Royal mail signed for package

sheramber

Royal Mail don't seem to have asked for signatures since it was stopped during covid.  The postie scribbles in the signature part to show he hs delivered it.

Dax777

@sheramber. Thanks for the information. Dax. 

mikb

sheramber said:

Royal Mail don't seem to have asked for signatures since it was stopped during covid.  The postie scribbles in the signature part to show he hs delivered it.

I feel the correct "Money Saving" takeaway from this should be not to pay a premium for a service you know will not be provided.

I can fully understand RM stopping collection of signatures when Covid struck. Not so sure it's still defensible now, now that things have moved on, to be still offering a service they know they are not going to provide.

I too have received items where the sender has paid for Signature, and yet the "signature" on tracking is my surname, forged by the postie, and then the item left in a non-secured spot (not even pushed through letterbox).

sheramber

Covid is still around - 6289 cases reported  in England between 6th and 12 August.   How many not reported?

I do agree Royal Mail should address whether they should be offering and charging for a signature when they do not comply with that. 

Maybe , if those affected claimed back the charge they would change things one way or the other.

RefluentBeans

I think you’d be able to claim for the difference between the service paid for and the service you got. But not for the package of the item. I agree that you should get some level of compensation for it, but I don’t think it should it be the value of the parcel. The parcel isn’t lost and got to the recipient. You should get the difference in cost of the service. 

Worth noting that unless you paid for added insurance you wouldn’t be able to claim for the lost parcel either https://personal.help.royalmail.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/91. 

RefluentBeans

To confirm, RM have a specific page for this issue. https://personal.help.royalmail.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/19910/~/my-royal-mail-signed-for%C2%AE-item-arrived-without-a-signature-being-taken

Claim through that. Doubt you’ll get more than the difference, and certainly not the value of the top up as top ups are exempt from the compensation (unless you pay for extra insurance, I believe). 

NBLondon

RefluentBeans said:

I think you’d be able to claim for the difference between the service paid for and the service you got. But not for the package of the item. I agree that you should get some level of compensation for it, but I don’t think it should it be the value of the parcel. The parcel isn’t lost and got to the recipient. You should get the difference in cost of the service. 

This.

I used to complain regularly when sending out documents which I knew had arrived but there was no signature and the tracking showed this.   RM would apologise and usually send a book of stamps (worth more than the difference).  

Dax777

@NBLondon I just saw your comment after I filled in the Royal Mail form. My energy company has refunded my £30 by sending me a code and top up my key. I'm no longer out of pocket for that. I didn't let Royal Mail know that. What I said on the form was I want my £3:10 I paid for signed for delivery,£10 worth of stamps and Royal Mail to make a £20 donation to Devon Air Ambulance. Not too bothered about the stamps but I be annoyed if they don't donate to that charity. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences with Royal Mail. I'll update when I hear back from RM.
 

powerful_Rogue

Dax777 said:

@NBLondon I just saw your comment after I filled in the Royal Mail form. My energy company has refunded my £30 by sending me a code and top up my key. I'm no longer out of pocket for that. I didn't let Royal Mail know that. What I said on the form was I want my £3:10 I paid for signed for delivery,£10 worth of stamps and Royal Mail to make a £20 donation to Devon Air Ambulance. Not too bothered about the stamps but I be annoyed if they don't donate to that charity. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences with Royal Mail. I'll update when I hear back from RM.
 

You'll probably get some stamps, no chance for the rest. Nor should you as the energy company has refunded you.

Dax777

@powerful_Rogue after all the stress of RM not fulfilling the service I paid for I would hope they would make a small donation out of the millions of pounds profit they make. As you rightly say I have got my refund from energy company but maybe some good will come out of a bad situation. If I only get stamps I'll donate them to my local DAA shop.