Forum Topic

Royal Mail parcel (non)"deliveries" & the red "Could Not Deliver" card being left.

I have been highly suspicious for many years that when Royal Mail is delivering a parcel they do not even bother to knock/check if you are in. They simply hastily complete the infamous red "Unable to Deliver - Come & Collect It" card regardless.I have been waiting for a few days for an expected delivery and just happened to catch the deliverer walking away from my house, with the parcel tucked under his arm, and he then handed it over to me, saying "Don't bother about the card I left"!!!And the reason for non-delivery?  The box ticked on the red card was ..................... "It's too large" !!!! Proof positive that this is going on and I suspect is unofficial standard practice.Mind you, they're not ALL at it, I do get the odd deliverer who actually bothers to knock.Anyone else had similar experiences and/or got "proof" of this unacceptable practice?

Rosco White ● 5096d25 Comments

On another tack Recorded items just delivered with no contact for a signature whatsoever A complaint just gets a standardized response stating that the relevant postie has been reminded of his duties!

Roger Foreman ● 5096d

I've had this a lot from one particular postman who delivers on my road.He doesn't even bother to take the items out of the back of the van. I've walked over to the van waiting for him and when questioned, he cannot come up with an answer why he did not either try to deliver or ring my door bell and just hands me my item and drives off. when I've spoken to the sorting office on Bollo Lane, their response is, 'Oh he must be one of our agency postmen'.This is their justiication for poor service from some of their staff.

Miriam Kerketta ● 5096d

Truly appalling, little wonder they're going bust.I feel sorry for the staff working there who actually do a good job and care - they do exist.

Rosco White ● 5096d

I think the Royal Mail have announced that the "could not deliver - collect from the sorting office" card system is being scrapped this month. They will instead leave packages with neighbours and leave a card saying which address it has been left at. No idea how many doorbells they will be told to ring before they give up.You can opt out by having a sticker on your front door saying you have opted out, in which case you will still get a "collect" card. That'll make you popular with your neighbours! 

Peter Millman ● 5096d

Does anyone really mind taking in parcels for neighbours?I quite like it.And even a not very good Royal Mail service still oodles better than Yodel and some of the others!

Sara Nathan ● 5096d

In the past few weeks i have had small packages bundled with regular post (letters/bills etc...)held together by a red rubber band and tossed over the wall into my driveway.  Nobody rang the bell at the gate or left a card in the post box.  I was home several times and only noticed the package and post on the driveway when I went outside.  Other times when I wasn't home, my mail and package got drenched because they were on the driveway during a downpour.  Yep, great service from a totally dysfunctional organisation.  I have little hope that they would ring a neighbour's bell if they can't be bothered to ring mine.

M ODonald ● 5096d

Service must be very patchy and relying on the efficiency of the individual postman.  I don't have any problems at all.

Nina Battleday ● 5094d

I've become reluctant to take in parcels, especially for neighbours I hardly know. Often they don't come to collect them and I have to keep going round hoping to catch them in. Last time I took a huge parcel in for our semi-attached and then she came home and said she didn't want it and had been trying to cancel it that morning (er, you have to do that before it's dispatched, Carrie), and pretty much criticised me for taking delivery of it.

Susan Kelly ● 5094d

The Big Lunch people think it's a great idea:http://www.thebiglunchers.com/index.php/2012/10/a-royal-neighborly-service/

Sara Nathan ● 5094d

Like Rosco, I had a card left, and went to find the postman. Insisted he had rung the doorbell, but I knew he hadn't as I heard the letters fall as they came through the letterbox and then went to get them! He wasn't my regular postman who is very good.As Sara says Yodel and other delivery companies are no better. I had a parcel delivered to the wrong road and presumably accepted by the person in that house - unless it was just left in the garden/porch as they do. They have even thrown parcels marked 'fragile' over the fence in the past!The card idea might be good if you know and trust your neighbours.

Amanda Knights ● 5094d

Indeed it might even be an incentive to ensure you do know at least, and trust if possible, your neighbours.Funnily enough, the Royal Mail never once left a parcel for us with the Abu Qatada family when they lived next door. Instinct or instruction?

Sara Nathan ● 5094d

As has been said, if some Postman can't currently be bothered to ring YOUR doorbell, do you really, really think they are going to spend yet more time strolling over to your neighbour?No chance.The lazy & incompetent red "Something for you" card will live on - it's the easy cop out.And Royal Mail management will continue to do FA about it - they obviously don't care or this practice would have been nipped in the bud years ago..And that's one of the myriad reasons as to why Royal Mail is surely going to go bust.

Rosco White ● 5094d

Would you have taken in a parcel for him, Sara?

Susan Kelly ● 5094d

Of course - and for the wife and perfectly pleasant children.But one never came.

Sara Nathan ● 5094d

I heard that when they are running late on their rounds they just sit in the van filling in the missed delivery cards and post the missed delivery cards without even getting the parcels out! This would seem to be true;  as I sat at home,  no door bell ring ....  when I went out there was the missed delivery card,  a disgrace!

Jen Morty ● 5094d

Our postman (two over the last two years) were really worried when I asked them to put magazines, if they were wrapped in plastic and I was out, over our garden gate. I believe it is a serious offence to do it.

Bob Crossley ● 5094d

Have had the same problem as Rosco but not recently. Just plain lazy. I thought Royal Mail were bad but TNT post is even worst.

Ana Strachan ● 5094d

Was in today when the postman dropped the card through the letterbox. They certainly did not knock at my door. When I looked up the street they were gone. They had also delivered my neighbours post through my door. Terrible service.

Jacqueline Preston ● 5093d

Re my previous post about lack of problems with Royal Mail.  My problem seems to be with TNT.  This afternoon, I had a delivery of no less than 6 items, including something I had been waiting for for a week.  I'm sure they must have been waiting to get delivered.  Anyone else had this problem with TNT?  Is there any monitoring taking place - the service seems to be pretty erratic.

Nina Battleday ● 5093d

The orange bike brigade, what a joke.  Have been asked several times, where is this road.  What's the point of TNT if they don't know where there going.  I think the postal service should go back to the penny post, that's all it's worth.

Nicola Howard ● 5093d

TNT are rubbish - and destructive too as they cream off the cheap-to-deliver stuff to urban postcodes leaving the Royal Mail to do the far away mail to Yorkshire and the Orkneys that will never be profitable. Also TNT largely bulk mail - I mostly throw away anything they deliver unopened.

Sara Nathan ● 5093d

TNT are absolutely useless.  Have had to put in a formal complaint via an independent postal redress company. Not sure if anything will improve.  Will have to wait and see.

Ana Strachan ● 5093d

Does TNT stand for "totally needless trash".  They only seem to deliver junk mail.

Nicola Howard ● 5093d

Nicola - not quite true that they only deliver trash.  A perfectly reputable magazine that I subscribe to uses them, also the RSPB and a gardening supplier that I use.  Annoying, because things arrive later than they should.  I am trying to make the senders realise how inefficient they are, but it's a long haul.

Nina Battleday ● 5092d

My WWT Waterlife mag delivered by TNT, arrived torn.My Royal Photographic Journal delivered by Royal Mail, arrived in perfect condition.Hobsons Choice?

Nicola Howard ● 5092d