no access to flats/skyscrapers

[7series]

I've been having problems with many locked doors ever since we brought in our revised duties during summer. I have continually informed my manager about this problem with little to no help. I even made lists of the problem buildings and got contact numbers for landlords etc, but they did not call any of them.

My union rep did work out a better way to do the delivery which helped with some of the locked doors, but this also created new access problems for places which were at the start of my delivery... Essentially the access problem has simply shifted to other buildings. Some people are happy to answer and let me in whilst others(night shift workers etc) actually moan at me for doing so.

According to the standard operating procedure document I read I am only supposed to buzz people who I have signed items for and/or those who have requested I buzz them, but at the moment my manager is demanding that I buzz everyone I have mail for until I gain access.

Doing this obviously adds time on to your delivery, which they claim should not be the case, and it also at times creates problems with bag weights etc from previous 'no access' mail.

Thoughts/advice!?

[Straight4ward]

Return with the mail and mark it "no access" and date it. Leave it with the cage and ask them to give it to the DOM the next morning as, no doubt, he will have long gone home before you've finished your duty.
Then the problem is his to resolve the next morning. Whether he likes it or not, it's what he gets paid for.

[clashcityrocker]

We are also told if it happens 3 days running, you return the mail to sender.This may help to focus everone's attention and they may find a way to allow you access.

[not me]

We are also told if it happens 3 days running, you return the mail to sender.This may help to focus everone's attention and they may find a way to allow you access.

after 3 days i would leave it in the frame with a no acceess note(unless its for example a stair i can get into on a Saturday)
there used to be slips you could shove under the main door to inform them of the access issues
once they get no mail for a week they get more interested in sorting access

[7series]

Return with the mail and mark it "no access" and date it. Leave it with the cage and ask them to give it to the DOM the next morning as, no doubt, he will have long gone home before you've finished your duty.
Then the problem is his to resolve the next morning. Whether he likes it or not, it's what he gets paid for.

I've been through that for months, this is why they are demanding that I buzz everyone now because they are obviously sick of (not really properly)dealing with my no access mail and the problem buildings. When I ask questions I get told to stop asking questions!?

I don't understand why they don't just go and call the relevant numbers I gave them and the council and get the buzzer times changed!? Making 4 or 5 phone calls makes a lot more sense than having me continually buzzing lots of people every single day.

Even if these calls don't change anything, they could at the very least try!?

Every day since they made this demand and there is mail returned, I get taken in to the office and asked to explain why it is there.

If I follow the rules according to sops(as I understand it), I'd have about a bag of mail to send back everyday.

They haven't followed the 3 day no access rules. They either post the mail themselves, or get someone else to do it after their own delivery. Doing this isn't really solving anything though is it!? The same problem is still there day in, day out.

I guess I'm looking for clarification of the rules surrounding no access to multi occupancy buildings!?

[Ahebban]

If you have followed written procedure thereafter it becomes DIM DOMs responsibility to solve the problem. You might suggest that you alternate the start of your delivery so that everyone receives mail every other day at least, until a permanent solution is arrived at. Not ideal given the christmas pressure i know, but there is no more that can be asked of you, the postie.

I concur with Straight4ward on the advice regarding undelievered mail. Whatever happens make sure you get the mail countersigned by DOM/PHG so that there is no chance of the conduct code being thrown at you at a later date (wilful delay etc).

I know of other posties who were in a similar situation and asked for key access to blocks of flats, only to be refused and told there were security issues! How they square that when cleaners have key access I don't know.

From reading your posts I would suggest that you have grounds to take out a grievance/B&H against DIM DOM and then perhaps the situation stands a better chance of being sorted.

[Straight4ward]

Understand you getting very hacked off. Must be very frustrating for you. However, this is an issue for the DOM to deal with.
Get you union rep involved as your DOM appears to be trying to put the responsibility for resolving this back on you. Threaten to escalate it to union area rep or, if you really want to put the sh*ts up him, tell him you'll contact the area manager(his boss) if you still get no joy.

[clashcityrocker]

I agree.Whatever you do the DOM has to be involved.The introduction of later start times presented problems for posties delivering to secure-entrance buildings.It is not our job to solve the problems.He is paid to manage - so he should get on and manage.
And I bet just as you solve the problem they will introduce even later start times and the merry-go-round will start again.

[coxie]

my line manager bought me a firemans key to get me into my flats.

Can someone clarify do you have to buzz everyone? or only people with mail or what?

[7series]

He claims to have found some ruling which means that I do indeed have to buzz every single person I have mail for. I've asked to be shown this, but thus far no sign of it.

That would mean there is a separate rule which contradicts the sops rule I read and was previously shown by the very same manager during the summer.

I am hacked of because the obvious expectation is that I soldier on buzzing all over the place and get all of the mail delivered, ''the mail must get through'' and all that. This adds time on to my delivery though and I am not working past my time because a manager can't be bothered getting this sorted out.

There is nothing stopping them contacting the relevant people and getting the doors sorted, or atleast try to get them sorted. I don't understand their reluctance to do that though!?

Here's a recent convo heh...


Me: '' did you phone the council today about the locked doors?''
Manager: ''No!''

Me: ''Are you going to?''
Manager: ''No!''


Btw, we are not supposed to carry keys for buildings etc.

[clashcityrocker]

It is also a fact that if you buzz everyone, the person who lets you in will have no mail but will be waiting expectantly at their door.
Oh how I miss my tenemant delivery - NOT.

[7series]

It is also a fact that if you buzz everyone, the person who lets you in will have no mail but will be waiting expectantly at their door.
Oh how I miss my tenemant delivery - NOT.

They only want me to buzz those I have mail for, but when I have d2d's that means everyone(or 20% of everyone heh), thus when the customer comes out and I hand them over... well, I usually get 'the look' and some snide comment.

Yeh cannae win I tell yah!

[not me]

It is also a fact that if you buzz everyone, the person who lets you in will have no mail but will be waiting expectantly at their door.
Oh how I miss my tenemant delivery - NOT.

They only want me to buzz those I have mail for, but when I have d2d's that means everyone(or 20% of everyone heh), thus when the customer comes out and I hand them over... well, I usually get 'the look' and some snide comment.

Yeh cannae win I tell yah!

thats what i do
buzz only those with mail and on D2D i buzz the whole stair
you may want to photocopy some sheets stating you need to gain entry to the stair so either need a key or service button on from XXX to XXX times
either stick en on the back of the stair door if you get in or slide it under/stick it to the outside
after that as far as i am concerned the residents have had fair warning

[redspartapost]

in my do if after3 days in a row without access manger prints off letter stating the postman has been able to get access for 3 days, all occupants mail will available to collect from callers office until either a key for stair or entry system timer adjusted to suit delivery time, this is usually taped to the stair door and their mail and packets handed to callers office daily until it is sorted out.a key is usually handed in pretty quickly

[7series]

in my do if after3 days in a row without access manger prints off letter stating the postman has been able to get access for 3 days, all occupants mail will available to collect from callers office until either a key for stair or entry system timer adjusted to suit delivery time, this is usually taped to the stair door and their mail and packets handed to callers office daily until it is sorted out.a key is usually handed in pretty quickly

I really wish my manager was as pro-active as yours!!!

Thanks for the suggestions about leaving some photocopied sheets etc, I think i'll suggest this to my manager, keep things official like eh!? I've done something like this before asking folks to put names on their doors, most just ignored my request then complain when they don't get mail!