Rant about Royal Mail

H

hglossop

Suspended / Banned
Messages
105
Name
Harley
Edit My Images
Yes
Was meant to have a new lens delivered today, and although being at home had the missed delivery card in the letterbox saying to wait 48 hours before having to do the 3mile round trip walk to pick it up myself! To make it worse I have to do this before it closes at 12 - hard to do with mornings full of lectures.

Wouldn't be so annoyed had I not been home to sign for it, but failing that we do have a reception (uni halls) who they usually get to sign for any items.

not very impressed with this postman!

edit: hopefully re-organising delivery for monday with a sign on the letterbox stating to leave with reception will give them the idea - as then i probably won't be home
 
Last edited:
I've had cards that say "wait 48 hours" through my letterbox before.....best thing to do is ring the post office where it's waiting for you, moan like hell, and go collect it asap.....:thumbs:
 
Did you not hear the card being put through ?
You could have gone out and stopped the postie.
I've lost count of the times I rang a doorbrell, stood on the step and written out a card walked away only to have someone shout after me.
When asked they say the bell doesn't work :shrug:
So you then ring the bell and knock only to get moaned at for that that too, so what are we supposed to do.
If your door bell doesn't work at least put a note on it, seems just because it can't be heard from outside doesn't mean it isn't working :suspect: and it seems knocking the door annoys customers
 
Since the Royal Fail had lost the third item (two eBay-type parcels and a letter containing a bank statement) out of the four I've sent in the post in the past month, it really seriously needs to get it's act together.
This is one service that the government need to step in and privatise. Not sure what difference it'll make or it'll actually do it any good, but it's obviously struggling as it is.
 
Ian D J said:
Since the Royal Fail had lost the third item (two eBay-type parcels and a letter containing a bank statement) out of the four I've sent in the post in the past month, it really seriously needs to get it's act together.
This is one service that the government need to step in and privatise. Not sure what difference it'll make or it'll actually do it any good, but it's obviously struggling as it is.
Click to expand...

If you think the service now is bad (which I don't actually think it is) then how do you think a private, profit making company would be any better? They'd have to slash the numbers of workers and increase the cost of postage just to make ends meet.

The service certainly is struggling - and has been for more than a decade - but what it needs is a regulator that doesn't tie its hands at every turn and prevent it from charging a realistic fee for delivering post. If the cost of a 1st class stamp was raised to just 50p then it would start to make a profit and we - the tax payer - would start to see a return on our investment.

Privatisation of the other utilities over the past 30 years has hardly been a success has it? Are there any of those companies still owned by UK plc? Are there any that have even managed to maintain (let alone improve) their services despite price increases way above inflation year on year?

I'm not a socialist (mods: please note the small "s" so this is a philosophical rather than political statement) and don't believe in nationalisation just for the sake of it but there used to be (in pre-Thatcher days) industries that were considered strategic to the survival and prosperity of this country - power generation, steel and aluminium production, water and sewage, communications, railways and mining. Every one has since been sold off and/or closed down and most are now in the hands of foreign owners and the cost of using their services has rocketted.

Gets off soap box hoping no-one will notice :)
 
Bristolian said:
If you think the service now is bad (which I don't actually think it is) then how do you think a private, profit making company would be any better? They'd have to slash the numbers of workers and increase the cost of postage just to make ends meet.

The service certainly is struggling - and has been for more than a decade - but what it needs is a regulator that doesn't tie its hands at every turn and prevent it from charging a realistic fee for delivering post. If the cost of a 1st class stamp was raised to just 50p then it would start to make a profit and we - the tax payer - would start to see a return on our investment.

Privatisation of the other utilities over the past 30 years has hardly been a success has it? Are there any of those companies still owned by UK plc? Are there any that have even managed to maintain (let alone improve) their services despite price increases way above inflation year on year?

I'm not a socialist (mods: please note the small "s" so this is a philosophical rather than political statement) and don't believe in nationalisation just for the sake of it but there used to be (in pre-Thatcher days) industries that were considered strategic to the survival and prosperity of this country - power generation, steel and aluminium production, water and sewage, communications, railways and mining. Every one has since been sold off and/or closed down and most are now in the hands of foreign owners and the cost of using their services has rocketted.

Gets off soap box hoping no-one will notice :)
Click to expand...

:D That's quite alright. I'd happily pay a £1 for a standrad first class if I want to post a letter, provided it'll get there and on time 100% guaranteed.
But after the third mail out of four had got lost in the past month - that worked out as a 25% success rate . . . well, hence my little rant. Yet all three items were sent off recorded delivery and I know the address has been written out correctly as my OCD sees to that before posting.
Something needs to be done, because as it stands it seems to be getting worse. I want to be proud of the Royal Mail and feel like I could rely on it . . . but that isn't the feeling I'm getting.

Anyway, I'll get off my soap box too. :)
 
Last edited:
Being in a student flat on the third floor i just have a letterbox by the building entrance so won't hear him posting the card. Buzzer works fine (and the intercom), but failing that it is a 2 second walk into reception where there is someone happy to sign for it. (this usually happens, its just extra hassle when you get someone who doesn't bother and just hops back in his van).

If it isn't in reception on monday (will put a sign up to say, i have lectures all week so almost certainly won't be in). I'll definately moan like hell at the delivery office before.

and whats with the opening times!? surely if it's only going to be open for half the day it would be better in the afternoon/evening to give people the change to collect during a lunch break or just after work/uni
 
I bought a lens from a member on here and it went missing so I was given a refund.
Ordered a lens hood a few days ago and as it was too big for the letterbox I had to go and collect it. The guy didn't even look at the card properly but I assume he saw something at a glance on it so grabbed a package from a shelf and handed it to me.
Just before I left I asked if, on the offchance, there was anything else there for me.
Off he went and came back after a minute or two with a small package.
Looked at what he'd already given me and had the sudden realisation that the second one was probably the hood I'd been carded for and that the first was the missing lens!
No failed delivery card issued for it and it had been there almost 2 weeks! :bang:
Good result in the end but all the resulting private messaging and Chuckle Brothers (to me, to you....) style bank transfers would have been avoided if the postie could have been bothered to fill out a card. :razz:
 
I've never had a problem with Royal Mail. Delivery times are a little inconsistent, but as a 26 year old, I find it incredibly difficult to remember post being delivered before I left the house in the morning anyway. It's always here for when I return (and always delivered before noon if I stay in).

If I have a missed delivery that was too large, or required signing for then I collect at my local office (Eccles, Manchester).. staff are always friendly, always check ID and always give me my parcel.

My parents on the other hand often have birthday cards delivered opened, amongst the odd missing letter etc.

Surely in an operation of this size, it can be expected that there will be a few bad apples dotted around. The point should be not that it happens, but how quickly and efficiently it is corrected when complaints are made.

Royal Mail is one of few remaining icons of Britain, and it would be a very sad day indeed if it were privatised. A service that costs a flat fee to deliver a letter to ANY address within the UK, is something to be proud of. Privatisation would only lead to a sliding scale of costs, and perhaps even cutbacks as to destinations delivered.

Top Gear v Royal Mail :)
 
I can fully understand that with the amount of post delivered things will go wrong from time to time - completely agree that it shouldn't be privatised. Everything i order always seems to be from the other end of the country, would cost a fortune in shipping! (Evening though i recently swapped ends!).

Just a shame when sometimes the lack of 5 seconds more time from the posty causes hassle and delays (or even added cost of redelivery, for royal mail)
 
hglossop said:
I can fully understand that with the amount of post delivered things will go wrong from time to time - completely agree that it shouldn't be privatised. Everything i order always seems to be from the other end of the country, would cost a fortune in shipping! (Evening though i recently swapped ends!).

Just a shame when sometimes the lack of 5 seconds more time from the posty causes hassle and delays (or even added cost of redelivery, for royal mail)
Click to expand...

Is your postie a regular one? Have you spoken to him? Have you spoken to the local sorting office? Have you popped a sign above the letter box when you're expecting a delivery? (Sorry, you are doing!) I love it when people make my job that bit easier.. and I'm always happy to help out others where I can!

I got collared by my parents postie once, he just asked if he could leave any oversized items in the back garden if they didn't require signing for and it wasn't raining.. saves everyone hassle. I'm sure they do try their best on the whole.. aside those bad apples!! :)
 
Last edited:
Oh be careful if you're gonna moan about the royal mail, they have gone on strike for less
 
archamedes said:
Oh be careful if you're gonna moan about the royal mail, they have gone on strike for less
Click to expand...

I resent that comment, in 20 years I have never once gone on strike, in fact left the union now, but in out office strikes are supported by less the 10% sometimes more if it#s a nice day :)

Was you parcel recorded of next day special, if the latter then we are not supposed to deliver other then to the address on the front, so a desk round the corner wouldn't be an option
 
Last edited:
I have had an excellent relationship with my two regular postmen for the last 10 years. Not aware of anything going astray. However, following a recent "reorganisation" the postman seems to be different every day and things for me are now regularly put through my two next door neighbours doors. Also even when I am in, car in drive etc, they still put cards through the door saying that packages have been returned to the sorting office which then involves a 4 mile round trip, parking charges, a long queue and messing about with proof of ID. The service really has gone to the dogs!
 
Yeah back when you would have the same postman all the time service would be much better - my mum would even leave some chocolates out for him at christmas. These days its always changing and they're just trying to get through everything as quickly as possible, which is why mistakes happen or parcels don't get delivered when they should have been.

It was just recorded first class.
 
hglossop said:
and whats with the opening times!? surely if it's only going to be open for half the day it would be better in the afternoon/evening to give people the change to collect during a lunch break or just after work/uni
Click to expand...

The delivery office is open during working hours - their working hours. If you want the DO open in the afternoon/evenings then be prepared for the postie to deliver to you during those times too. Then you'll be able to complain they rang your bell at midnight. Why not go down there before you go to lectures?
 
Ive stopped the parcel chap when he has been putting a card through the door suggesting i wasnt home. He didnt even knock because he never had the item on his van. That cheeses me right off.
 
So i organised redelivery for today - put up a sign on the letterbox asking to get reception to sign for the package if no-one was home, and have just come home to find the card saying to collect from my local delivery office with a rather grumpy "2nd attempt!" scribbled on the card and with the 2nd double underlined.

I've had packages that need signing given to reception, so why this postman can't just do the same even when asked to do so I don't know.

Suppose it's time for a long walk to the delivery office later this week, hope it doesn't rain
 
Bristolian said:
Privatisation of the other utilities over the past 30 years has hardly been a success has it?
Click to expand...

Do you remember six week waiting lists to get a phone line installed by the GPO in the late 1970s?

Yes, they had some clever people and were at the forefront of digital technology with the introduction of the System X etc in the early 1980s, but for the customer that wanted a phone service, state ownership was absolutely not the best.
 
Gremlin said:
Was you parcel recorded of next day special, if the latter then we are not supposed to deliver other then to the address on the front, so a desk round the corner wouldn't be an option
Click to expand...

:plusone: As far as I am aware most sorting/delivery offices have an Annexe which stays open till around 6pm and gone. Maths was never my strong point but walking a 3 mile trip if you were reasonbly fit would take about 30min each way. Hardly time consuming, take your camera with you and go pick up lens. Attach said lens on camera, walk back and click away :) And being a lecturer I guess you dont exactly put a full day in at Uni anyway :D So you should have loads of time on your hands :thumbs:
 
hglossop said:
Suppose it's time for a long walk to the delivery office later this week, hope it doesn't rain
Click to expand...

Watch out for the 'We take abuse of our staff very seriously' signs! :D
 
u8myufo said:
:plusone: As far as I am aware most sorting/delivery offices have an Annexe which stays open till around 6pm and gone. Maths was never my strong point but walking a 3 mile trip if you were reasonbly fit would take about 30min each way. Hardly time consuming, take your camera with you and go pick up lens. Attach said lens on camera, walk back and click away :) And being a lecturer I guess you dont exactly put a full day in at Uni anyway :D So you should have loads of time on your hands :thumbs:
Click to expand...

Ours shuts everyday except Wednesday's at 2pm, on Wednesday it's open to 7pm. The queues now are ridiculous and the staff are always moaning about the amount of people they now have to deal with, also the space is not sufficient for the amount of mail having to be stored until collection so they are taking longer to find your item when you do get there.

This has come about as they have merged every 3 postal rounds within the city into 2 postal rounds so the unfortunate ones who had their rounds split now don't get their mail until late afternoon.
 
Unfortunately the card says it closes at 12 and all my lectures are mornings - oh well will just have to wait until friday when i only have the 1 lecture
 
hglossop said:
Unfortunately the card says it closes at 12 and all my lectures are mornings - oh well will just have to wait until friday when i only have the 1 lecture
Click to expand...

What time does the card say the office opens? Maybe you'll have time to go there before going to lectures?
 
hglossop said:
I've had packages that need signing given to reception, so why this postman can't just do the same even when asked to do so I don't know.
Click to expand...

Because he/she is following correct delivery procedures. Unlike any of the other so-called mail delivery companies, the Postie is legally responsible for ensuring your package gets to you. If some numpty at reception signs for it and then loses/steals it then it's the good old Postie that (potentially) gets sacked and six months in prison ... not the receptionist.

Oh, and before anyone says that wouldn't happen I can testify that it does and has happened. I know because I have investigated and then testified in such cases.
 
I have given up with the posties now. I have now been in four times when there has been a card put through the door (without knocking / ringing). The last 3 times I have actually gone out but the postie hasn't actually got the parcel with him despite the card saying that they have tried to deliver :shrug:

They arent actually trying to deliver most parcels anymore near me but put cards through on the presumption that most people are out at work. We are actually picking things up in our own time. Usually on a Saturday morning (open 7.30am - 11.00am there are long lines of people picking up parcels that other people have paid to have delivered. There is a lot of anger about it.

Not related but last week I had a card put through my door from the window cleaner saying windows done. I was actually in and there was no f%$%*ng attempt to clean the windows. They were pretty embarrased when I went out to have a chat. Lost the work by being lazy barstewards. Wonder how many times that has happened before I caught them out.

The world is turning to ..........................:bang:

Mini rant over

Chris :)
 
Bristolian said:
Because he/she is following correct delivery procedures. Unlike any of the other so-called mail delivery companies, the Postie is legally responsible for ensuring your package gets to you. If some numpty at reception signs for it and then loses/steals it then it's the good old Postie that (potentially) gets sacked and six months in prison ... not the receptionist.

Oh, and before anyone says that wouldn't happen I can testify that it does and has happened. I know because I have investigated and then testified in such cases.
Click to expand...

Ah ok, I had just assumed that because I had a parcel force delivery goto reception last week (actually said hi to him on the way into reception, missed him by that much) who are part of royal mail that royal mail would also follow the same. Does anywhere say that this is their policy? If i had known that was the case then never would have gotten annoyed by it in the first place.

Shame you can't call them up to give permission to delivery to reception or something - but i suppose it would have to be the sender doing that if that were allowed to be done.
 
hglossop said:
Ah ok, I had just assumed that because I had a parcel force delivery goto reception last week (actually said hi to him on the way into reception, missed him by that much) who are part of royal mail that royal mail would also follow the same. Does anywhere say that this is their policy? If i had known that was the case then never would have gotten annoyed by it in the first place.

Shame you can't call them up to give permission to delivery to reception or something - but i suppose it would have to be the sender doing that if that were allowed to be done.
Click to expand...

The new regulator has agreed that they can trial delivering to a neighbour, trials are now being carried out in a few places. I assume that you would be able to nominate reception if they ever introduce it everywhere.

Regarding complaints, you can moan at the collection office but it is better to do so via their website as a record is then kept. Whenever my regular postman was away my mail just got dumped in my unlocked porch, a few complaints later and now it all gets put through the letter box.

The new regulator seems to be listening more to Royal Mail than the old one did so, hopefully, there may be some changes for the better coming. Partial privatisation is coming though, as long as they can get rid of the pension scheme to the Government.
 
I would say on the whole they do a good job, much like any other industry or service one or two bad apples can spoil the reputation. We have posted out thousands of camera bean bags over the past 5 years and I reckon you can count the losses on 1 hand.
We have had a recent bad experience having a signed for item left at the wrong adress on the same street and my signature forged, but again that is down to a individual that doesn't care less, not a whole organisation.
I hope it doesn't get privatised because we will all pay more for postage and more for anything we buy mail order.

Dean
 
hglossop said:
Ah ok, I had just assumed that because I had a parcel force delivery goto reception last week (actually said hi to him on the way into reception, missed him by that much) who are part of royal mail that royal mail would also follow the same. Does anywhere say that this is their policy? If i had known that was the case then never would have gotten annoyed by it in the first place.

Shame you can't call them up to give permission to delivery to reception or something - but i suppose it would have to be the sender doing that if that were allowed to be done.
Click to expand...

PFWW and RM have the same set of rules as far as delivery responsibilities go. Most posties (and PFWW drivers) will try to deliver to to what they consider to be a "responsible" person and take the risk that it doesn't go missing ... but it is their necks on the line.

RM Group (which includes PFWW) Standard Operating Procedures (which are not available to the public) are very clear on this matter. Not only can the delivery person face instant dismissal but they commit a criminal offence which is why some (most?) won't take the risk. As we all know, however, there are some (most?) that simply a) don't care about the customer's parcel/letter or b) aren't sufficiently aware of the consequences of their actions and throw items over walls, or leave them in stupid places. Eventually those people will make a poor judgement and end up unemployed and/or facing prosecution.

The contract for delivery is deemed to be between RMG and the sender (even if the recipient has paid for the delivery) and there is provision for the sender to give permission for delivery to another destination, like a business reception, university mail room, etc.
 
Bristolian said:
Because he/she is following correct delivery procedures. Unlike any of the other so-called mail delivery companies, the Postie is legally responsible for ensuring your package gets to you. If some numpty at reception signs for it and then loses/steals it then it's the good old Postie that (potentially) gets sacked and six months in prison ... not the receptionist.

Oh, and before anyone says that wouldn't happen I can testify that it does and has happened. I know because I have investigated and then testified in such cases.
Click to expand...

That'll be why i recently found a £200 lens sent rmsd left on my step in the rain with a note scrawled on it saying 'signed for by postman' :shrug:

lucky i live in a lawabiding area so it didnt get nicked , and that the interior packaging was waterproof - but its hardly acceptable customer service
 
I prefer Royal Mail over a courier every time, in fact I actively look for online stores that ship by Royal Mail and would very rarely use one that I know uses CityLink / HDNL etc. RMSD is particularly excellent and worth every penny, especially as they even deliver on Saturdays.

The main reason is if I miss a parcel (which is 100% of the time, as we're both out 8am-6pm) it just goes 1 mile down the road, rather than 35 miles back to a depot in Bristol. My sorting office opens at 7am most days and even opens some evenings (and Saturdays) so collecting it is never too taxing. I've had couriers that have had to give up and return the item before, as they could only deliver weekdays, couldn't specify a time, wouldn't deliver to an alternative address (of little use anyway, I work in a huge College and would be lucky to ever find my item) etc etc. Given how many families work these days I'm amazed how inflexible most couriers are, more often than not I end up driving to Bristol to collect the item (if they open on a Saturday).

MPB Photographic use Parcel Force for the reasons I've described above based on customer feedback, so I assume I'm not the only one!
 
Last edited:
I have noticed recently that some couriers will SMS/email a 1-hour delivery time slot, a very useful improvement if someone is in or near home - useless of course if everyone is out at work.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top