Royal Mail, Stamp Swapout, Next step, Small claims court?

Auctionaddict

Hi all. Do I have any chance in small claims court for missing items that should have been delivered to me?

I sent over £3500 worth of definitive stamps back to Royal Mail for stamp swapout. (I am a stamp dealer Hence the high number and value)
After a while they returned the replacement stamps, Special Delivery to my address. I was out. The postman signed for the package himself (video footage) and placed them underneath my caravan, on my drive, about 10 feet away from a well used road and pavement where they sat for an hour. 
I returned home to find the package had a large hole in the side (had been opened) and much of the contents missing. I immediatley contacted Royal Mail without opening the package. I was told to open the package, list what was missing and let them know, I would be called by royal Mail within 72 hours as this was a serious case.
No  callback so I phoned them again 2 days later and gave them the details of the missing items. Once again I was told they would call me within 72 hours.
To cut a very long story short,  7 months later, I have contacted them on a least 7 occasions, each time its a priority with 72 hour callback and nothing happens.
I raised the complaint to internal dispute commitee (in order to follow thier own procedure) who passed me back to Royal mail, this time I receved an email to the effect that they are not liable and the postman had been dealt with.
I went back to the commitee who sent me a cheque for £50 for the inconveniance but no replacement stamps because I could not return the package to them with the contents, (7 months after the initial dispute was raised)
I have now raised the complaint to CEDR (the external body), submitted all the evidence but the reply from Royal Mail is simply telling CEDR that my complaint is about a Special Delivery item and not part of CEDR`s remit so they should drop the case.
I have only asked for the replacement of the missing stamps appox 650 1st class and 500 2nd class so I am out of pocket by about £1500 value.
What are my next options, small claims court? any advice is welcome. Thank you. I am determind to see this through.

Boohoo

Auctionaddict said:

Hi all. Do I have any chance in small claims court for missing items that should have been delivered to me?

I sent over £3500 worth of definitive stamps back to Royal Mail for stamp swapout. (I am a stamp dealer Hence the high number and value)
After a while they returned the replacement stamps, Special Delivery to my address. I was out. The postman signed for the package himself (video footage) and placed them underneath my caravan, on my drive, about 10 feet away from a well used road and pavement where they sat for an hour. 
I returned home to find the package had a large hole in the side (had been opened) and much of the contents missing. I immediatley contacted Royal Mail without opening the package. I was told to open the package, list what was missing and let them know, I would be called by royal Mail within 72 hours as this was a serious case.
No  callback so I phoned them again 2 days later and gave them the details of the missing items. Once again I was told they would call me within 72 hours.
To cut a very long story short,  7 months later, I have contacted them on a least 7 occasions, each time its a priority with 72 hour callback and nothing happens.
I raised the complaint to internal dispute commitee (in order to follow thier own procedure) who passed me back to Royal mail, this time I receved an email to the effect that they are not liable and the postman had been dealt with.
I went back to the commitee who sent me a cheque for £50 for the inconveniance but no replacement stamps because I could not return the package to them with the contents, (7 months after the initial dispute was raised)
I have now raised the complaint to CEDR (the external body), submitted all the evidence but the reply from Royal Mail is simply telling CEDR that my complaint is about a Special Delivery item and not part of CEDR`s remit so they should drop the case.
I have only asked for the replacement of the missing stamps appox 650 1st class and 500 2nd class so I am out of pocket by about £1500 value.
What are my next options, small claims court? any advice is welcome. Thank you. I am determind to see this through.

Not sure if I am reading this correctly.

You mentioned video footage, was there no footage of the parcel under your caravan that you could see anybody tamper with the parcel?

If the camera doesn't cover the place where the parcel was placed  or footage means something else then disregard my post.

Don't understand why some of the contents were taken but not the whole parcel but the some of the contents could of escaped in the sorting system and the postie just put the parcel where they did with what was left inside.

savergrant

Does the video footage show the postman placing the parcel under your caravan? If so can you then see the parcel being moved or tampered with?
In the video footage you have can you clearly see that the parcel is undamaged?
Presumably the tracking shows as signed for by resident, but the video footage shows this as being fraudulently signed by a royal mail employee.

Auctionaddict

The Video shows the postie sign for the package and leave it under the caravan, no one else tampered with the package as far as I can see from the video. The video does not show the damage in the footage.

I suspect the damage happened in the sorting office, several packs of stamp booklets may have fallen out (these are cellophaned together in blocks of 50.

Royal Mail are just throwing technical issues my way. First, they did not ask me to keep anything; in fact, they told me to open the package and tell them what was missing. Then, seven months later,  to take the claim further, I must send the entire contents of the package back to them.  

My claim is simply to replace the lost stamps.

Chief_of_Staffy

They are clearly liable as the postman / woman is not allowed to sign for a special delivery. I have no idea what a stamp swap out is, but in your position I'd give them 30 days to refund or you'll take them to court. You have left it a bit late, though, so not sure if that will be an issue.

My own stance is that if I know I'm owed compensation, and I get the letter saying No, I reply by return and give them 30 days or court. No messing or waiting. This happened three times in a row and on all three occasions I got the cheque (yes, they send a cheque) without further quibble. For much smaller sums, admittedly.