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mail forwarding problems

I have my mail forwarded from my old house, to where I now live abroad. It's worked mostly fine for several months but now I'm getting someone else's mail.

I' ve done the obvious ie forwarded it to them, and complained to Royal Mail. But no answer from RM after several days. What now?

This wasn't a one-off error; four separate pieces of mail arrived over a few days, all for the same person, whose name and address are nothing like mine.

Ironic that RM push their forwarding service to avoid the risk of identity theft - and then send me someone else's bank statements and personal correspondance!

I have no idea whether they are also receiving mine - hopefully if so they will let me know.
But I am half expecting the mail which I sent back to them, to be forwarded to me again!

I have already decided to find another solution next year.
And I suppose RM may respond eventually.
But in the meantime, does anyone have any idea why or how this is happening? Or what I can do to get a response?
Thanks
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Comments

  • ethank
    ethank Posts: 2,197
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    Normally very good service - did this happen over Christmas when lots of temporary staff employed?
  • BooJewels
    BooJewels Posts: 2,793
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    I am also having mail forwarded from my father as he's in care and I'm looking after his affairs under an LPA. I got 2 separate Christmas cards to entirely different people with very different names and whilst geographically close to him, the address was different enough that there shouldn't have been any confusion at all.

    I occasionally get mail forwarded that's addressed to my late mother, even though I didn't add her name to the redirection (as it costs and it's only occasional junk to her) where most still gets delivered to the property - which we do visit regularly.

    So their service isn't infallible and because of Christmas volume and me then going down with flu, I just ignored it on this occasion. I didn't forward or return the cards as they were commercial marketing ones from companies, so I didn't think they'd be missed.
  • slopemaster
    slopemaster Posts: 1,579
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    edited 7 January 2020 at 6:52PM
    Not all of it was over Christmas - the latest one to arrive was just yesterday.
    Though maybe they're still clearing the backlog
  • G_M
    G_M Posts: 51,977
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    https://personal.help.royalmail.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/307/~/how-do-i-make-a-complaint%3F


    Have you kept full details of each item?
    Date received
    Name of recipient
    address of recipient


    The more info you can provide, the more likely they can trace.
  • slopemaster
    slopemaster Posts: 1,579
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    Thanks GM, but that's the page contacted them via.
    If they don't reply to my e-mail in a few more days I suppose I might try writing...
  • slopemaster
    slopemaster Posts: 1,579
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    I did finally get a reply today, though only to say they will look into it...
  • sal_III
    sal_III Posts: 1,953
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    BooJewels wrote: »
    I am also having mail forwarded from my father as he's in care and I'm looking after his affairs under an LPA. I got 2 separate Christmas cards to entirely different people with very different names and whilst geographically close to him, the address was different enough that there shouldn't have been any confusion at all.

    I occasionally get mail forwarded that's addressed to my late mother, even though I didn't add her name to the redirection (as it costs and it's only occasional junk to her) where most still gets delivered to the property - which we do visit regularly.

    So their service isn't infallible and because of Christmas volume and me then going down with flu, I just ignored it on this occasion. I didn't forward or return the cards as they were commercial marketing ones from companies, so I didn't think they'd be missed.
    The redirection is for surname, assuming your late mother had the same as your father, this is why it works for her as well.
  • BooJewels
    BooJewels Posts: 2,793
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    sal_III wrote: »
    The redirection is for surname, assuming your late mother had the same as your father, this is why it works for her as well.
    Except it isn't. It's for individual names (imagine if a couple separate and one moves out, or an older child moves to their own place, you wouldn't want a blanket re-direction for the family surname if half the family remain at the original address) and for the most part, my Mother's mail still gets delivered to the house. But the odd one makes it through.

    The form asks for the addresses and each individual name to redirect. It's a blanket redirection fee for the first individual/address and additional fees (£10 I think) for each extra person.
  • custardy
    custardy Posts: 38,365
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    Thanks GM, but that's the page contacted them via.
    If they don't reply to my e-mail in a few more days I suppose I might try writing...

    Forget writing. Hit them up on Twitter @royalmailhelp
  • slopemaster
    slopemaster Posts: 1,579
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    ah yes. I don't really do social media so I didn't immediately think of it, but I'm sure that's a good plan if I'm not getting a response
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