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Recorded delivery goods damaged

On Friday 8th of December 2006 I started the day as many others.  I picked up the mail on the mat, made a cup of tea before going outdoors for the day.  I came home about 4pm to find a package left outside my front door, on top of some rubbish waiting to be dumped at the local tip.

The parcel contained an Apple Ipod Nano that I had purchased on eBay for my fiancée as a Christmas present!  The Jiffy bag was soaking wet, as were the contents.  I called Royal Mail to complain and was told that I could claim £32 compensation, if I could prove the postage!

A box full of packing material, packaging

I was also told that it was the senders fault for not insuring it properly.  They then said that with first, second or even recorded delivery, the actual delivery was not GUARENTEED.  I could not believe what I was hearing.  Recorded delivery – not guaranteed?

I explained that had the item been damaged or lost that would have been the senders fault, but considering that an employee of Royal Mail had just dumped it outside my door this was a different matter and quite unacceptable.

Yet again they refused to compensate me for the full loss!  I am now left with the cost of buying a new Ipod Nano at £124, with only £32 back from Royal Mail!  I spoke to the seller, who was very helpful indeed.  She then told me that was why she had sent it recorded delivery.  First I knew of this, as the delivery person had somehow torn off the recorded delivery label from the package!

I called Royal Mail and asked for proof of delivery.  They advised me that they could not track the item until it had been delivered.  Great, so now I am waiting for them to try and prove my signature which I know will be either missing or fake.  I certainly didn’t sign for the package.

$ASlinkrow$

If the delivery person tries to forge the signature it is fraud and if they do not get a signature it should surely be classed as tampering with the mail?  Be aware, Recorded Delivery from Royal Mail only means you have asked them to get a signature for the item – in other words no guarantee it will arrive in one piece.

A postmans bicycle, Royal Mail

It appears that their service is fine until you encounter a problem! They are supposed to pop a card through your door and return the item to the sorting office for either collection or re-delivery!

What are you up to Royal Mail? Is this how you treat a customer after you negligently damage their property by just leaving it outside in the rain?  I am totally disgusted and would advise using other couriers in future!

By: Westcliff on sea, Essex

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dont pailnt all postman with the smae brush, its a failure of one person not a buisness !!!

0

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gaga - 23-Jan-12 21:36 

I have received several parcels via Royal Mail sent Recorded Delivery which have had their labels removed and been delivered as `normal` post. On a couple of them they only removed the front label not the return address label so you could see it should have been Recorded.
I use online couriers now, much cheaper and better compensation, not always good at collecting on time though

+5

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ebayahabitimtryingtokick - 29-Sep-11 00:38 

I had a package sent to me to be signed for on delivery. It didnt turn up so I checked the tracking number and proof of delivery signature and they said it had been delivered so I checked the signature and it was an old signature from a different date. so they have knowingly falsified the post

-6

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chris - 28-May-11 08:44 

Royal mail have delivered at least two Recorded Delivery items to me in the past month without obtaining my signature. In one case they just put the parcel through the door in the second they just left it on the doorstep. The Royal Mail are a joke, Recorded Delivery is worthless and the sooner they are privatised the better.

-1

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Paul - 20-Mar-11 22:24 

they forged my signiture as well and for this reason I lost my passport!!!!!

+1

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sami - 2-Mar-11 02:02 

ive just bought an ipod nano but it hasnt arrived yet :/

-9

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simone - 15-Feb-11 13:36 

I have to say Bil that it would surely only be someone who worked for RM who would try to defend them as their service in reality is atrocious. I think with the increase in post due to internet shopping RM are unable to cope. Instead of employing more people they just make the same amount of employees cope resulting in lack of care due to a shortage of time and and an excess of stress. As for using Special Delivery, this service costs more than most people can afford. I have provided proof of the cost of the service I used but they have still refused to honour their obligation.

+4

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Carol - 12-Feb-11 18:27 

Ive just had similar experience. I sent 2 parcels, 1 recorded delivery and 1 first class and they delivered them both smashed. They were well protected, or at least against normal handling. Royal Mail must actually try to break them Im convinced. I put in a claim form for each and as you say, we are told that we can claim up to £32 for damage. Ive received the reply to one of the claims today and they have rejected it and sent me a book of 6 x stamps. Im furious!! Each item has cost me £14+ and Im expecting the same reply to the other one. I will not be sending anything breakable from now on with Royal Mail.

-1

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Carol - 12-Feb-11 18:17 

recorded delivery isn't insured, there is £41 compensation as standard with it though, for non-valuable items.
It is the senders fault for not sending it via the appropriate method (which would be special delivery), that would then guarantee it for the next working day by 1pm, and have £500 insurance as standard. I very much doubt that the postman would tear off the recorded delivery label, as the sender would have a proof of postage that stated that the package was sent recorded delivery, if the postman did indeed do it, it would be grounds for a dismissal.
I know the people at Royal Mail can sometimes be d1ckheads but it aint so bad.
I work part time in a post office when i'm not at school so I get the odd bollocking from customers even though we have nothing to do with the delivery of mail.

+2

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Bil - 11-Feb-11 01:35 

I bought an Ebay Item which didnt get delivered. I then sent a stroppy letter to RM saying the phone was legally mine, they had lost it (Tracking stopped at one of their depo's) and I want full reimbursment for the cost of the mobile phone they had lost. They tried to cope out saying they wanted the reciept (If I didnt reply in 10 days, they would consider the matter closed). I sent another letter with a copy of the recipt I gained from the Ebay purchasee. I have just had my claim rejected with the comment - Next time I want to claim, I need to include the original reciept used to post the item. Just also found out, the maximum they will pay is £50.

+1

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Richie - 4-Feb-11 13:59 

I do quite a lot of shopping on eBay etc and the Royal Mail are generally okay - however today I received a parcel that I thought had been sent recorded delivery(it has the stickers on it) - and it was just through the letter box. When I entered the code on their website, I discovered that the postman had forged my signature and stuck the parcel through the letterbox. Whilst I can see that this could be useful (I leave the house at 7am for work and don't get back until 7pm) - as it would save me a trip to the PO, it is also very unhelpful; how long is it before the signature is forged and the parcel goes missing?

-1

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3steps2heaven - 22-Nov-10 22:12 

I sent a recorded delivery after Royal Mail said I can send a fake coin back to the fraudster ebay seller who said it was genuine etc. I sent it back, & Royal Mail lost it!
Now they are blaming me for daring to pay extra for 1st class post & for a signature on delivery & the Royal Mail are also saying that I cannot send anything of value!
I asked Royal; mail on the phone & said what can be sent, but they did not know, yet they expect the public to know the rules that are not on prominent display at the post office!

Royal Mail are a joke!
Why have a postal service that misleads customers & then blames the customers for doing exactly as advised to do?
Bit like a police officer saying divert down a one way street the wrong way & then arresting you for their mistake!

-5

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kevin - 27-Oct-10 19:38 

I am truly scared now ive just bought a PSP with loads of games. more than 10 in infact so I asked what she sent the psp by and she said 1st class recorded delivery Im really worried

+3

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TERRA - 6-Sep-10 10:02 

Just had a similar experience with Parcelforce, found out a package of mine had tracking so it may not be lost in the post - tracking shows they delivered my item to the wrong address in my tenament block. They tried several times, though I was oblivious because they either posted the slip to the wrong address/put it somewhere in the stairwell where ANYONE could take it. Now someone in my tenament has signed off my package and had it for 2 weeks, and has not lifted a finger to get it returned. Why did the driver not take it back to the depot again and return to sender? They said the driver couldn't remember as he does 100-130 drops a day.. You mean, he can't remember, where he had to make a risky decision, probably riskier than when he's on the road. PSSSHHH.

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Hope I get compensated - 27-May-10 13:31 

I ahve had the same problem Recorded items left unsigned for and damaged.

Royal Mial no interested as I have to prove they are at fault.

Recorded delivary service is a complete waste of money. Royal mail sell it as a way to incress profits. Its that simple.

+3

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D J Steward - 28-Apr-10 20:48 

royal mail what a joke they r,last week I posted something and used specail dev,they told me it would b there b 4 1 o clock the next day,so when I foned the company to see if they had got my specail dev,i was told they havent had anything from me,so I used track and sec,and guess what it just says the same thing day after day,so they dont know where it is,it as causd me alot of stress I dont need,had manger om fone and he said it takes 2 weeks to get me money back that I posted,which 2 me is rubbish ,so im takein them 2 court I want compo,they sell u a grateened next day sevice,which is a load of crap,once ive took them to court I will never use royal mail again,if I was u dont use royal mail they r rubish

+1

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ginge - 3-Mar-10 13:54 

For goodness sake, grow up.

1. Recorded delivery is the same as 1st class and 2nd class standard post only it requires a signiture.
2. The seller should have sent it by Special Delivery which is insured up to £500
3. High value gifts like ipods should never be sent Recorded delivery.
4. As things sent by Recorded should be of low value, would you rather go to the depot and pick some little thing up from the depot or just have it put it on the doorstep?
5. Ipods are covered in plastic, not cardboard so it couldn't have been damaged.

Grow up.

-9

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brat42 - 25-Jan-10 19:31 

As far as I am aware, goods that are sent Recorded Delivery have a higher compensation value than those sent by regular postage (max £40). Technically speaking, you should have immediately returned this package in the state you received it to the vendor on eBay. It is THEIR responsibility to ensure that your goods arrive safe and sound and sorry to say this but (as a seller on Amazon myself) it is THEIR problem if your goods are damaged in transit. eBay has very strict delivery and returns procedures for its sellers and you may also be covered by PayPal if you used them to pay. You should immediately return the goods as packaged and as found and make it the sellers problem to organise compensation for themselves. Meantime they should simply refund you immediately or if they are a store, replace the item you bought. Check with credit card company whether you are covered for this type of problem and check with PayPal, but essentially the worst thing you did in this case is make it into your responsibility - a neg buyer feedback for poor packaging and dreadful delivery will kickstart any ethical eBay seller into action. Personally I stopped using them after being defrauded on two out of two purchases. I thoroughly recommend other online ordering, especially from big stores or specialist sellers, don't be put off buying online, I buy most of my stuff online but NEVER eBay. As for Royal Mail, well ... don't get me started. Sorry :(

-2

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Real - 21-Dec-09 22:13 

I've had a similar issue except they delivered my parcel, carrying expensive photographic equipment from China, to the wrong address! That happened last month (only found out a few days ago as I work away from home for a month at a time and was meant to go to my parents house) and there's still no sign of my parcel... In this situation, I think privitisation can only be a good thing!

-1

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Cat - 14-Dec-09 19:00 

So ture roymail are a totally useless I oredered some stuff off amazon a few days ago which apparently arrived this morning (my neighbor saw the postman leave a package at my door) but when I returned home from work the package had been stolen and royal mail accept no liability as they claim it was delivered! I urge everyone in the UK to use oither courier services so we can all get rid of these bunch of thieves who are massively funded by our taxes for in my experience the worst mail service in the country

-2

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willymcnilly - 6-Dec-09 04:41 

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