Advice re Royal Mail stamp swapout

gt94sss2

According to https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11421065/Ban-non-barcoded-stamps-delayed-summer-Royal-Mail-climbs-down.html the deadline for using old stamps has been extended to the end of July 23.

DefJef

I was shocked this morning to receive a letter from RM claiming that I had failed to enclose my returned non-barcoded stamps for swap out.  This is not true.

They request that I collect another form and enclose them this time. Hard to do when I've already sent them. They don't disagree that they received my envelope or form but they have either lost them or not looked in the envelope properly - or they have been extracted en route in a way that was undetectable.

Suggesting that I did not enclose them seems to insinuate that I am either incompetent or committing fraud. For me to reply that I did send them insinuates that they are one of those things, which is a pretty sorry stalemate.

So how could I prove the stamps were in the envelope? How can they prove a negative that they were not ? Was I supposed to video myself placing them in the envelope, sealing it and walking to the post box without any tricksy editing or sleight of hand noticeable?  Maybe RM do do that with each envelope that they open and can show me that? In which case I would have to accept that the undetectable removal of the stamps was carried out en route - or they are still in the envelope!  Also I cannot now attempt to resend stamps that I have already sent.

DefJef

StartledJesus said:

Update on my personal situation as mentioned previously.

I spoke on the phone to a Royal Mail agent this morning, explaining the situation. RM offered to replace the 'lost' 24 stamps without any argument. So all's well that ends well - presuming they do eventually arrive!

As others have said, I'm not really sure why this cannot be done face to face at the Post Office. Surely it cannot be any more time consuming than being behind a shopkeeper banking the day's takings? 

I did point out to RM that the Freepost address, as well as being a bit sparse and minimalist, was a dead giveaway and 'asking for trouble', if someone was so inclined. It also gives no indication of the destination, in geographic terms. 

I do hope they contact me and my issue is resolved similarly. "Not included in the envelope?" Give me a break!

stampswapper

DefJef said:

I was shocked this morning to receive a letter from RM claiming that I had failed to enclose my returned non-barcoded stamps for swap out.  This is not true.

They request that I collect another form and enclose them this time. Hard to do when I've already sent them. They don't disagree that they received my envelope or form but they have either lost them or not looked in the envelope properly - or they have been extracted en route in a way that was undetectable.

Suggesting that I did not enclose them seems to insinuate that I am either incompetent or committing fraud. For me to reply that I did send them insinuates that they are one of those things, which is a pretty sorry stalemate.

So how could I prove the stamps were in the envelope? How can they prove a negative that they were not ? Was I supposed to video myself placing them in the envelope, sealing it and walking to the post box without any tricksy editing or sleight of hand noticeable?  Maybe RM do do that with each envelope that they open and can show me that? In which case I would have to accept that the undetectable removal of the stamps was carried out en route - or they are still in the envelope!  Also I cannot now attempt to resend stamps that I have already sent.

IMO this is Royal Mail's problem. They insist that you put any number of unused stamps in an envelope which you cannot even get a Certificate of Posting from a Post Office to prove you have sent it. The address will be obvious to anyone that sees it and will know it contains unused stamps - effectively as good as cash which RM will say would need Special Delivery and yet don't offer this service for free when they are the ones wanting to change their own stamps. Not wishing to accuse anyone of stealing the contents but you might just as well chuck your stamps in the bin and save all the hassle! For that reason I will hold on to my stamps until such time I have no choice and yes, maybe video myself putting them in the envelope.

Challenge Royal Mail - this is their problem and demand retribution or you will seek legal advice and maybe report this to the media.

martindow

stampswapper said:

Challenge Royal Mail - this is their problem and demand retribution or you will seek legal advice and maybe report this to the media.

It's certainly unjust, but I don't think we need to escalate it to violence!

NBLondon

stampswapper said:

 They insist that you put any number of unused stamps in an envelope which you cannot even get a Certificate of Posting from a Post Office to prove you have sent it. 

Address the envelope to:

Freepost RUCZ-UTGU-AULY

Royal Mail Swap Out
Tallents House
21 South Gyle Crescent
EDINBURGH  EH12 9GT

to get a Certificate of Posting

stampswapper

martindow said:

stampswapper said:

Challenge Royal Mail - this is their problem and demand retribution or you will seek legal advice and maybe report this to the media.

It's certainly unjust, but I don't think we need to escalate it to violence!

Who said anything about violence? Retribution simply means repayment for when something has gone wrong. If Royal Mail lose any of my stamps that they insist I send through the post then I will certainly expect them to pay up!

NBLondon

stampswapper said:

Who said anything about violence? Retribution simply means repayment for when something has gone wrong. If Royal Mail lose any of my stamps that they insist I send through the post then I will certainly expect them to pay up!

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/retribution

You probably mean restitution.  https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/restitution

Jeremy535897

I have a different issue to report. I sent in a mix of standard 1st, large 1st and standard 2nd class stamps worth about £72. That was only a week or so ago. Today I have received back the equivalent number of stamps, but they are all large 1sts. I have therefore gained about £26 in terms of value, but I will now have to ask the Post Office if I can trade in some of the large 1st stamps for standard 1st and 2nd stamps, as there is no way I will use 68 large 1sts even in the next five years. The accompanying letter says they have provided like for like equivalents, but where this is not possible (due to lack of stock, or other reasons irrelevant to my case) they will "add 2nd class barcoded stamps to make up the equivalent total postage value", but they sent no 2nd class standard stamps at all.

molerat

Jeremy535897 said:

I have a different issue to report. I sent in a mix of standard 1st, large 1st and standard 2nd class stamps worth about £72. That was only a week or so ago. Today I have received back the equivalent number of stamps, but they are all large 1sts. I have therefore gained about £26 in terms of value, but I will now have to ask the Post Office if I can trade in some of the large 1st stamps for standard 1st and 2nd stamps, as there is no way I will use 68 large 1sts even in the next five years. The accompanying letter says they have provided like for like equivalents, but where this is not possible (due to lack of stock, or other reasons irrelevant to my case) they will "add 2nd class barcoded stamps to make up the equivalent total postage value", but they sent no 2nd class standard stamps at all.

A 1L will cover all the letters you send so does it really matter what stamp is on them ?