How do I track a recorded delivery letter?

cepheus

Still battling with the vagaries of the postal service. Is it here?

http://www.postoffice.co.uk/track-trace

If so it doesn't work.

Where is the 'parcel number'? Typing in the 13 digit bar-code from the receipt certainly doesn't work.

What the hell have I paid for here, do I get a confirmation back to me at some stage, or some independent signing on delivery useless to the sender? The last time I used recorded delivery I certainly never received any confirmation!

santer_2

You could try here

http://track2.royalmail.com/portal/rm/track;jsessionid=XUJIZQM2WYXMIFB2IGIVGAQ;jsessionid=XUJIZQM2WYXMIFB2IGIVGAQ?catId=22700601&emt=emt&track=track&default=default&imageRootPath=&loc=en_GB&keyname=track_home&gear=track

Or contact them here

http://www.royalmail.com/report-a-problem

cepheus

That one seemed to work!

cagsd

http://track2.royalmail.com/portal/rm/track;jsessionid=2KUYLUYLY4YWQFB2IGIVFHQ;jsessionid=2KUYLUYLY4YWQFB2IGIVFHQ?catId=22700601&emt=emt&track=track&default=default&imageRootPath=&loc=en_GB&keyname=track_home&gear=track

cepheus wrote: »

What the hell have I paid for here, do I get a confirmation back to me at some stage, or some independent signing on delivery useless to the sender? The last time I used recorded delivery I certainly never received any confirmation!

You don't get automatic confirmation of the delivery, the only way to find out if your item has been delivered / signed for is to check on the track & trace page I think.

cepheus

Are you saying for somene not on the Internet it's a waste of time? Didn't they used to send you confirmation back in the post many centuries ago?

santer_2

There was a phone number on the form where you spoke the tracking number, or they have a helpline

http://track2.royalmail.com/portal/rm/jump2?catId=400145&mediaId=15400387

cepheus

Rather confusing though when they say delivered from our xxxx delivery office, surely it should say delivered to the addressee? I have an electronic signature so presumably this is the case.

Incidentally I only paid second class recorded delivery for this (using my pre bought stamps) handed in to a branch post office the previous morning around 10am. So it took only about 23 hours to be delivered in total.

Your item with reference ......... was delivered from our WINCHESTER
Delivery Office on 01/05/12 .

Thank you for using this service.

The electronic Proof of Delivery for this item is now displayed
below.
Signature Time: 8:37:00GMT 01/05/12

cepheus

Tracking another one between Berkshire and Edinburgh. Kicking myself for sending an important document 2nd class when I could have Faxed it! Last time I did this it took only a day, although that was much nearer.

It still hasn't been delivered after 3 days, it says:

Item - was posted at

---

on 16/05/12 and is being progressed through our
network for delivery

I guess if someone isn't there to receive it is could take a lot longer than a normal (non registered signed) letter. In fact it would get returned to the post depot and remain there until someone goes down to sign for it.

cepheus

Still not arrived. All I can think of is that it has been sent back to the depot since there was no-one in the office, but there is no record of this, all they record is when they send it out and when it is delivered, it isn't that helpful

Sending mail with one of our tracked services within the UK is as close as you’ll get to delivering in person. Just like a courier service, you can enjoy the peace of mind in knowing that your item will arrive safely and on time

I think it is worse than sending a normal letter, what you don't know doesn't hurt!

irishjohn

Tracking a recorded delivery item is a bit of a poor description, as it is not fully tracked and if it goes astray it cannot be traced. Once you hand your recorded delivery item to the Post Office they place it will all the general postage and it becomes just one more item being bulk processed. If it passes through the sorting and subsequently is brought to the address by the postman it is only at that point that a record is taken of the delivery and processed on the system so that you can confirm it has been delivered with the scanned signature.

Only Guaranteed Delivery items are fully tracked through the entire postal system from the point of posting to the point of delivery.

bazzyb

cepheus wrote: »

Didn't they used to send you confirmation back in the post many centuries ago?

You used to be able to do this (at an extra cost) but the service was withdrawn years ago. You can check the status online or over the phone nowadays so it's not really needed.