Royal Mail - recorded delivery "postman problem"

rapido

When a recorded item arrives, rather than the postman alerting you of his presence, just sticks a "you weren't in" card with the letters and drives off very quickly.

Then you look at the card and see there's no tracking number on it. If you ask them to redeliver using the details on the card, they don't, and it gets returned to sender.

I worked out that if you find out the tracking number from the seller, then it DOES get delivered, but it's no help if the seller doesn't respond (as happened over the Christmas period when many went away on holiday).

First noticed this in December, thought it might be a Christmas temp problem, but the same issue has happened all last month (with different handwriting on the card, suggesting it's more than 1 postman doing the same thing) and just this morning... another card!!!

I did complain to Royal Mail on 30th December, got a confirmation a few days later, but nothing has happened since.


It really irks me that they don't seem to bother putting the tracking number onto the card, as this is what causes more problems than not delivering it in the first place.

Just thought I'd see if anyone else either locally (Waltham Cross) or elsewhere has had a similar problem.

custardy

rapido wrote: »

When a recorded item arrives, rather than the postman alerting you of his presence, just sticks a "you weren't in" card with the letters and drives off very quickly.

Then you look at the card and see there's no tracking number on it. If you ask them to redeliver using the details on the card, they don't, and it gets returned to sender.

I worked out that if you find out the tracking number from the seller, then it DOES get delivered, but it's no help if the seller doesn't respond (as happened over the Christmas period when many went away on holiday).

First noticed this in December, thought it might be a Christmas temp problem, but the same issue has happened all last month (with different handwriting on the card, suggesting it's more than 1 postman doing the same thing) and just this morning... another card!!!

I did complain to Royal Mail on 30th December, got a confirmation a few days later, but nothing has happened since.


It really irks me that they don't seem to bother putting the tracking number onto the card, as this is what causes more problems than not delivering it in the first place.

Just thought I'd see if anyone else either locally (Waltham Cross) or elsewhere has had a similar problem.

are you assuming every card is recorded or know that its recorded items?

duchy

There's surely only a tracking number if it's tracked mail-too big for the letterbox won't have a tracking number on the card.

Personally I just take the card down to the sorting office and collect it myself-I couldn't be bothered waiting for RM to get around to redelivering.

rapido

custardy wrote: »

are you assuming every card is recorded or know that its recorded items?

Yes, I know they are recorded as that's how they were sent.

I've only had this particular problem with recorded items, never special deliveries.

Also they are marked on the card clearly with a mark next to "recorded signed for".

In fact the only things missing on the card are "Item number" and "delivery officer's initials and duty number"!

custardy

rapido wrote: »

Yes, I know they are recorded as that's how they were sent.

I've only had this particular problem with recorded items, never special deliveries.

Also they are marked on the card clearly with a mark next to "recorded signed for".

In fact the only things missing on the card are "Item number" and "delivery officer's initials and duty number"!

well just put through your redelivery request as a normal packet
continue to complain
its as much of a pain for those dealing with the redeliveries as it is for you. so go for the double pronged attack

rapido

duchy wrote: »

There's surely only a tracking number if it's tracked mail-too big for the letterbox won't have a tracking number on the card.

Personally I just take the card down to the sorting office and collect it myself-I couldn't be bothered waiting for RM to get around to redelivering.

They are recorded items, not just "too large for letterbox". I might've not made this clear in my posting.

Also I would pick them up, but as the sorting office is a few miles away and I don't drive or have a car, and I'd have to pay for a 'bus journey and take time off my work, this is not practical.

joedenise

Can you arrange a redelivery to a neighbour who would be in?

Denise

rapido

joedenise wrote: »

Can you arrange a redelivery to a neighbour who would be in?

Possibly, but I am not sure what the point would be... as I am always in when the postman arrives!

I have no idea why he (or she) drops a card rather than delivering the item, but I suppose saving a few minutes here and there all adds up to going home half an hour early?

custardy

rapido wrote: »

Possibly, but I am not sure what the point would be... as I am always in when the postman arrives!

I have no idea why he (or she) drops a card rather than delivering the item, but I suppose saving a few minutes here and there all adds up to going home half an hour early?

sorry,I missed tha bit
are you in a stair or main door?

rapido

custardy wrote: »

sorry,I missed tha bit
are you in a stair or main door?

No, not flats; our place is on a thoroughfare in the countryside.

custardy

well theres no excuse then
time to ramp up your complaints
a lot of people report posting on RMs twitter is worth a go