Royal Mail (Non!) Returns

buntygal2021

I posted a large 1.3kg envelope 4 weeks ago to a Wimbledon address. I was rushing and stupidly put my son’s previous road but the correct  current post code.  It should have arrived on a Friday but could not be delivered. Son went up to Wimbledon Delivery Office 07.30 the next day and the desk clean immediately recognised the photograph the distinctive envelope and said he had sent for Return to Sender on the Friday .  My return address is on the outside just below the address label so clearly no problem with where the package originated.  In spite of numerous emails to Royal Mail my package appears to have vanished and I now suspect the contents (baby clothes and special book) will have been shared or auctioned!  Royal Mail really is beyond parody as even our regular postman tells me he cannot contact the Returns division.  Small wonder this company is losing out to 24 hour courier at a fraction of the price.  I was quoted £38.20 (!) for signed delivery - I paid first class only but had I used courier I now see it would have been £5.99.  Difficult decision then in future - not.🤔
Does anyone know how to contact this secret division please,  as they give the appearance of treating returns as personal treasure trove?  Remember Royal Mail-  my address is printed directly UNDER recipient postcode so no excuses please on not finding my address.

Pollycat

I think this would be more appropriate on the Praise, Vent and Warnings board - much further down than this covid specific board.

How big was this envelope that you were quoted £38.20 signed for 1st class?

GDB2222

It's a bit odd. I can see a signed for next day Royal Mail parcel service is £12.15. That's with £1000 compensation for a medium sized parcel. 

If you mis-address your parcel, a courier won't be able to deliver it either, and they could easily lose it too. Does the £5.99 include compensation for loss, or is that an extra?

Royal Mail returns take a LONG time. That's my experience. 

sheramber

Royal Mail hold return to sender items for 18 days so plenty time for it to returned to you.

IvanOpinion

So the OP put the wrong address on it and that somehow has become somebody elses fault?

Pollycat

IvanOpinion said:

So the OP put the wrong address on it and that somehow has become somebody elses fault?

To the extent that the OP is accusing Royal Mail of sharing out the contents of the package or auctioning them off!

jon81uk

Assuming you have proof of postage then you can claim for items up to £20 value. If it is worth more than £20 I assume you paid for signed for (up to £50 value) or special delivery as required?

You can put in a claim here Claims Centre (royalmail.com)

David713

buntygal2021 said:

I posted a large 1.3kg envelope 4 weeks ago to a Wimbledon address. 
I was quoted £38.20 (!) for signed delivery -

Where did this figure come from?
Even if you had sent the package with Royal Mail Special Delivery (next day by 1pm) as a small parcel weighing up to 2Kg with £2500 compensation, it would only have cost £14.15 to send.

Manxman_in_exile

buntygal2021 said:

...  It should have arrived on a Friday but could not be delivered. Son went up to Wimbledon Delivery Office 07.30 the next day and the desk clean immediately recognised the photograph the distinctive envelope and said he had sent for Return to Sender on the Friday . ...

Why did they return to sender on the same day it should have been delivered - I don't understand why they acted so quickly?

And why did your son go to the delivery office just the day after it should have been delivered?  I know it should have been delivered on a particular day but even so I would wait a day or so just in case it had been delayed for some reason.

(Incidentally - I'm not so sure that putting your return address directly below the recipient's address is such a good idea - I can foresee all manner of confusion.  I always make sure any return address is prominently displayed well away from the delivery address - usually on the back)