Postman signing for my signed for parcel

Jimtheslim · 14 January 2020 at 9:20PM

Apologies if this has been discussed before, but I can't seem to find anything online relating to my specific incident.

I ordered a camera lens on ebay and paid for royal mail 1st class signed for delivery. At no time during the order did I say it could be left in a safe place and at no time was that option available. I came home today to find a card on my mat saying it was in my greenhouse which it was. I looked online at the tracking page and there was a signature in the box which I do not recognise and assume it is the postman/womans. Below it says it was signed for by my surname only. I can prove nobody was home.

Previous threads seem to be content with accepting post deliverers are under pressure and that this might save the receiver a journey to the delivery office. I'm not so happy. Say the lens was stolen from the greenhouse. How would I have claimed seeing as royal mail were confirming it was received by someone with my surname? I am not talking about a letter going through my mailbox that the postman can confirm was safe which other threads digress on, this parcel was left in a place which is insecure.

Furthermore the tracking page has now removed the image of the signature now I have made a complaint. Luckily I have taken screenshot before this happened should I need them.

Has this kind of incident happened to anyone else? If so how was it resolved?

Jimtheslim · 14 January 2020 at 11:18PM

No worries

JamoLew · 15 January 2020 at 8:01AM

In this case, it turned out fine.

I guess you could write to the Post Office and request that the postie doesn't sign for parcels on your behalf, but that wouldn't stop it happening with other delivery agents.

suki1964 · 15 January 2020 at 9:01AM

Its funny how we all differ in how we view this. I only posted last week how my postie signed for a parcel for me and hid it in the garage. When I say hid, he did hide it, not out in plain view, then rang me to let me know what he had done and where it was hidden

I was very happy. It was a phone, it was a Friday before a bank holiday. He knew what it was and guessed Id be wanting it asap

I took it as service above and beyond. A jobsworth would have took it back to the depot and Id have to have waited till the Tuesday before I could get it

But then we all see things differently

Jimtheslim · 15 January 2020 at 9:11AM

Would I be in a position to request a refund for the postage, seeing as I didn't get the service I paid for?

fb1969 · 15 January 2020 at 9:18AM

The postie should not have done this, as a postie myself we are regularly told not to sign for items. You could complain to Royal Mail (not the Post Office, its a separate company) and this should feed back to the individual - but as you received it ok, I would probably do nothing in this instance.

The contract for delivery is between the sender and Royal Mail as they paid them to deliver it. You could contact the sender and point out what had happened and they may or may not complain to Royal Mail themselves. I would think it is unlikely they would refund you (unless they were refunded by Royal Mail).

custardy · 15 January 2020 at 9:28AM

JamoLew wrote: »

In this case, it turned out fine.

I guess you could write to the Post Office and request that the postie doesn't sign for parcels on your behalf, but that wouldn't stop it happening with other delivery agents.

The Post Office has nothing to do with Royal mail nor delvieries

custardy · 15 January 2020 at 9:30AM

Jimtheslim wrote: »

Apologies if this has been discussed before, but I can't seem to find anything online relating to my specific incident.

I ordered a camera lens on ebay and paid for royal mail 1st class signed for delivery. At no time during the order did I say it could be left in a safe place and at no time was that option available. I came home today to find a card on my mat saying it was in my greenhouse which it was. I looked online at the tracking page and there was a signature in the box which I do not recognise and assume it is the postman/womans. Below it says it was signed for by my surname only. I can prove nobody was home.

Previous threads seem to be content with accepting post deliverers are under pressure and that this might save the receiver a journey to the delivery office. I'm not so happy. Say the lens was stolen from the greenhouse. How would I have claimed seeing as royal mail were confirming it was received by someone with my surname? I am not talking about a letter going through my mailbox that the postman can confirm was safe which other threads digress on, this parcel was left in a place which is insecure.

Furthermore the tracking page has now removed the image of the signature now I have made a complaint. Luckily I have taken screenshot before this happened should I need them.

Has this kind of incident happened to anyone else? If so how was it resolved?

You demonstrate perfectly how its shades of grey.
A signed for letter could have legal ramifications for the intended recipient if it is signed for an delivered.

Its against RM policy however you will get a hundred answers and views on it.
Now you have complained I doubt your postie will do it again and all items will be safely returned to the depot for you to collect.

Jimtheslim wrote: »

Would I be in a position to request a refund for the postage, seeing as I didn't get the service I paid for?

Serious?

NBLondon · 15 January 2020 at 10:40AM

Jimtheslim wrote: »

Would I be in a position to request a refund for the postage, seeing as I didn't get the service I paid for?

custardy wrote: »

Serious?

Like fb1969 said....
You could take that up with the seller - but whether they take you seriously is another matter...
Equally - the seller could take that up with RM but it's up to them.

Jimtheslim · 15 January 2020 at 12:04PM

[Its funny how we all differ in how we view this. I only posted last week how my postie signed for a parcel for me and hid it in the garage. When I say hid, he did hide it, not out in plain view, then rang me to let me know what he had done and where it was hidden

I was very happy. It was a phone, it was a Friday before a bank holiday. He knew what it was and guessed Id be wanting it asap

I took it as service above and beyond. A jobsworth would have took it back to the depot and Id have to have waited till the Tuesday before I could get it

But then we all see things differently]

In this scenario the postman was 'guessing' and this doesn't always end well. I know its a pain to make the depot sometimes but I'd rather make sure my item is delivered as per the secure service I was paying for (OK the seller paid and I paid them, but it's still a cost to me).

Like I say, where would I stand if I got home and my parcel was not in the greenhouse and the royal mail is telling me their records show that it was signed for by someone in my name? I guess they would have to reimburse the whole cost of the package? The fact the photo of the signature was removed immediately after lodging my complaint makes it seem like they know they shouldn't be doing this

Gavin83 · 15 January 2020 at 12:14PM

Jimtheslim wrote: »

Would I be in a position to request a refund for the postage, seeing as I didn't get the service I paid for?

No. You did get the service you paid for which was to have the parcel delivered to you. Besides, as pointed out you didn't have the contract with them.

There's a lot of 'what ifs' in this thread. Ultimately you received the parcel, it saved you a trip to the post office and no harm was done. You really should just forget about it and move on. If you really want to complain do so, but don't expect anything other than an apology.

Postman signing for my signed for parcel

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