How Do I Get My Mail Delivered and/or Complain About the Postman?

PasturesNew

I've recently moved into a small (8) block of flats with a communal hallway. The hallway has an entrance at each end and I have a bell for my flat on the door at the other end.

The postman comes aloong in the mornings and sticks the post through the postbox, then the next resident passing picks it up and sticks it on a table.

It was my birthday and I received two gifts I wasn't expecting. One turned up yesterday, an item ordered online and sent by the supplier in a jiffy bag. When I went to the table yesterday this was undone; so I didn't know if all the contents were there - turns out it was just one item so yes. But now anybody and his dog might know I've received a vibrator *grins*.

This morning I heard the mail hit the floor, so I got up, pulled on some clothes and went out, to see if I had any mail. I had two pieces:

1) A jiffy bag, ripped and open, shoved/stuck in the letterbox. This was a bottle of perfume, wrapped well in a jiffy bag and extra bubble wrap. It was 90% out of the door, 10% in the door ... and the jiffy bag was torn where he'd tried to shove it through the letterbox.

2) A registered packet - small enough to fit through the letterbox, but definitely A "sign for" package. And it should be signed for because I am doing some work for a doctor, so this is an audio tape with patient notes on to be transcribed.

2 months ago, I got virgin broadband and had been expecting a free TV box. I've never had/seen it. Tried asking Virgin about it, but no response since a week ago.

So, my worries are:

1) My unexpected gifts/presents being wrecked and potentially stolen as the postman is clearly leaving these items just stuck in the letterbox until somebody passes (could be anybody)

2) Signed for items - of a very confidential nature - not being signed for.

I have NO confidence that I am getting, or will get, my mail in the future. I don't have the confidence to do any online shopping.

What can I do to improve this situation as I expect to be away for a week over Xmas and certainly don't want to run my life having to sit in the hallway every morning just in case I get mail!

What is the most efficient and effective route to ensure that if he has something that won't fit in the letterbox or if he has recorded items he (preferably) rings my bell and/or leaves a card?

At the moment I am thinking of doing the following:
1) Put a note up on the door letting him know I have a bell.
2) Get him a Xmas gift and wait for him, then point out my bell.

Or should I stop fannying about and just complain?

What do you think?

Emmzi

I would get in touch with your local "delivery office manager." A friendly chat is a good approach.

Zara33

PasturesNew wrote: »

Or should I stop fannying about and just complain?
What do you think?

:rotfl: :rotfl: Sorry but...childish sniggering here about the comment above.

Complain only way forward.

PasturesNew

I am wondering too if I should get a new wireless doorbell and put that close to the letterbox. Save him the walk round.... (yes, more fannying about from me)

fedupconsumer

firstly sorry to hear of your problems reagarding royal mail. I have had to make a formal complaint regarding a postman this year and the best bet is to contact manager of the sorting office and log it with royal mail aswell then they can take action against the postperson concerned. Make sure you jot down when these incidences occurred so they can match it up with the person on that route. Also let your neighbours know of the problems they might be having the same problems build a case together if that is the case and make sure that the sorting office knows to knock on your door they will filter a message down to the postperson. Also i know its a pain in the !!!! but its important that you tell your postperson of your delivery wishes too its worth it.

good luck

PasturesNew

Thanks.

I think I will pluck up the courage to stick a note on the door pointing out my bell and see if I have the balls to wait for him and mention it.

Don't want to upset him... he might start peeing on things before jamming them in the letterbox

jembie

I would definitely complain but in the meantime would it be worth you getting a PO Box? A friend of mine had the same kind of problems as you so now she has everything delivered to her work address. It is only a small ofice and she is usually there at weekends so she always gets her mail.

custardy

1st of all realise a postman delivers to the 'delivery point'
the delivery point for your flats is communal,as in one letterbox for the whole stair?
if so then the postie is correct in putting the mail through.

what was the 'registered' item?
international
recorded
special delivery
royal mail tracked?

if you want mail delivered inside the premises then you need to get a letterbox added to your flat door and notify the delivery office of this.
leaving items sticking out of a letterbox is not delivery protcol so you should notify the DO of this or speak to the postie if you see them
however you may have different posties every day

Horace

I had the same problem with my flat - there was a communal postbox in the main entrance door and all the post was then stacked up on an old meter cupboard. My post was persistently pinched by one of my 'lovely' neighbours, I had also repeatedly asked my landlord to provide a lockable letterbox (he had promised to do this for all his flats) but after waiting for 14 months, I got fet up and went to my local hardware shop and bought a lockable postbox which my landlords maintenance chaps screwed to the wall. My post gets put in the box except on the occasion when my normal postie was on holiday and it got shoved through the letterbox with everyone elses. Again, the interfering neighbour (I have yet to discover who) helped themselves to my post, I know because when I checked in the morning no post was left for me but my credit card bill from Amex appeared later in the afternoon. I then rang my local sorting office to complain, they apologised and said that they would ensure that my post was separated and put into my box (it is the only one outside my flats). Thankfully this is now happening.

Mind you my postie does ring the bell and bring any large parcels, jiffy bags or signed for items upstairs direct to my door.

A friendly chat with your delivery office should help plus buy yourself a lockable postbox to go on the outside wall, they cost about £12.99 and look pretty decent - you and only you will have the key to it. You could also arrange to have your post delivered to your local post office and go and collect it yourself but this can be a pain because you could go each day and there won't be anything. Speak to your landlord about getting a postbox and speak to the delivery office - it probably isnt the postie pinching things more like dodgy neighbours.

dounome

Im a postie and its good advice from custardy

onejontwo

"Don't want to upset him... he might start peeing on things before jamming them in the letterbox "

Just a thought, it might help the large stuff go through the letterbox!!:rolleyes: