The case of the missing parcel!

likelyfran

JournalGirl wrote: »

Don't get me started on Royal Mail. We sent a business parcel first class and it never arrived. two months later - there it is for sale on Ebay (Serialised, custom built medical device, so no question). Even if the label had come off the box, there was a full detailed delivery note inside with sender and (non) recipient details inside.

Seems that their policy is if they lose the label it goes to the return centre. The return centre then sell the item off to an auction house, and the auction house open the parcel (discarding our address details) and then sell the item on.

And Royal Mail say they have done nothing wrong!

Is there some kind of Ombudsman you can take this to? They shouldn't get away with that. Make sure you save all the pages/details pertaining to the resale - Royal Mail have been paid to deliver the item, they are profiting further from not delivering it and basically reselling it. All sounds a bit criminal to me!

custardy

Deleted_User wrote: »

It's entirely possible that it's still working its way through the system (where on earth the Royal Mail get their laughable figures of more than 99% of first class mail being delivered the day after it's posted, I have no idea).

I would try and get the buyer to wait a bit longer, but if it hasn't arrived by say next Tues/Wed, I think you'll probably have to refund.

packets arent 1st class mail

custardy

likelyfran wrote: »

Is there some kind of Ombudsman you can take this to? They shouldn't get away with that. Make sure you save all the pages/details pertaining to the resale - Royal Mail have been paid to deliver the item, they are profiting further from not delivering it and basically reselling it. All sounds a bit criminal to me!

lets clarify the returns office in Belfast
RLB
its the only office in the UK legally allowed to open mail
as it stands all retail mail(that with stamp/PO label) and no return address are sent to the RLB if they cannot be delivered/arent collected in time.
The RLB sends out loads of stuff and its an office that costs money to run.
The cheapest way to deal with it would be to make a rule that no return address = item destroyed
Sometimes however you simply cannot get an address. sometimes packaging/labels are destroyed. if an item of mail is liquid and leaks in transit,it can take out other packages along wiith it

JournalGirl

freddysmith wrote: »

My understanding was that lost/undelivered mail was sent to a Royal Mail facility in Belfast where packages are opened to look for a sender/delivery address.
I wonder if your buyer was being honest.

Oh he was being honest - once we escalated it through two levels of complaint the RM manager dealing with the complaint actually admitted that they now give the parcels unopened to the auction house. There was no suggestion at any time from RM that the buyer wasn't telling the truth.

And the buyer actually agreed to withdraw the item from sale when I explained the custom built nature of the instrument and the health risks associated with using in in the wrong person.

JournalGirl

custardy wrote: »

lets clarify the returns office in Belfast
RLB
its the only office in the UK legally allowed to open mail
as it stands all retail mail(that with stamp/PO label) and no return address are sent to the RLB if they cannot be delivered/arent collected in time.
The RLB sends out loads of stuff and its an office that costs money to run.
The cheapest way to deal with it would be to make a rule that no return address = item destroyed
Sometimes however you simply cannot get an address. sometimes packaging/labels are destroyed. if an item of mail is liquid and leaks in transit,it can take out other packages along wiith it

Hi Custardy - I appreciate this, but full clear documentation with addresses was inside the box. And RM are now saying they passed the box unopened from the returns centre to the auction house.

custardy

JournalGirl wrote: »

Hi Custardy - I appreciate this, but full clear documentation with addresses was inside the box. And RM are now saying they passed the box unopened from the returns centre to the auction house.

well a clear case of not following their own remit

ballisticbrian

My international items where people didn't want to pay duties, seem to be returned via Belfast. No idea why.

custardy

ballisticbrian wrote: »

My international items where people didn't want to pay duties, seem to be returned via Belfast. No idea why.

RLB deals with charges in certain circumstances

likelyfran

custardy wrote: »

packets arent 1st class mail

How predictable, I knew you'd turn up to disagree.

likelyfran

JournalGirl wrote: »

Oh he was being honest - once we escalated it through two levels of complaint the RM manager dealing with the complaint actually admitted that they now give the parcels unopened to the auction house. There was no suggestion at any time from RM that the buyer wasn't telling the truth.

And the buyer actually agreed to withdraw the item from sale when I explained the custom built nature of the instrument and the health risks associated with using in in the wrong person.

You're welcome!!