MSE News: Royal Mail to start leaving post with neighbours

The_Miser

I'm concerned by the concept of "Opt Out" as conceived by the Post Office /Royal Mail. I "opted out" from their junk leaflet deliveries which was fine until they started filling my letter box again. OK so I know they get paid but I don't want to see trees unnecessarily felled. It turns out that their idea of "opt out" is until they decide to opt you in again - but they don't tell you and opting out takes weeks to come into force.

I'm OK with my neighbours but if I have to travel suddenly (which is frequently) whilst I hold some item then will the Post Office come and take it back again? If not then the item may not be delivered for months.

Credit-Crunched

neil9313 wrote: »

Not sure I believe any of your post TBH no pun intended.

Hopefully the following links should provide some substance to my 'spurious' claims

http://www.parcelforce.com/send-uk

http://www.parcelmonkey.co.uk/city-link-next-day

Enjoy

ruggedtoast

I like my current postman.

I lose track of which parcels are delivered by RM and which aren't though.

We have a slightly recessed doorway which someone or other has decided counts as a porch, and nominates this as a 'left in a safe place' on the delivery cards; when really its just on the doorstep in view of the street.

We live in an area which is so low crime that a parcel going missing would probably be pretty big news but even so.

marleyboy

Originally Posted by matty_art
Putting a sticker on my door will be obvious to the neighbour and is just like putting a "I don't trust you!" flag next to their door; a little confrontational!
So I won't be doing that...let's hope they are trustworthy.

I have opted out using this very small sticker on my letter box. I doubt my neighbours would see it as my lack of trust in them, at least the ones either side of me who I know as neighbours, the rest of this cul-de-sac I would not know whether or not they are trustworthy, nor they me for that matter.

It has little to do with not trusting my neighbours and more to do with not wanting to go around doing an unpaid job by posting mail here, there and everywhere.

I would much rather collect my mail from the depot or rearrange a delivery from them, then have to rely on a neighbour collecting it for me. Likewise, I do not want a shipment of post delivered to my house that I have to hand out as a result of being opted in.

If any of my neighbours think its some form of a confrontational lack of trust I have in them, that's their own problem and not something I am likely to lose much sleep over.

di3004

I'm pretty lucky, I live in a small street, and the neighbours, although most of them elderly, are as good as gold and we all get on well, none of us are the type to be in each others houses, but all get on well.

Not a problem in my opinion.

Okay it may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I do personally think its a great idea.

KxMx

We have a regular postman and he knows 99% of the time I am in post time.
That is why I have an opt-out sticker because I do not want to act as a depot for the whole street!
Funny how many think it's a good idea because it means they can get their stuff from neighbours instead of sorting office- put yourself in my shoes!

sellingmysoul666

parcel left on front step this morning from amazon a book which would have been ruined if it was raining like monday - luckly its a nice rural area and there was a card put throught the door to tell us ( we dont use the front door so it could have been there for days otherwise)
sometimes things are left with neighbours sometimes taken round the back others pick up at postoffice never mind it keeps me guessing

jocktog

I have just sent my opt out request..... totally agree this should be an opt in situation, but then again this opt out is the way many companies operate now.

I've opt-ed out because I don't want my RM deliveries to go the same way as the current couriers.

As mentioned before in this thread. I live in what has become a high student area. Many deliveries, even if a signature is required, have been left in the side entrance or over the back gate and have vanished. A few have also been soaked in the rain. Some courier companies just ignore instructions and this has also led to some serious problems for me.

There is no neighbourhood around me now so I won't take any deliveries in, especially after some drunk student thought it was ok to keep banging my door at 1.30 in the morning to get his missed delivery.

I've never had a problem with RM. Always get a slip through the door and I go and collect at the office. the problem for me is the other couriers and I hope RM don't end up like them.

Pincher

The opt-in or opt-out choice is ridiculously crude.

I want to be able to nominate my alternate delivery address, so no postie need waste time lugging parcels to my door in the first place.

I want to be able to register my preferences with the Royal Mail Sorting Computer, by taking relevant proof of address and ID to a Sorting Office. The Sorting Office will take my photograph and issue me with a two part code, one code in the Sorting Office, the other one sent to me by recorded delivery, to prove I live at the address.

I use the two part code to register an account with the Royal Mail website. I now enter and modify my delivery preferences online. The RM computer now generates a QR code (2D bar code), containing a URL link to my RM account. I now print this as a sticker, or even have it made into a plaque, and place it near my letterbox. The QR code is discrete, so the neighbours know nothing about my preferences.

I envisage there to be an app, which runs on an Android phone, or a standard issue mobile device, which allows the postman to scan the QR code, and:

1. Send an e-mail to say delivery attempted, parcel at depot.
2. Look up my preferences

Hopefully this is rare, because the Sorting Computer has already diverted the parcels and Signed For items to where they should go.

I would think there is a Holiday Mode, where everything is kept in the Sorting Office, for a fee. Obviously, I would log on to set the account to holiday mode. Preferrably, I can state the holiday period in advance, so when I book the tickets in March, I can inform the RM computer I will be away in July, 7th to 21st.


Normal Mode preferences
_____________________

Could be as simple as try next door, No. 14 Dale Road, NM5 6HA.

Or leave it with a for profit collection/drop off point like CollectPlus, 9 High Street, NM5 6HG. Obviously I would need to setup an account with the corner shop.

My preference would be non-Signature letters and small packets that fit through the letterbox should be delivered, everything else please keep at the depot, and send e-mail to notify me.

I would also like paid for diversion services, so I can send a secure e-mail from the registered account, asking that they put everything in a big envelope, and post to my chalet in St Anton (I wish).

System

Hmm i don't actually have any neighbours...will they be likely to leave it with the opticians that my flat is above?