Recorded delivery... help!!

sarahg1969

I sold an item on ebay and the buyer sent a post order by RD.

She asked if it had arrived; it had not.

She checked with RM - site said it had been signed for. No signature to be seen at this time.

Waited a couple of days. No signature. She sent another which arrived today.

Today the signature has appeared online. It's next door's daughter.

DH went round. They said they can't find it and have probably shredded it! All they can is try and find it!! He left them rooting through the bins (which were emptied yesterday, btw), and we've heard nothing more.

Obviously, I've sent the second PO back to the buyer, along with her item.

Is there anything I can do? It's under a fiver, so I don't want to seem petty with the neighbours, but they've not even offered to do anything about it!

BTW - I have NO qualms about their honesty. Just a tad annoyed with them.

TIA.

Sarah

Jedster

From what I can see, you are out of pocket

As far as the RM are concerned the item was delivered

Just hope your neighbours give you the money

Why didn't the daughter just post it through your door??

frivolous_fay

I'm guessing from the above...

- Buyer misaddressed the PO
- Neighbour for some weird reason didn't pass it on

Neither of these things are your fault, so it's a shame it came to light where the PO had gone.

You didn't get paid, after all. I'd have been tempted to keep the 2nd payment and explain what had happened to the buyer, telling them you've asked them to refund the buyer direct. What your neighbours do with misaddressed mail isn't really anything you should be out of pocket over.

frivolous_fay

The only winner here is the Post Office.
Damn, that sucks.

sarahg1969

frivolous_fay wrote: »

I'm guessing from the above...

- Buyer misaddressed the PO
- Neighbour for some weird reason didn't pass it on

Neither of these things are your fault, so it's a shame it came to light where the PO had gone.

You didn't get paid, after all. I'd have been tempted to keep the 2nd payment and explain what had happened to the buyer, telling them you've asked them to refund the buyer direct. What your neighbours do with misaddressed mail isn't really anything you should be out of pocket over.

No. It wasn't misaddressed. The postie just took it next door because we weren't in, and obtained a signature from the daughter. Of course, as it had been signed for, the postie didn't leave a card, and we were none the wiser. The daughter just said she couldn't remember what she'd done with it.

It's not very neighbourly, is it?

FloFlo

I'd be asking down the PO in case the daughter can't remember cashing it.

RFW

sarahg1969 wrote: »

No. It wasn't misaddressed. The postie just took it next door because we weren't in, and obtained a signature from the daughter. Of course, as it had been signed for, the postie didn't leave a card, and we were none the wiser. The daughter just said she couldn't remember what she'd done with it.

It's not very neighbourly, is it?

Its not your neighbours' fault, its the posties, it should never have been delivered to another address. If its recorded it should ONLY be signed by someone at your address or returned to the sorting office for you to collect, otherwise recorded delivery is pointless (which it generally is!). The service is to record it being delivered to your address, delivering it to a neighbour is actually diminishing the service. The "record" is false and both the sender and recipient have been duped by Royal Mail, the sender especially having paid for a service that wasn't used.

My postman keeps doing it too. On occasion he has asked me to sign for a neighbour's and I always refuse, taking a parcel in is one thing, signing for someone else's mail is another. I complain every time it happens and get a free book of stamps each time and it still keeps happening, I deter anyone from sending me anything by recorded delivery, its a waste of money and actually reduces my chance of receiving mail sent that way.

kiera123_2

Personally, I'd contact Royal Mail asking for the cost of the postal order. The letter was meant to be delivered to your address, not your neighbours.

chuckley

complain to RM about the postie redirecting your mail without your permission... your neighbour im guessing has cashed the PO.

paisley_lass

im sure the buyer can be refunded eventually for uncashed postal orders that go missing....i would get the serial number off the postal order that was signed for by neighbours daughter just to check it hasnt been cashed.

just googled to see if what i thought was right before posting and found this posted on another forum.

To confirm if a postal order has been cashed you would need to contact the
Postal Orders department at:

Postal Order Sub Group
Financial Accounts Department
1 Future Walk
West Bars
Chesterfield
S49 1PF

If you advise them in your letter that you wish to confirm if a postal
order has been cashed and provide them with the postal order number. If you
send the original postal order, I would suggest keeping a photocopy of this
for your own records.

paisley_lass

still nosying about and also found this....

"To trace if a Postal Order has been cashed you would need to complete a P58 form available from any Post Office® branch. When you’ve completed the form hand this in at the Post Office® and this will be forwarded to Royal Mail to investigate.

Alternatively you can send the P58 form and the receipt for the postal
orders to:

Postal Order Group
PO Box 168
Chesterfield
S49 1ZL

It is recommended that you keep a copy of the receipt for your own records."

perhaps you could inform your buyer of this to claim the money back but as far as im aware postal orders have up to 6 months to be cashed so perhaps would have to wait that legnth of time before being refunded...

i would be furious with my neighbour if this happened...how the hell can they loose a letter that had to be signed for....isnt it obvious it was important that it was recorded delivery.