Missing item post office help!

[holtie96]

Hi
I sold an item over 2 1/2 weeks ago sent first class recorded delivery and it still hasn't arrived. I have only twice had a problem in over 10 years of buying and selling. The tracking number confirms it was sent but still says it is being processed. It was a standard uk address and I am well hacked off as the item was worth a hundred quid. Can anyone confirm if they have ever had a similar problem andcwhst they did about it? It seems to me that someone has either nicked it, dumped it or it has ended up in outer Mongolia! Thank you in advance to any poster's comments.

[Posh1959]

I have never ever had a signed for item go missing. Nowadays a lot of postmen simply shove the recorded deliveries through the letter box if nobody is at home, its too much effort to take them back to the sorting office as they are under so much pressure to get their normal work done and then on to other jobs.

Its all about trust, do you believe the buyer hasnt received the item?

[holtie96]

I have no reason to not believe the buyer who has been very patient to date. I am now concerned that I will have to issue a full refund. Everything else I have ever sent recorded first class has usually turned up the following day, all a bit bizarre.

[craig]

Just the type of thread i wanted to read after having just posted my old phone which i sold for £140 via first class recorded!!!

I know its not much compensation to you but if the worst comes to worst, arent recorded deliveries insured for £40 or so? However, i cant imagine that will be easy to get out of the post office.

[Kickoff3pm]

As I understand it you need to wait 18 days for it to turn up. Then you or the buyer can claim compensation for the value of the loss. The amount you receive won't be more then 100 x the price of a 1st class stamp.

How I deal with these thing depends on who selected the postage rate. If I did then I do all the work with the RM but if they has bought something worth £100 and wanted it delivered less then Signed For then I would send them the postage receipt and let them get on with it.

It also depends on the customer, if they are a regular customer I tend to do things different.

http://www2.royalmail.com/cust.....lost-items

[mark01]

Over 2 weeks for a delivery seems excessive - it may have mistakenly gone through with the normal post and been delivered. You should make a claim - an item valued at £100 in my opinion should have been sent special delivery - more expensive, but at least you have full protection. Did the counter staff at Post Office ask you the value of item sent?

Posh 1959 - bit of a sweeping statement about postmen.
As an ex postie I can tell you that all recorded/specials etc are taken back to the sorting office if undelivered and handed back in, for collection by person. Postmen have to go back to the sorting office anyway after their shift to hand back in their signed documents.

[Posh1959]

mark01 wrote:

Over 2 weeks for a delivery seems excessive - it may have mistakenly gone through with the normal post and been delivered. You should make a claim - an item valued at £100 in my opinion should have been sent special delivery - more expensive, but at least you have full protection. Did the counter staff at Post Office ask you the value of item sent? Posh 1959 - bit of a sweeping statement about postmen. As an ex postie I can tell you that all recorded/specials etc are taken back to the sorting office if undelivered and handed back in, for collection by person. Postmen have to go back to the sorting office anyway after their shift to hand back in their signed documents.

not a sweeping statement at all, just a comment of what i see regulary happen, i appreciate that they can get in to trouble for doing this, but they do in my area.

[Kickoff3pm]

Posh1959 wrote:

mark01 wrote: Over 2 weeks for a delivery seems excessive - it may have mistakenly gone through with the normal post and been delivered. You should make a claim - an item valued at £100 in my opinion should have been sent special delivery - more expensive, but at least you have full protection. Did the counter staff at Post Office ask you the value of item sent? Posh 1959 - bit of a sweeping statement about postmen. As an ex postie I can tell you that all recorded/specials etc are taken back to the sorting office if undelivered and handed back in, for collection by person. Postmen have to go back to the sorting office anyway after their shift to hand back in their signed documents. not a sweeping statement at all, just a comment of what i see regulary happen, i appreciate that they can get in to trouble for doing this, but they do in my area.

I've never experienced that in my area but what I have is the postman pushing the card though the door saying no one was at home when the was. They often do this when the don't want to carry the item for some reason.

[realred]

I think the moral of this story is send items worth over £40 special delivery, at least they are then insured for full amount.
Our post man also leaves any recorded items through the letter box, usually with a note.

[Kickoff3pm]

realred wrote:

I think the moral of this story is send items worth over £40 special delivery, at least they are then insured for full amount. Our post man also leaves any recorded items through the letter box, usually with a note.

As I understand it Special Delivery is more a time sensitive thing then a compensation thing.

Table 1 - All retail services other than Special Delivery™ Next day (not posted on account) and Standard Parcels with enhanced compensation

Item has no intrinsic value Postage refund (minimum 6 x 1st class letter stamps)
Item has intrinsic value (with basic evidence only) Postage refund (minimum 6 x 1st class letter stamps)
Item has intrinsic value (with additional evidence) Postage refund, plus compensation on basis of the customer’s actual loss. This compensation is subject to the maximum payable being the lower of the market value of the item and statutory maximum of 100 x 1st class letter stamps.

Table 2 – Standard Parcels with enhanced compensation

Item has no intrinsic value Postage refund (minimum 6 x 1st class letter stamps)
Item has intrinsic value (with basic evidence only) Postage refund (minimum 6 x 1st class letter stamps)
Item has intrinsic value (with additional evidence) Postage refund plus compensation on basis of the customer’s actual loss. This compensation is subject to the maximum payable being the lower of the market value of the item and the maximum level of compensation purchased

Table 3 – Special DeliveryTM Next Day (not Posted on account)

All items(with additional evidence) Fee refund plus compensation on basis of the customer’s actual loss. This compensation is subject to the maximum payable being the lower of the market value of the item and the maximum level of compensation purchased

As I see it you are covered upto £60 plus the cost of postage even for second class for lost items.

[Andrew BSFC]

It is possible to see a copy of the signature of the recipient of any recorded delivery or special delivery items by going onto the Royal Mail website.Go into track and trace and enter the tracking number.The status of the item will be confirmed and if you then click on the tracking number next to the status another window will open confirming date and time of delivery, from which delivery office and an electronic proof of delivery.I have used this many times to confirm safe delivery of items I have sent.

[holtie96]

Thank you all for your advice, as for the £40 compensation they clearly state 'we do not pay compensation for valuables sent by recorded signed for' so what are you compensated for then!

[Kickoff3pm]

holtie96 wrote:

Thank you all for your advice, as for the £40 compensation they clearly state 'we do not pay compensation for valuables sent by recorded signed for' so what are you compensated for then!

The royal mail is a beast of it's own making, run by clots and idiots. As you can see from their own copied rules on lost items. The compensation they have agreed with their own insurance company is 100x the postage cost. They convert this in their postage details down to £34 I think. This part has not kept pace with the price of stamps as now, as I say, you can claim up to £60 but you have to prove that value somehow.

So if you pay the £5.45 Special Delivery for items of a value under £60 you are wasting maybe £5.00 if it's just a ticket you are sending. Your item you would be paying £5.00 for an extra £40 cover if they agreed on your valuation.

[mark01]

At the end of the day you get the service you pay for.

For smaller value items I usually ask for a Certificate of Posting, which is free and at least gives you some degree of protection.

regards, Mark

[holtie96]

Andrew, I have looked at the track and trace and it keeps saying being processed but it is now 2 1/2 weeks. It just seems to have disappeared. Thanks for the comments gents.
Holtie

[goonerboy]

I have only had cause to make claims for lost post a handful of times over the last 10 years but from memory always been ok with compensation. Although time consuming and slow the PO has always come up trumps in the end.

The minimum required to have your claim even considered is a proof of posting. However if that is all you have then can be a time consuming process as they need to be convinced that it was not received.

With a recorded delivery things are more straightforward (up to the £40 level) because what you have paid for is a signature on delivery plus it proves you posted it. Thus if there is no confirmation of delivery then it is the PO responsibility thus they can't argue against your claim except if it contained items not covered by the service ( i think cash plus some other valuables such as jewellry are mentioned.). The issue with recorded delivery is that it is mixed in with the millions of other post and still liable to loss/damage. Also the limit they will pay is around £40.

Special Delivery is both a time and value service. The compensation is a lot higher plus it is handled separately thus less likely to get lost. If I order/win items above £50 I always pay the extra to get Special Delivery to ensure quick delivery plus higher insurance.

[Tynie Topics]

On the subject of Recorded Delivery being put through your letterbox when nobody is in, that happens regularly with me (if it’s our regular postie doing to rounds) and I’m more than happy with that arrangement as it saves a journey to the sorting office. Never happens with Special Delivery though, which is understandable.
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[Kickoff3pm]

Craig wrote:

Just the type of thread i wanted to read after having just posted my old phone which i sold for £140 via first class recorded!!! I know its not much compensation to you but if the worst comes to worst, arent recorded deliveries insured for £40 or so? However, i cant imagine that will be easy to get out of the post office.

Just remembered, when I last sent a phone by post RM said they don't insure phones in any way so hope that's changed if you have problem Craig.

[Wullie]

Oh Dear, an expensive mistake . As i postman i keep telling people NEVER SEND ANYTHING OF VALUE RECORDED DELIVERY. It is treated as normal mail, and to be frank , all you are doing is saying , Look, there could be something of value in here. Always use Special Delivery service. Much more secure and proper insurance. I blame the people at the counter. First thing they should ask is " is it of any value ? " , then the ball is in the customers court.

[giorgio]

I once had a Special Delivery item go missing though received full value of item plus the cost of the Special Delivery. Wouldn't personally send an item worth more than £50 Recorded.