Do DVLA sign off tracked mail?

chrestomanci

I sent my EU licence to be converted to a GB one on Saturday (first class recorded) - however, today (Wednesday) the tracker online is still showing as:

Item AA000000000GB was posted at Meadowside XXX XXX on 24/11/12 and is being progressed through our network for delivery.

I tried phoning DVLA to see whether my application had arrived (as sometimes the postie doesn't stop to get a signature, from my experience) but they said that other than waiting to see if I get a licence back in a couple of weeks' time, there's no way of knowing whether it has arrived!

I feel that first class should have arrived by now (3 working days), so not really sure whether to wait it out, or whether to assume that the postie didn't get a signature and stop worrying. Any advice appreciated.

Herzlos

If it needs signed, someone will sign it. It could then disappear into the ether, but at least you can prove they got it

chrestomanci

Well let's hope it gets there! I'm starting to worry, since I sent it Saturday and it's still not shown up

forgotmyname

Except sometimes the recorded never shows delivered.

Ordered quite a few items recently a lot of them tracked. Just put some of the numbers in. So far 7 numbers and 5 of them do not show as delivered.
Even though they are here.

You posted it saturday, So ignore the weekend. Same as posting it on monday.
1st class it may have got there tuesday or today. 2nd class a few more days yet.

Even then it possibly wont change status.

chrestomanci

Seems like the only way to know for sure will be to wait for the £50 cheque to be claimed!

I would have thought that a company like DVLA would be meticulous about signing each of their tracked packages?

EdGasket

I have sent 'signed for'/'tracked' post and it has supposedly not been delivered. When I complain to Royal Mail (after 30 days), they just send a book of first class stamps as compensation! Same experience with a work colleague. Something is clearly not working very well with Royal Mail. If your mail is being sent to a big organisation like DVLA/an insurance company and there is loads of post, I suspect the fact that an item needs to be signed for gets overlooked by the postie as he throws a sack full of mail through the door.

agrinnall

I'm pretty sure that big organisations like HMRC and DVLA don't sign for individual items, they simply sign to say that a delivery of mail has been received - whether RM have any way to tie your item to that delivery is debateable.

chrestomanci

Thanks everyone - will phone and check of they can trace it using my tracking number tomorrow.

forgotmyname

As mentioned DVLA wont sign for every package/letter. Bulk signature.

100 items sign here. They probably wont even check there is 100 items so the odd hiccup happens.

But then RM dont update the tracking anyway even if it was signed for.

If you want proof you need special delivery. But i think that starts at £6?

chrestomanci

That's what I thought - especially since as far as i know, recorded mail and 'common' mail are mixed in the same bag. But then what's the point of trying to pay extra to track packages, when large companies won't have the time or resources to sign them all in?

muckybutt

For a guaranteed signature you need to send it special delivery, recorded delivery is (as said above) just sent with normal first class mail and often gets delivered without being signed for. Special delivery is sent priority in its own system and has to be signed for at the other end.

Always use recorded as proof of posting, but use special del if you need to have a signature or proof of delivery.