Coin delivery ~ Royal Mail problems

[1949threepence 3,368]

I'm always buying coins from both e bay, and dealers. I don't sell at all.

There has never been an occasion yet when I've actually failed to receive an item that I've ordered. However, recently, I've noticed that Royal Mail are increasingly leaving recorded delivery packages in my porch, without making any attempt whatever to get them signed for. This is despite the fact that the recorded delivery orange sticker actually says, "signed for" on it.

Undelivered recorded items are supposed to be taken back to the Post Office and a card left, so the recipient can go down to the Post Office with ID, and sign for them later ~ as I'm sure you all know.

I shall be opting for the insured Special Delivery where at all possible from now on, despite the extra cost. I think e bay require all items over £50 to be sent this way anyway.

Anybody else experienced this problem ?

[scottishmoney 51]

I think I would be knocking up your local postal office and finding out what the gives... maybe Mr. Postie needs a reminder of his responsibilities, he might be getting lazy.

[Hussulo 6]

I think I would be knocking up your local postal office and finding out what the gives... maybe Mr. Postie needs a reminder of his responsibilities, he might be getting lazy.

I agree. It sounds as if postie is signing on your name which I don't think is legal. If your not in the item should be taken back to your nearest post office until you can go in and sign for it.

[MikeCoin 0]

It can only be left if it has been signed for. The signature is a legal contract showing that you have received it and that it is in your hands. The fact that he's signing on your behalf and then just leaving it in full view of anyone to take is grossly unprofessional. What if someone sees it and takes it unbeknownst to you? Officially the parcel was delivered and there's nothing anybody can do.

I agree with the above suggestions, sounds like something to speak about next time you're at the sorting office.

[scottishmoney 51]

I think I would be knocking up your local postal office and finding out what the gives... maybe Mr. Postie needs a reminder of his responsibilities, he might be getting lazy.

I agree. It sounds as if postie is signing on your name which I don't think is legal. If your not in the item should be taken back to your nearest post office until you can go in and sign for it.

I have caught the UPS guy doing that, signing my neighbours name, and leaving my neighbours package in our entry foyer. He was lucky the dog was out back, or he would have been shredded.

[1949threepence 3,368]

OK, thanks guys. I've actually made a complaint direct to Royal Mail via their website.

None of the pull off tabs have been removed from the main orange sticker, and I have quoted the tracking number. As the sticker should be on the board against which the recipient signs, this will be absolute hard proof that the procedure was not correctly adhered to.

Hopefully they will give me some sort of explanation. As sure as eggs are eggs, there is no way they can wriggle out of it.

[Peckris 579]

I had the last coin I received from eBay (Recorded Del) pushed through the letter box, no attempt to ask for a signature. The PO must be changing their rules "unofficially".

[Gary D 76]

I had the last coin I received from eBay (Recorded Del) pushed through the letter box, no attempt to ask for a signature. The PO must be changing their rules "unofficially".

Still better than having the 'you weren't in' card pushed through the door with no attemp to see if anyone's in.

[MikeCoin 0]

God, the number of times that's happened to me. I've spent all day in waiting for the postie to arrive and then the letterbox flaps. I get there just in time to see a 'You weren't in' slip and the van pulling away. Grrr!

Back when I was selling a few vinyl records on eBay I sent one out to Germany where the postie out there saw fit to take the package and fold it tight in half in order to get it through their letterbox...

Thank GOD it wasn't rare!

[scottishmoney 51]

Nice to know the British posties are just as lazy as their American brethren. Must be something with handling mail or something. It causes mind drain.

[1949threepence 3,368]

I think if I bought a really valuable coin for big money over the internet, I'd be inclined to travel to wherever it was, and collect in person. Certainly if the address was in the UK.

[scottishmoney 51]

I think if I bought a really valuable coin for big money over the internet, I'd be inclined to travel to wherever it was, and collect in person. Certainly if the address was in the UK.

Last year I had a coin come over recorded/insured from the UK that was actually a fairly significant purchase that I wished I had just flown over to London to pick up.

[HistoricCoinage 160]

The posties in my area are brilliant. Nearly every day I get at least one "Signed For" package and so they are pretty used to dealing with it all now. Never had one go missing, although did have one go missing for 27 days in late June/early July. Otherwise RM have been pretty spot-on regarding their service.

It's just the strikes and their parcel services which I have a problem with... Not to mention that their maximum compensation limit for sending abroad is only £500 per package.

[Rob 3,228]

I had a problem with the US postal service once. A shipment from Heritage was requested insured, tracked and signed for, but when it went missing according to Heritage it could only be tracked once in the UK. Clearly this was not being tracked at all. Thankfully it returned to the US 7 months later. Of the two coins in the packet, the one with a few known examples could eventually be replaced, but the unique one caused me a bit of a headache, not to mention the need for clean underwear.

[£400 for a Penny ? 0]

Only ever had two problems: One from San Fransisco never turned up and the other, sent by me, was opened in the postal system somewhere and the coin stolen. The packet was delivered to the Isle of Wight with all the stickers and tracking data removed, so it was definitely an inside job. Bit naughty. Oh, and now I mention it, a package from Australia was opened and one coin was missing, but that could have fallen out.

In the last 10 years, I reckon I've sent or received around 1000 items, so 3 problems is pretty good really ?

The stupidest thing I've seen was someone sent me a Krugerrand in one of those A3 flimsy plastic envelopes you get from the PO. Just a Kruger, no packing, nothing. A 3 year old child could have told you what it was - at the time it was worth about £400.

I got it though, no-one opened it.

[scottishmoney 51]

I had one of those stupid sender trick occasions last year when someone sent me a gold Hungarian 100 Korona, a large coin, same way - just a flimsy holder in a lose poly envelope.

[1949threepence 3,368]

This is the reply I received from Royal Mail today:-

Thank you for your email about a Recorded Delivery item that was delivered

without a signature. May I firstly apologise for any inconvenience you have

been caused.

I fully appreciate how important it is that we obtain a signature upon

delivery, as this is the main reason for using our Recorded or Special

Delivery service. In the circumstances, I have reported this to the

delivery office concerned and action will be taken to make sure that the

problem does not happen again.

Thank you for taking the time to let us know about this problem.

I hope that you are satisfied with the action I have taken. If you still

have concerns, please get back in touch quoting our reference number.

Regards

Customer Service Advisor

Please contact at contactus@royalmail.com for future reference.

Royal Mail is a trading name of Royal Mail Group plc. Registered in

England and Wales. Registered number 4138203. Registered office at 148 Old

Street, LONDON EC1V 9HQ.

Well at least they acknowledge a problem

[Mat 2]

Hi, I cannot tell you the amount of times this has happened to me, I keep a very tight record of each event because of the amount of high value coins and notes I receive with constant buying and selling. All of the following is since 7th June 2007:

Recorded delivery:

11 x put in my recycle bin with "sorry we missed you" slip put through door stating the item is in the bin (as it wont fit through the letter box).

2 x they actually removed the red signed for sticker off the package and posted it through my door like it was sent via just 1st class.

8 x just posted through my door with no attempt to get a signature.

1 x on my door step on full view!!

28 x to 41 Warrington Road opposed to my address which is Werrington Road

Special Dlivery:

5 x with the next door neighbour (even though thats wrong of them I dont mind that because I know its safe there)

2 x just posted with no attempt to get a signature

1 x left on the windowsill a round the back of my house, and I didnt spot it for 3 days! Thank god is was a coin and not a note.

4 x to 41 Warrington Road opposed to my address which is Werrington Road

Result:

Luckly I am now friends with 41 Warrington Road as I get loads of his mail as well, and we just phone eachother up each time somthing arrives at the wrong house.

I lost interest in reporting the same thing to Royal Mail through their usual complaint process, so I kept reporting the incident to the depot manager, and the guy that removed the stickers off the package got sacked as a result.

I built up a solid file and managed to report with solid video evidence to postwatch of the postman leaving stuff in my recycle bin, Royal Mail compensated me with £100 and 1 book of 1st class stamps after postwatch recommended they issue the compensation. I never saw that postman again after the complaint was raied with postwatch.

One of the Special Delivery packages left with my neighbout contained a c1 exeter mint half pound and a c1 castle mint crown with a combined value of £12'000, I went to postwatch after the royal mail offered me another book of 1st class stamps, and as a result (and with the already appauling history I have with them) Royal Mail offered me a free PO BOX address for 1 year.

When the PO BOX address expired after last xmas and post was to be delivered to my house again, within a month SD stuff with being left with my neighbour again, I complained and due to the long history of crap, the postman was asked to come to my house and explain his actions, he told me it will never happen again, and it hasnt to date! 6 months problem free.

Off the record when I saw the postman the following week to sign for a package, he explained to me that they have halved his team making them redundant, but effectively doubling the remaining postmens shift, he said his 7 hour shift is now 11-13 hours, and he said not having to go back to the depot after his run to drop off none signed for post etc just makes life so much easier.

My advice is as follows:

Complain to Royal Mail in writing (you have to before going to postwatch)

If the response is not good enough which is never is... DO NOT go back to Royal Mail as you have to wait another 28 days after re-escalating the complaint before you can go to post watch. After the first Royal Mail responce, go straight to postwatch which now has to be done by going through consumer direct on 08454040506.

I have always got a decent result by going through postwatch, they are kind of the ombudsman for postal complaints.

Mat

[1949threepence 3,368]

Just as a matter of interest, Mat, do you know how much a PO Box costs ?

[HistoricCoinage 160]

Just as a matter of interest, Mat, do you know how much a PO Box costs ?

£62.85 for a year. If you want your PO Box mail delivered to your home address it costs £62.90 bringing the total to only £125.75.

See here: http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/jump2?c...ediaId=52100710

Edited September 5, 2009 by HistoricCoinage

[1949threepence 3,368]

Just as a matter of interest, Mat, do you know how much a PO Box costs ?

£62.85 for a year. If you want your PO Box mail delivered to your home address it costs £62.90 bringing the total to only £125.75.

See here: http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/jump2?c...ediaId=52100710

OK, thanks for that, HC

[Mat 2]

High 1949threepence, the PO Box is pretty much the answer if you often have a lot of high value stuff sent to your address because Royal Mail will always let us down I think. I would advise that you choose the option to collect it your self though instead of having it delivered from your PO Box to your home address though, reason for that being you can encounter the very same problems that you are trying to avoid by having the PO Box address which defeats the point of it! The guys that deliver from your po box address to your home are the same regular postmen!

Something else I also found out reciently, Royal Mail never use temporary postmen but with the changes they are making I have discovered they are starting to use temps which always means a lack in precedure.

Mat

[declanwmagee 122]

the Pwincess sent off for some ground pumice powder to make soap with a few months ago. The package arrived damaged with deepest apologies from RM, and the handful of small ziplock bags that would have been about half full with white powder were missing.

I suspect there's a postie out there somewhere with a serious nosebleed...

[Peckris 579]

the Pwincess sent off for some ground pumice powder to make soap with a few months ago. The package arrived damaged with deepest apologies from RM, and the handful of small ziplock bags that would have been about half full with white powder were missing.

I suspect there's a postie out there somewhere with a serious nosebleed...

[1949threepence 3,368]

High 1949threepence, the PO Box is pretty much the answer if you often have a lot of high value stuff sent to your address because Royal Mail will always let us down I think. I would advise that you choose the option to collect it your self though instead of having it delivered from your PO Box to your home address though, reason for that being you can encounter the very same problems that you are trying to avoid by having the PO Box address which defeats the point of it! The guys that deliver from your po box address to your home are the same regular postmen!

Something else I also found out reciently, Royal Mail never use temporary postmen but with the changes they are making I have discovered they are starting to use temps which always means a lack in precedure.

Mat

Thanks Mat ~ yes, it's the first thing I thought of when I read Historic Coinage's reply. I like the idea of picking the items up personally from the sorting office. At least that way there shouldn't be any problems (he said, somewhat optimistically, but with slight reservations)

the Pwincess sent off for some ground pumice powder to make soap with a few months ago. The package arrived damaged with deepest apologies from RM, and the handful of small ziplock bags that would have been about half full with white powder were missing.

I suspect there's a postie out there somewhere with a serious nosebleed...

Declan, I knew I'd seen your name somewhere as soon as I saw it I've had stuff off you in the past, and was always impressed by your courtesy, attention to detail, very pleasant feedback and the sprig of lavender with the coin.

Good to see you here