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Royal Mail Claims Procedure.
JohnnyPanic
Posts: 1 Newbie
Wondering if anyone can help as I'm absolutely appalled at the utter lack of decent customer service from Royal Mail.
Two items were sent - both well packed - to a relative in Spain, roughly around the same time (April/May). The first was a gnome which was intended as a gift. It was sent recorded, and insurance for loss / damage was paid for. The item arrived, but was completely shattered. Photos were taken of the damage the item received during transit and a claim was made by post.
While we were waiting for the claim to go through, the second package arrived, which contained several books. However they were in such poor state as - while in transit - one of the boxes had been ripped open. That wasn't the worst of it however: a rodent of some sort must have entered the package through the opening. When the package was finally received, the majority of its contents were smeared with fecal matter as whatever got in there obviously used it as a toilet. Another claim was made, again by post.
Time went by. Nothing from Royal Mail. We enquired and were told that claims on items shipped overseas can take up to 90 days. So once again we waited.
90 days came and went, and nothing. We contacted Royal Mail and was told at that point that neither claim existed in their database, and the claims must have mysteriously gotten 'lost' in the post. One claim going astray could be a mistake, both claims vanishing seems suspicious.
Nevertheless, we posted claims for both again - online this time, just to make sure they would be 'received' - Although the online claim only provides space for a couple of photos. The rest - of which they were many - once again had to be sent through the post. These themselves were sent recorded once more to make sure that we had a record of Royal mail receiving them. This was only a week ago.
We came home today to find two letters from Royal Mail. Both claims were dismissed, and the extra photos on the claim (even though it was stated more were coming) not even considered (perhaps simply disposed of, rather than dealt with).
The reasons for dismissal were several-fold - that they weren't going to reimburse for the damaged items unless we proved that we paid to replace them (Which I was not going to do until we received the initial payout on the claim. Disregarding the amount that we don't have, to buy the same items, why would we do so and then send them once again only for them to be possibly damaged once again?)
They then said they would need to see the *actual* packaging that the items arrived in, instead of just seeing the photos as evidence of the proven damage. I'm not sure why they would think that once the proof of damage was submitted we would store a tattereted box convered in fecal matter in the house on the off-chance that after several months, the Royal Mail would wish it to be sent to them. I'm sure that's healthy for everyone living there, right?
Still, that doesn't really matter, because they also then went on to say that because it can’t be proven that the damage occurred while in transit with Royal Mail rather than Correos that they’re not obliged to pay anything. I'm sorry, but I didn't pay Correos insurance to cover the items for possible damage, I paid Royal Mail. This was under their remit, and they are the ones responisible. Once Royal Mail take the package, they are liable for the damage if one has paid.
To dismiss the claims is bad enough, but then to attempt to come up with a plethora of reasons why they shouldn't pay out for something they had no problem taking extra money for to cover insurance smacks of a desperate attempt to not pay out on a claim at any cost. This is after the previous claim for both items 'diappearing'.
As for their 'not obliged to pay anything'. Sure they may not be 'obliged' in their eyes, but how about trying to give a basic level of customer service for something someone had paid for and been short-changed *twice*, and then been given the run-around?
Completely stumped as to what to do at the moment. I feel like I've been a victim of fraud, simply because Royal Mail won't honour a service that was paid for.
Two items were sent - both well packed - to a relative in Spain, roughly around the same time (April/May). The first was a gnome which was intended as a gift. It was sent recorded, and insurance for loss / damage was paid for. The item arrived, but was completely shattered. Photos were taken of the damage the item received during transit and a claim was made by post.
While we were waiting for the claim to go through, the second package arrived, which contained several books. However they were in such poor state as - while in transit - one of the boxes had been ripped open. That wasn't the worst of it however: a rodent of some sort must have entered the package through the opening. When the package was finally received, the majority of its contents were smeared with fecal matter as whatever got in there obviously used it as a toilet. Another claim was made, again by post.
Time went by. Nothing from Royal Mail. We enquired and were told that claims on items shipped overseas can take up to 90 days. So once again we waited.
90 days came and went, and nothing. We contacted Royal Mail and was told at that point that neither claim existed in their database, and the claims must have mysteriously gotten 'lost' in the post. One claim going astray could be a mistake, both claims vanishing seems suspicious.
Nevertheless, we posted claims for both again - online this time, just to make sure they would be 'received' - Although the online claim only provides space for a couple of photos. The rest - of which they were many - once again had to be sent through the post. These themselves were sent recorded once more to make sure that we had a record of Royal mail receiving them. This was only a week ago.
We came home today to find two letters from Royal Mail. Both claims were dismissed, and the extra photos on the claim (even though it was stated more were coming) not even considered (perhaps simply disposed of, rather than dealt with).
The reasons for dismissal were several-fold - that they weren't going to reimburse for the damaged items unless we proved that we paid to replace them (Which I was not going to do until we received the initial payout on the claim. Disregarding the amount that we don't have, to buy the same items, why would we do so and then send them once again only for them to be possibly damaged once again?)
They then said they would need to see the *actual* packaging that the items arrived in, instead of just seeing the photos as evidence of the proven damage. I'm not sure why they would think that once the proof of damage was submitted we would store a tattereted box convered in fecal matter in the house on the off-chance that after several months, the Royal Mail would wish it to be sent to them. I'm sure that's healthy for everyone living there, right?
Still, that doesn't really matter, because they also then went on to say that because it can’t be proven that the damage occurred while in transit with Royal Mail rather than Correos that they’re not obliged to pay anything. I'm sorry, but I didn't pay Correos insurance to cover the items for possible damage, I paid Royal Mail. This was under their remit, and they are the ones responisible. Once Royal Mail take the package, they are liable for the damage if one has paid.
To dismiss the claims is bad enough, but then to attempt to come up with a plethora of reasons why they shouldn't pay out for something they had no problem taking extra money for to cover insurance smacks of a desperate attempt to not pay out on a claim at any cost. This is after the previous claim for both items 'diappearing'.
As for their 'not obliged to pay anything'. Sure they may not be 'obliged' in their eyes, but how about trying to give a basic level of customer service for something someone had paid for and been short-changed *twice*, and then been given the run-around?
Completely stumped as to what to do at the moment. I feel like I've been a victim of fraud, simply because Royal Mail won't honour a service that was paid for.
0
Comments
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So how do you package a gnome?
Anyone get the feeling this is going to be one of those threads where the op doesn't return for a while..;)0 -
The next response would be a Letter Before Action, claiming the cost of the damaged goods, and giving Royal Mail a reasonable time to pay up - usually 14 days.If it sticks, force it.
If it breaks, well it wasn't working right anyway.0 -
From their point of view you could have packed a broken Gnome in a box then claimed for an unbroken one, so this make sense to get a receipt/pictures of a new one. They should have told you to do this before, did they?JohnnyPanic wrote: »The reasons for dismissal were several-fold - that they weren't going to reimburse for the damaged items unless we proved that we paid to replace them (Which I was not going to do until we received the initial payout on the claim
Again you could have packed damaged goods with the intention of making a claim, without the picture’s of packing they can’t know you haven’t done that.JohnnyPanic wrote: »They then said they would need to see the *actual* packaging that the items arrived in, instead of just seeing the photos as evidence of the proven damage. I'm not sure why they would think that once the proof of damage was submitted we would store a tattereted box convered in fecal matter in the house on the off-chance that after several months, the Royal Mail would wish it to be sent to them. I'm sure that's healthy for everyone living there, right?.0 -
All sounds like inadequate packaging to me.0
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