or stamped at all. And since the system changed a few years back for postage to be paid according to size as well as weight a lot of mail has had to be kept back at post offices because people haven't checked that they are paying the right amount.

To go to a post office depot to pay up for some mail only to find it's junk mail would really pee anyone off. This could easily be a high earner in a small business who despite his massive salary is not too up himself to do the odd errand such as this. Although it's more than likely he didn't actually pick it up himself but you've no way of proving otherwise.

I would send a cheque for £20 and an apology and see if that ends the matter.

unholyangel

bod1467 wrote: »

You can see what is IN an envelope before paying? I suspect not.

If this was a plain envelope with no external marking and addressed to a specific name then that person will have had no idea whether this was important or junk mail before paying and opening it.

(For example - Virgin send out their junk mail in official-looking envelopes with no external markings to suggest who it is from. You don't know who it is until you open it).

OP said it was postcards they sent out......last i checked postcards are pretty visable

NCISROCKS

On the 2 occasions I've collected underpaid mail I've not seen what it is until I've paid.

nzmegs

RM usually send out a card informing you that underpaid mail is waiting for you. You can then affix stamps to the card and send it back to them. the item of mail is then sent on to you. There is no need to collect it. He chose to do this and should take the burden of the cost himself.

Yes, the OP should reimburse the postage and maybe the time taken to write a complaint and admin. But as already mentioned £20 should easily cover this.

I agree he is trying it on. Oh, and make sure you take him off your mailing list...