Royal mail lost my package recorded post

Toddy

Hi,

I sent a package via recorded post with the Royal mail (RM).

On the RM website I tracked my package and there was no signature after 2 weeks. They hadn't delivered it, so I put in a claim form.

RM wrote to the address it was supposed to go to asking if they received the package??? wHY??

They got no response and so wrote to me asking me to contact them. If they didn't get a response within 5 days from me then they would assume they had deliverec it! What?

How can this be? The idea of recorded post is to record delivery of it isn't it? No signature means no delivery therefore effectively Royal Mail still have my parcel.

I asked them to give me my parcel back. They responded by saying the conversation was going no where and that they would write to the address again.

Now what do I do? I think there response is just rediculous that they can assume they have delivered it with no proof.

Can somebody share there experiences of this debt ridden company?

uktim29

Toddy wrote: »

Can somebody share there experiences of this debt ridden company?

If thats your opinion of it why did you use it?

maninthestreet

"They got no response and so wrote to me asking me to contact them. If they didn't get a response within 5 days from me then they would assume they had delivered it! What?"

Tell them that bit of double-speak belongs in the musuem of surrealism.
RM seem to think that the signature is not proof of deilvery, but "proof of service". So, apparently, having no signature doesnt mean it wasnt delivered.

woohoo_postingid

Could you not contact the person you sent the package to and ask them to reply to the RM letter?

dmg24

RM seem to be in a bit of a mess since all of the industrial action this summer.

A few weeks ago I sent a package Recorded and it showed up as undelivered, however upon checking with the recipient it did turn up, it just took two weeks to get there.

woohoo is right, the recipient needs to respond to confirm that they have not received the parcel (RM do this to minimise fraud). Once this has been done you can put in a claim for compensation (this will be for the value of the item up to £34, unless you paid for additional cover).

Sooler

The mystery of Royal Mail's unrecorded deliveries
http://www.guardian.co.uk/consumer/story/0,,2164235,00.html


The BBC One show may be interested …

Dont Get Done, Get Dom.
http://www.weeklygripe.co.uk/arc350.asp?cID=88740

RadoJo

Given the number of people on here who have had recorded delivery items shoved through their door without an attempt to obtain a signature, I can understand why Royal Mail won't accept lack of signature as failure to deliver. However, they can't just tell you that as that would demonstrate their lack of faith in their own service, which would be as good as saying 'we took your money for nothing!'

custardy

RadoJo wrote: »

Given the number of people on here who have had recorded delivery items shoved through their door without an attempt to obtain a signature, I can understand why Royal Mail won't accept lack of signature as failure to deliver. However, they can't just tell you that as that would demonstrate their lack of faith in their own service, which would be as good as saying 'we took your money for nothing!'

however remember many customers are grateful of posties who sign for items and post them.
the problem can be caused my many things.
somthing as simple as a lost signature card before it has been scanned means there is no record of delivery.
unfortunate but until RM fully computerises the full delivery system its possible and does happen

superscaper

They were talking about this on ebay's own forums last year. I think it's been a major shift in their policy on recorded mail which is why if you really need proof of delivery you should use special delivery. Recorded delivery is pretty useless as far as covering yourself goes. The whole "confirmation from recipient that they haven't received it" is standard procedure for recorded delivery even though it's blatently ridiculous, especially in the case of proving ebay buyer fraud as you're essentially requiring a response from the fraudster to help you out in claiming.

smcaul

custardy wrote: »

however remember many customers are grateful of posties who sign for items and post them.
the problem can be caused my many things.
somthing as simple as a lost signature card before it has been scanned means there is no record of delivery.
unfortunate but until RM fully computerises the full delivery system its possible and does happen

Well said. We have a regular postman and I have told him that if I am not in just to put any packages through the catflap and sign for them in my absence. Makes sense to me as it means I dont have to wait another day for delivery and the postman does not have to carry it twice.

OP are you also aware that RM deliver to the address, not the person!

firespire

They seem to want to trace the parcel so I don't think it is unreasonable to get written conformation from the intended recipient. Everything being in writing is useful if they want to trace employee theft or customer fraud. Maybe some dishonest customers notice that the website tracking showing the parcel as undelivered when they know it had actually been received and might try to fraudulently claim (maybe the paper records weren't entered properly etc.).

Asking for replies from all parties in a 5 day period seems a good idea to me so the process doesn't drag on and hopefully item found or if not compensation given. I assume if the parcel does turn up later then some people don't contact them to tell them that they needn't continue investigating so they have to take it when people don't continue to respond to them that they have to assume that the missing issue is over.