Question for Posties

Marc

Marc

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On a number of occasions, we've received someone else's post. We've made the sorting office aware each time but it still keeps happening and we're concerned that our post may be misdirected as well.

We've now raised an official complaint with Royal Mail but are curious as to how it happens. It would seem that it's an issue with someone at the sorting office not sorting the post properly before it goes out for delivery but who would that be? Is it done the the postie themselves and, whilst out o their round, are they expected to check the post before they put it through the letterbox?

One for @Gremlin perhaps if she's around?
 
Our 2 usual postmen are great, if they see us heading up the road and have something that needs a signature or is too big for the letter box, they'll flag us down and give it to us to save both parties hassle. When they're on holiday and we get a replacement, it seems to be a semi dyslexic innumerate slackjaw who misdelivers the area's mail.
 
its happening more and more frequently to us to . something at the back of my brain says whoever is sorting the mail these days english isn't there first language .(can of worms )
 
Your question was for posties and I'm not one but a customer that had a similar issue. If you are just getting the post of a neighbour, a few doors away it's most likely the postman. That's what happened to us and others in our street. Our long term postman changed and the new one was rubbish. We had days of post all one or two doors out along the street or simply getting neighbours post and they getting ours. It was sometimes a few letters of our own with next doors stuck on the top or the bottom. Carelessness or stupidity. I saw my old postman who told me ' yes, he's a nightmare, wherever he's been it's the same!' What use is that! The other issue was post left sticking out of postboxes or all crumpled up. Basically someone in the street complained on behalf of several of us. A proper complaint via the phone number on the RM website. The postie seemed better after a week or two but then it just got the same. A month or so later another complaint quoting the reference of the earlier one and within days the postman had gone. Never seen him since. The current postie is ok, but nothing like the service of the original. He used to look after my recorded's and specials, even dropped them off at my parents or on the way home! If your post is for streets away, it's likely the person sorting bundles at the sorting office.
 
If the address is correct and it is still being put through the wrong door then it is clearly down to the local postie, not the sorters who have made sure it arrived at the correct delivery office.
Either the local postie is lazy, stupid, can't read etc etc take your pick.
I can understand if address is correct but meant for elsewhere then it's hardly fault of the postie. I get lots of mail clearly addressed for a address 2 streets away, that is simply careless. I usually put "delivered to wrong address" in very large writing on the envelope and put it back in a pillar box, that way postie and recipient know what happened to it.
 
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The majority of the standard letter sized mail is machine sorted, but the machine can and sometimes does get it wrong if the wrong info has been entered incorrectly. The Postie will also sort the mail into the delivery frame once received.
It's most likely a mistake made by the Postie out on delivery, it's a mistake that shouldn't happen, but sometimes it does and I've done it myself. All it takes is a lapse in concentration, being in a rush doesn't help either.

I'd say that if at all possible, have a word with the Postie first. If that fails, contact the delivery office and they'll have a word.

Sometimes I wish that the house numbers or names were also on the letterbox, that's the last thing you look at before putting the mail through. ;)

I hope you get the problem sorted out. (y)
 
Too many temps being employed and crappie line managers putting pressure on posties; that's yer problem. Some routes can have a different postie every week and their mail 'sorted' and racked by someone else. If a letter or two goes in the wrong slot, between correct items of mail, it can easily be missed by someone who is either rushing, or doesn't give a toss.

Just complain to the office and they'll 'sort' it ... for a while.
 
fabs said:
One for @Gremlin perhaps if she's around?
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Ok Marc, if you raised an official complaint via the online desk, it should go to the local line manager at the sorting office who should have a word with the guilty party (y)

How it works its we arrive at the sorting office and have some mail pre-sorted into round order in trays ready to be thrown into sorting frames, not always correct, I've had some for all over the UK and foreign parts, sometimes it goes into the machine the wrong way and coming back to the sender, more often there is no reason for it.
BTW I would say it less the a quarter of mail that comes to us this way, the rest has to be hand sorted into the various rounds
Each postie normally sorts their own round, the exception being part timers who come in later have the mail prepared for them so they just have to
load up and go out on delivery
The person sorting the mail should be checking it as they throw it into the frames and mistakes should be picked up then, but we all miss things :(
Once out on delivery, yes it should be rechecked before going through the door.
 
Thanks for the replies folks. Just to clarify that the only similarity in the addresses is the house number although they are on the same round.

We also used to have a brilliant postman but he retired about 5 years ago. Don't think I've seen the same on twice since then.

Gremlin said:
Ok Marc, if you raised an official complaint via the online desk, it should go to the local line manager at the sorting office who should have a word with the guilty party (y)

How it works its we arrive at the sorting office and have some mail pre-sorted into round order in trays ready to be thrown into sorting frames, not always correct, I've had some for all over the UK and foreign parts, sometimes it goes into the machine the wrong way and coming back to the sender, more often there is no reason for it.
BTW I would say it less the a quarter of mail that comes to us this way, the rest has to be hand sorted into the various rounds
Each postie normally sorts their own round, the exception being part timers who come in later have the mail prepared for them so they just have to
load up and go out on delivery
The person sorting the mail should be checking it as they throw it into the frames and mistakes should be picked up then, but we all miss things :(
Once out on delivery, yes it should be rechecked before going through the door.
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Thanks for that Ingrid. Sue has indeed raised an online complaint so we'll see if that resolves the issue.

Oe of yesterday's letters was addressed to "The Parents of.....". I'm now really curious as to what he's done! :D
 
fabs said:
Thanks for that Ingrid. Sue has indeed raised an online complaint so we'll see if that resolves the issue.

Oe of yesterday's letters was addressed to "The Parents of.....". I'm now really curious as to what he's done! :D
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Could just be from a doctor about jabs or a school advising of something that is happening.
My girls both got Gold Awards one year and the letters came addressed to the parent/guardian
schools etc seem to do that ;) Mind you I had fun just showing the letterheads and winding the kids up:LOL:
 
There is a good point made earlier about making sure your house is clearly numbered. I have a job visiting people and it's very frustrating not being able to see house numbers, particularly on dark nights perhaps with cars stuck behind you. Or the people on a long road that decide to call their house 'The Retreat' or whatever and have a name plaque on the house hidden down a driveway. You might think it's not important but if you ever need the emergency services...
 
fabs said:
On a number of occasions, we've received someone else's post. We've made the sorting office aware each time but it still keeps happening and we're concerned that our post may be misdirected as well.

We've now raised an official complaint with Royal Mail but are curious as to how it happens. It would seem that it's an issue with someone at the sorting office not sorting the post properly before it goes out for delivery but who would that be? Is it done the the postie themselves and, whilst out o their round, are they expected to check the post before they put it through the letterbox?

One for @Gremlin perhaps if she's around?
Click to expand...

When you said you received someone else's post: Do you meant wrong name but right address? Or do you meant the address is wrong, like for example, wrong house number?

When you said "concerned that our post may be misdirected as well", do this imply that you just moved into the address where you live, and have informed the Royal Mail to that you want any post to your old address to be redirected to your new address, but they misdirect it to somewhere else?

I would have to wait for your answer, but well, if I am wrong, then others may still find it useful to know...

In theory, the last person living at your address could have moved out, but did not opt for informing Royal Mail to redirect the post. Maybe too lazy, maybe prefer to let people know of updated address, and expected them to now use the new address, or worst case, passed away, and still get post because the senders are not aware of that.

A company could be still sending mail addressed to the last person who used to live at the address you now live in. You could write "NOT AT THIS ADDRESS" on it, and return it to Royal Mail, who will then try to return the post back to sender. Normally if sender were to read the "NOT AT THIS ADDRESS" on it, they should remove the name and address from their mailing list, records, address book, etc. But if company did not do that, and still send post to your house, even if addressed to the last person who used to live there, it is not Royal Mail's problem, they're just forwarding the mail. It is not the postman's problem, he have to post the letter to the house, regardless of who lives in there. It is the company's fault for not reading the "NOT AT THIS ADDRESS" unopened mail sent back to sender. (It actually is happening to me after 12 years!!)

But actually, this happens when one company is too lazy to sort it out. If it was from a number of different companies, most of them would have stopped anyway, as soon as each of them gets the unopened letters back.

Are you getting the same someone else's post from the same sender?

But if post shows the wrong address: Say for example you live in 123 Somewhere Street, but the letter is shown addressed to 125 Somewhere Street, then it is the postman, he is the one not reading the address and checking to ensure he post in the correct letterbox.
 
Major Eazy said:
When you said you received someone else's post: Do you meant wrong name but right address? Or do you meant the address is wrong, like for example, wrong house number?
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The house number is ours but the street is about half a mile away.

Major Eazy said:
When you said "concerned that our post may be misdirected as well", do this imply that you just moved into the address where you live, and have informed the Royal Mail to that you want any post to your old address to be redirected to your new address, but they misdirect it to somewhere else?
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No, we've lived here for 15 years. We were just a little concerned that, as we were getting someone else's post, maybe some of ours was going somewhere else as well.
 
nickEnackEnoo said:
Too many temps being employed and crappie line managers putting pressure on posties; that's yer problem. Some routes can have a different postie every week and their mail 'sorted' and racked by someone else. If a letter or two goes in the wrong slot, between correct items of mail, it can easily be missed by someone who is either rushing, or doesn't give a toss.

Just complain to the office and they'll 'sort' it ... for a while.
Click to expand...
This!
 
fabs said:
Yes, but how would you know if you're not expecting anything specific?
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I think his point is, if you're repeatedly not receiving mail that is regular or otherwise expected, something's rotten in the state of Denmark. :-)
 
fabs said:
Oe of yesterday's letters was addressed to "The Parents of.....". I'm now really curious as to what he's done! :D
Click to expand...
Don't be shy, ............ steam it open :D
Or open it reseal it with an apology, that you didn't look at the name, as you thought it was yours or one of your "kids" :D
 
viv1969 said:
I think his point is, if you're repeatedly not receiving mail that is regular or otherwise expected, something's rotten in the state of Denmark. :)
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I know but he was saying that, if I wasn't missing any post, I shouldn't worry about it. My point is, how do I know if I'm missing any post or not? How do I know if something containing my personal details has gone to someone else?
 
fabs said:
I know but he was saying that, if I wasn't missing any post, I shouldn't worry about it. My point is, how do I know if I'm missing any post or not? How do I know if something containing my personal details has gone to someone else?
Click to expand...

I think perhaps you may be overthinking it a little. :lol:
 
The postie on one occasion delievered me a letter addressed to:

a person I didn't know,
on a different street,
in a different town,
in a different county,
with completely different postcode

The house name (no numbers on my street) was the same though, so, erm, obviously it was intened for me :confused:
 
Our post sometimes gets mixed between near neighbours......the one I found most annoying was where the mum of the family brought our post and included a bank statement not in an envelope. She said her young son is allowed to open the post and put the envelopes in the recycling and he got to "it" before she could check what was what! I was peeved to say the least :(
 
fabs said:
The house number is ours but the street is about half a mile away.



No, we've lived here for 15 years. We were just a little concerned that, as we were getting someone else's post, maybe some of ours was going somewhere else as well.
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If house number is correct but the street, is as you say, half a mile away, seems somewhat odd that the postman can read house number but not a street name! What is he? A robot who can only read stuff like 100100101010111100101010001...?? :-)

Is the postcode on the incoming mail the same postcode you use for your house?

If the postcode is your own postcode, even if street name is wrong, most likely case would be the sender is using the wrong postcode, and Royal Mail sorts it out by postcode, so they delivered to you according to house number and postcode, rather than house number and street name. However that would still be no excuse for postman who would have noticed the street address is wrong, but the main fault is with the sender.

If postcode is wrong for your street, then it is the sorting office, but again, still no excuse for the postman who should have noticed the address is wrong.

I would say in order of who should be sorting out the mess is...

1. The sender (if using wrong postcode)
2. The sorting office (they're the ones who sort everything out, that's why they're called sorting office. I believe they put a group of mail into bags, and give bags to postmen.
3. The postman (he may be given the letter by the sorting office and ordered to post it in a house, but he could still have helped to correct the mistake, unless he is too lazy to report to the sorting office)

Could that explain what you meant by "We've made the sorting office aware each time but it still keeps happening", the sorting office is aware, but they still sort out someone else's post according to your postcode? Unless the sender correct the postcode now, the sorting office will still sort it by postcode which happens to be your postcode?

By the way, I don't think that just because someone else's post is misdirected towards you, do not meant to imply your own post is misdirected to them, unless you know you are actually missing some post you were expecting?
 
fabs said:
I know but he was saying that, if I wasn't missing any post, I shouldn't worry about it. My point is, how do I know if I'm missing any post or not? How do I know if something containing my personal details has gone to someone else?
Click to expand...


Send a test letter to yourself. Just write your own name and address on envelope, stamp it, drive maybe 30 or 40 miles away to another city, post it there.

For example: If you live in Liverpool, then go to Manchester and post it there. Or if you live in Cardiff, then post it from Newport (or Swansea). If you live in B'ham, then post from Wolves. You get the idea?

So that few days later, you get your own post which you posted yourself, then you know you are getting it.

If you find that you are not getting it, then you'll know.
 
Major Eazy said:
If house number is correct but the street, is as you say, half a mile away, seems somewhat odd that the postman can read house number but not a street name! What is he? A robot who can only read stuff like 100100101010111100101010001...?? :)

Is the postcode on the incoming mail the same postcode you use for your house?

If the postcode is your own postcode, even if street name is wrong, most likely case would be the sender is using the wrong postcode, and Royal Mail sorts it out by postcode, so they delivered to you according to house number and postcode, rather than house number and street name. However that would still be no excuse for postman who would have noticed the street address is wrong, but the main fault is with the sender.

If postcode is wrong for your street, then it is the sorting office, but again, still no excuse for the postman who should have noticed the address is wrong.

I would say in order of who should be sorting out the mess is...

1. The sender (if using wrong postcode)
2. The sorting office (they're the ones who sort everything out, that's why they're called sorting office. I believe they put a group of mail into bags, and give bags to postmen.
3. The postman (he may be given the letter by the sorting office and ordered to post it in a house, but he could still have helped to correct the mistake, unless he is too lazy to report to the sorting office)

Could that explain what you meant by "We've made the sorting office aware each time but it still keeps happening", the sorting office is aware, but they still sort out someone else's post according to your postcode? Unless the sender correct the postcode now, the sorting office will still sort it by postcode which happens to be your postcode?

By the way, I don't think that just because someone else's post is misdirected towards you, do not meant to imply your own post is misdirected to them, unless you know you are actually missing some post you were expecting?
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It's a different postcode to ours. It's the 3rd time we've received post for the other address so it seems odd that it's happened more than once.

I'm not saying our own post IS being misdirected, just that, if it's happening at the sorting stage, it's a possibility that ours maybe being placed where theirs should be. That said, there was post addressed to me ink the same delivery so that would seem unlikely.

Major Eazy said:
Send a test letter to yourself. Just write your own name and address on envelope, stamp it, drive maybe 30 or 40 miles away to another city, post it there.

For example: If you live in Liverpool, then go to Manchester and post it there. Or if you live in Cardiff, then post it from Newport (or Swansea). If you live in B'ham, then post from Wolves. You get the idea?

So that few days later, you get your own post which you posted yourself, then you know you are getting it.

If you find that you are not getting it, then you'll know.
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As I said, it's only happened a few times so it would probably arrive anyway.
 
If it's any consolation, in my experience most people are honest and will either put the post back in the box or hand it back/leave it out for the postie.
Some write on it, some don't.
After a couple of days off I had a couple of things given back. Round here it's house names, common ones on different rounds. Regulars keep an eye
out, the reliefs don't always spot missorted mail. Having said that, a couple of weeks ago l went 2 mikes off my riund to deliver a tracked l didn't spot till l
got to the house, had to explain to the boss why l was off route as some vans are tracked !
 
fabs said:
It's a different postcode to ours. It's the 3rd time we've received post for the other address so it seems odd that it's happened more than once.

I'm not saying our own post IS being misdirected, just that, if it's happening at the sorting stage, it's a possibility that ours maybe being placed where theirs should be. That said, there was post addressed to me ink the same delivery so that would seem unlikely.



As I said, it's only happened a few times so it would probably arrive anyway.
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Different postcode?! omg! I can understand if it's a letter sent to your house with right number, wrong street name, but right postcode (in that case your own postcode), but jeez, no way a letter with a different postcode could be assigned to a postman who's expected to post in an area that do not even have that postcode.

While I still think that the postman could have spotted the mistake, and think "What are the sorting office guys doing? Smoking pot?!" and take it back, rather than post it at your home, so if it still gets posted into your letterbox, either the postman failed to spot the mistake or he is too lazy to take it back, the main fault still is the sorting office.

Well, I think it's time to stop dealing with Royal Mail, they had their chances to sort it out and blew it all. You would be better off having to go over their heads and contact Ofcom (Office of Communications) www.ofcom.org.uk and let them know what is happening.

Like you said "We've made the sorting office aware each time but it still keeps happening", but tough luck for them if they blew their chances, let Ofcom investigate the matter.
 
Major Eazy said:
Different postcode?! omg! I can understand if it's a letter sent to your house with right number, wrong street name, but right postcode (in that case your own postcode), but jeez, no way a letter with a different postcode could be assigned to a postman who's expected to post in an area that do not even have that postcode.
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Again, as said above, the postcode is only a short distance away and is on the same round so we can only assume that it was put in the wrong order in the postie's bag. Just seems strange that it has happened at least 3 times.
 
fabs said:
Again, as said above, the postcode is only a short distance away and is on the same round so we can only assume that it was put in the wrong order in the postie's bag. Just seems strange that it has happened at least 3 times.
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Well, 3 times is a bit too much.

A good company would get a compliment from a customer about some problem, then they would apologise with a promise it would never happen again.
 
Jeez I'm glad @Major Eazy doesn't live in my area, reporting to Ofcom is a bit harsh,
oh and BTW delivery offices don't sort the mail into districts, that is done at mail centres who deal with large area,
quite amazing when you think this is done overnight and I have been told we are now accepting parcels for next day
delivery from some companies up to 23.30 on a trial basis.

@fabs what happens in our office with repeat offences is that a big unmissable card is put in the sorting frame stating that all mail for your addrees
is to be checked by a supervisor/manager before they bundle for delivery, hopefully this should stop it happening, but that of course depends on
the person obeying the instruction.
I had a problem with an address on my previous round with this happening, card put in, I did as instructed, then 2 weeks running on my day off they
got the wrong post, also happened when I was on hols :banghead:
 
A few years ago, we paid for our post to be held while we were on holiday. The day after we got home (to a small pile of other people's mail on the mat), our held mail arrived with half a dozen pieces of post for other addresses among it. Not impressed! Complained to the PO about it and they offered a book of stamps as compensation so we went up to the next level and ended up with a full refund and a bit more. Now we don't have a glass panel at the bottom of the front door, we just let the post pile up behind it!
 
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