Royal Mail! Aaaaaargh!

MamaMoo_2

I moved house 3 weeks ago into a new build property.
I changed my address with all the relevant people, and also gave my family and friends our new address due to my son's birthday approaching.
Well, after a week, I noticed that, despite knowing that several letters and cards had been sent, nothing had been delivered. I phoned Royal mail who said that my address had not been registered and was still on their "new build" list. They duly change it, and the next morning, a single card landed on my doorstep.
Then that was it. No more post. My mobile phone bill didn't arrive, my letters from the new energy company haven't arrived, and about 5 birthday cards haven't arrived.
So I phoned Royal Mail again, who gave me the number of the delivery office. No answer. At all. Any day, any time. And yesterday it was engaged all day. Tried another number too. That got answered and cut off immediately, several times.
I spoke to their main call centre again, mid week, who assured me a complaint would be emailed off, and I could expect a response within 72 hours. That didn't happen. Now, I'm seething! I've been charged for not paying certain bills that I haven't received, several cheques inside the birthday cards have had to be cancelled, and my new landlords are unimpressed because I can't pay the rent because my rent card hasn't arrived, and for me to pay over the phone or online, I need the reference of of my rent card! The only other way to pay would be in person at their offices, a two and a half hour bus and train ride away! :@
I'm so annoyed!
I was told that our post was likely piling up at the delivery office. I asked if I could go and collect it with photo ID etc, but was told that no, I couldn't due to security risks. Sorry, I forgot how insecure it is for me to HAVE MY OWN MAIL!
Oh, and exactly the same thing is happening to my neighbours!

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

MamaMoo wrote: »

I was told that our post was likely piling up at the delivery office. I asked if I could go and collect it with photo ID etc, but was told that no, I couldn't due to security risks. Sorry, I forgot how insecure it is for me to HAVE MY OWN MAIL!
Oh, and exactly the same thing is happening to my neighbours!

Ignore that and just to go to the DO with ID, ask for any mail they have and why it hasn't been delivered.

flashg67

Agree with the above - same happened to me in a new build. Phoned local office & RM but they didn't seem to care so we went round to the local collection office and generally annoyed them until they bothered to look. Surprise surprise they found a mini post mountain that we duly collected.

thriftymanc

MamaMoo wrote: »

I noticed that, despite knowing that several letters and cards had been sent, nothing had been delivered. I phoned Royal mail who said that my address had not been registered and was still on their "new build" list.

This is the sort of thing I don't understand. There is clearly, from the way you've described it, a lot of post being sent to your address. Why on earth wouldn't they deliver it?! "Huh, all this post is being sent to an address on the 'new build' list... guess everyone sending these letters must be mistaken, it isn't like a 'new build' would actually have been built with the intention of having people move into it. Better not bother delivering it." What do they actually do with all the post?

custardy

thriftymanc wrote: »

This is the sort of thing I don't understand. There is clearly, from the way you've described it, a lot of post being sent to your address. Why on earth wouldn't they deliver it?! "Huh, all this post is being sent to an address on the 'new build' list... guess everyone sending these letters must be mistaken, it isn't like a 'new build' would actually have been built with the intention of having people move into it. Better not bother delivering it." What do they actually do with all the post?

well there can be many reasons (or excuses)
usually a new build is simply tacked onto an existing duty or dealt with in an ad hoc manner every day.
Until such times as duties are redseigned to include that new sector.
Or it could be the case that the developent simply isnt finished/accessable(safely)
you would be surprised what state some places are in when people start moving in.
I remember one large (700+) development where there were no signs put up for weeks.
I was simply impossible to know where was where
the whole development was designed in an interlocking design that made no sense without signs.

To the OP. Ask to see a manager and ask
Why your mail isn't being delivered
Why you havent been contacted(if theres a genuine issue)

If you have ID and proof of address,then theres no reason you can't collect if there is an issue with delivery.
If you want to shake the tree,try and get the email/nymber for the "delivery sector manager"
He/she will certainly shake things up once made aware

MothballsWallet

custardy: genuine question, apart from the council (for planning permission), aren't house and commercial builders required to notify RM of new developments?

(If not, I think they should be as part of the planning application process so RM will be ready for the new buildings/homes in time.)

custardy

MothballsWallet wrote: »

custardy: genuine question, apart from the council (for planning permission), aren't house and commercial builders required to notify RM of new developments?

(If not, I think they should be as part of the planning application process so RM will be ready for the new buildings/homes in time.)

I believe it is the council that gives RM notification that an address exists.
However,RM decide when that address is live & fit for deliveries.

MamaMoo_2

custardy wrote: »

well there can be many reasons (or excuses)
usually a new build is simply tacked onto an existing duty or dealt with in an ad hoc manner every day.
Until such times as duties are redseigned to include that new sector.
Or it could be the case that the developent simply isnt finished/accessable(safely)
you would be surprised what state some places are in when people start moving in.
I remember one large (700+) development where there were no signs put up for weeks.
I was simply impossible to know where was where
the whole development was designed in an interlocking design that made no sense without signs.

To the OP. Ask to see a manager and ask
Why your mail isn't being delivered
Why you havent been contacted(if theres a genuine issue)

If you have ID and proof of address,then theres no reason you can't collect if there is an issue with delivery.
If you want to shake the tree,try and get the email/nymber for the "delivery sector manager"
He/she will certainly shake things up once made aware

The new build is in the middle of a load of existing houses. There is currently no road sign, but it's extremely obvious as its the only new road around there. We've had no problem with any other services, and outdoor around the corner with the same road name get their post.
Our house, and our 3 neighbours, are "hidden" down a tiny cul-de-sac, however it doesn't take a genius to know that of the houses on the main stretch are say, 10,9,8 & 7, and then there are some houses on the same road around the bend, that those houses would be 6,5,4,3,2,1 etc.
It's perfectly safe, isn't a building site anymore, and the pavements are all laid etc.
I'll follow everyone's advice and head to the delivery office on Monday!
Thanks

MamaMoo_2

Phoned up before I left to double check whether there had been a response to my request.
There had.
No post had been kept at the delivery centre. All post received before they made the address "live" has been destroyed.
This includes 5 of my son's birthday cards, some containing gift cards.
I'm seething!
Why would you put half of the residences as "live", but not the other half? (all were completed at the same time!)
So so so disgusted.

custardy

MamaMoo wrote: »

Phoned up before I left to double check whether there had been a response to my request.
There had.
No post had been kept at the delivery centre. All post received before they made the address "live" has been destroyed.
This includes 5 of my son's birthday cards, some containing gift cards.
I'm seething!
Why would you put half of the residences as "live", but not the other half? (all were completed at the same time!)
So so so disgusted.

They havent destroyed them.
They are either returned to sender or sent to the RLB
The RLB is the only office legally allowed to open mail and try and find a sender.

MamaMoo_2

custardy wrote: »

They havent destroyed them.
They are either returned to sender or sent to the RLB
The RLB is the only office legally allowed to open mail and try and find a sender.

I was told it had been sent somewhere where they would open it, and destroy it. Nothing was labelled with a return address, other than possibly anything from my HA or energy company, but none of the cards had a return address. :@
Is there any way to contact this RLB and find out if they have anything?
Thanks Custardy