Royal Mail "Special Delivery" (next day guaranteed delivery) is a pile of ****

Hi.

My apologies in advance for appearing to make such an off-topic post as this amidst all the chaos in Manhattan, but I just wanted to vent my own anger at the pathetic mail service that is Royal Mail.

I sent a letter to someone on Tuesday morning (10am) using the 1st class next day guaranteed "Special Delivery" service and not only did it not arrive the next day on Wednesday morning, it still hasn't arrived at its destination today, Thursday morning.

They rob you of £3.60 promising guaranteed next day delivery and they can't even make it in 48 hours. If it comes tomorrow (Friday) then it's taken them 72 hours....

I wish I'd have just put a 1st class stamp on it now

The words "ass" and "sue" jump to the front of my mind...

So anyone else wanting to use this service - think again.

Sorry again for moaning when there has been massive loss of life in New York but the Royal Mail have no excuse...

Hi,

It's always worked for me... I think you are entitled to some sort of recompense for their failure to supply a stated and charged for service. Read the reciept and terms and coditions, also check out their webby for more detailed info.

STS

Thanks for the reply, I have found out that because it wasn't delivered the next day before 12 noon, then I get my £3.60 back but am not sure about any other compensation... meaning for a 2nd day and 3rd day of non-delivery.

Also, if it's lost or damaged then I hear you get £250 compensation...

When I track my item on-line at :

http://www.royalmail.com/trackandtrace

I get :

We are handling your item
Your item with reference xxxxxxxxxxxGB is currently progressing through our network.

What ?

They mean someone has found it ripped in half with a large footprint on in the staff canteen waste disposal unit ?

Horror ...horror,

Yesterday morning posted my Tesco Clubcard Holiday Deal vouchers to the travel agent!

Tesco recommended using "Special Delivery" service and I used it for the first time yesterday morning.

Thanks for your link Bill... here's my result:-

We expect to deliver your item before 12:00 on 13/09/01
Your item with reference SU096467145GB is currently progressing through our network.

Merit award for first person to confirm the letter has been received. It could be me!

I'll look here after 12 noon today for any messages showing that the letter has not yet been delivered.

I had to send a scanner back to Umax 3 weeks ago through Special Delivey, it cost mr £18.30 and it reached Thatchem (Where the Umax sercice centre is) by 11:34am the next day, darn it,I was hoping it wasn't going ot get there till 1pm then I could have had my money back.

I've sent lots of tihngs through special and recorded delivery and haven't had any problems.

You only get £250 compensation if your item is lost or damaged.

Behemoth

"You only get £250 compensation if your item is lost or damaged."

What is the definition of "lost" then ?

What if my letter takes a week to be delivered, you could say it got "lost" in the system, no ?

So the Royal Mail only pay me £3.60 back as is wasn't delivered the next day then ? I get nothing extra for each day it takes ?

Pathetic.

Hi,

I win the point..

We have delivered your item
Your item with reference SU096467145GB was delivered in A########M before 11:09 on 13/09/01.



STS

Take the crown STS

Thanks!

PS....Misguided trust? Checked for myself and the mail was addressed to the town quoted in the reply. Guess it is a reasonable chance it was mine!!!!

I couldn't resist

They rob you of £3.60 promising guaranteed next day delivery

erm, rob??? Don't think so do you?? you made the choice to post it

The words "ass" and "sue" jump to the front of my mind...

no porn on this forum please

So anyone else wanting to use this service - think again

Thanks for your "advice" but it's ALWAYS worked for me

Sorry again for moaning when there has been massive loss of life in New York but the Royal Mail have no excuse...

yes your worries seem VERY VERY insignificant really don't they??(yawn)

Bill - Here's what itsays on the back of the slip they gace you after you gave then your letter.

If your item is delivered late = We'll give you your money back if we haven't attempted to deliver your item by 12 noon on the date shown above. Please note, later guranteed delivery times apply for remote parts of Scotland. Deliveries to and from the channel Islands and the Isle of Man can be delyaed by customs. For Details of how to claim call 0845 7 740 740 calls charged at the local rate.

If your item is lost or damaged = We'll pay you compensation for the value of your item, up to the level paid for. (Insert above phone number for making a claim etx)

If you have taken out Consequnetial Loss compensation, ask at a post office for our terms and conditions.

Just though I'd post that because it's on the back of my prrof of posting for the scanner I sent back to Umax, hope it clears up any grey areas.

Behemoth

I've been posting books for my son for the last five years via my local Post Office, by Recorded Delivery, (at a cost of £7.19 since about 15 months ago), no guarantee on delivery and compensation limited to 100 x value of first class stamp.

Then about 10 months ago the postmaster asked why I didn't send them by Special Delivery? Guaranteed next day delivery, basic compensation up to £250.00, (£1000.00 or £2500.00 for an extra fee), at a cost of £6.20. So far they have always been delivered early the next day.

I suppose I could have asked why it took him over four years to tell me about Special Delivery but I didn't bother.

So we are quite happy with Special Delivery.

Dantony & Son

Sherlock Holmes investigates !!!!!!

Right then, I posted my letter Tuesday, no one was in the next morning (Wednesday) so a card was saying please either :

a) collect the item yourself from our sorting office - or -
b) arrange to have it delivered next day.

Option (b) was chosen by recipient.

Special Delivery letter was redelivered Thursday morning and signed for.

Sooooooooooooooooo, I don't get my £3.60 back do I ? (as the Royal Mail did try and deliver it the next day before 12 midday - but no one was in).

Will someone please deny/confirm this ?

Thankyou !

Hi,

I reckon you paid £3:60 to ensure an attempt was made to deliver something to someone who wasn't there.

Tough Call for the delivery service...

Impossible task I'd say.

STS

So, do I try to claim or not ?

Answers on a postcard please (to be in by Sunday night !)....

Two months ago my son returned a motherboard and processor by Recorded Delivery (it was the cheapest) and the Post Office lost it! They could not even trace it from the Post Office to the sorting office. All he got was 100 times the postage which came nowhere near the true cost..
Guess we all learn by our mistakes. Hope you have better luck.

Ouch, a lots motheboard and CPU, very nasty.

I had to send a hard drive back to Seagate in the Neverlands 2 years ago and I thought that would get lost but it reached it's destination safely


Behemoth

Update:

No compensation can be claimed as Royal Mail did try to deliver it the next day, as guaranteed

A card was left with the intended recipient saying that an attempt to deliver a "Special Delivery" item was made today...... so that rules out any refund.

So, technically, they delivered it as guaranteed, it's just my tough luck that the caretaker of the building didn't sign for the letter that particular day

Oh well, it was worth a try !

Just bloody typical I paid £3.60 and the woman I sent the letter to wasn't in, and the caretaker who handles all the mail when the tenants are out - was also unavailable ! (Maybe he was having a number 2, who knows ! We're all human !)