Exeter post staff won't take man's mail

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/news/Exet ... ticle.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ROYAL Mail has been forced to apologise to a man after his local post office refused to take his mail — because it wouldn’t make any money from it.

Eder Da Silva was turned away from the post office in Okehampton Road, Exeter, while trying to send a computer game he had sold over the internet.

Managers refused to accept the package and even called police when he insisted that they had to take it.

A few days earlier Mr Da Silva had been told by the post office that it wouldn’t handle his pre-paid mail because it made no money from doing so. He pays postage for items sold on the internet but needs to send them by recorded delivery, which requires a receipt from the post office as proof.

After checking with Royal Mail that the branch must accept the item, he returned to the post office with another package and recorded the conversation that followed on his mobile phone.

The recording, heard by the Echo, starts with the customer asking for a printed receipt.

A male voice is then heard saying: “I own this place, I do not accept this, go away. We don’t get paid for it so take it somewhere else. It is my premises and I am asking you to leave or I will call the police.”

Mr Da Silva replies that he has contacted Royal Mail about it and said: “With respect, you have to take it.”

A female voice then says: “It is our business. We can decide. Do you work for nothing?

“We don’t have to take it. I went to a post office meeting and everyone was up in arms about this as we don’t get paid for it.”

The male then interjects again and says to Mr Da Silva: “You are on my premises. Leave. Out you go.”

There is then silence for several minutes as he waits outside for the police to arrive.

The 23-year-old Brazilian, who lives in Redhills, was spoken to by officers who told him the owners had the right to ban him from the store and he should take up any grievances with trading standards and Royal Mail.

He said: “I had gone in a few days before and they said they would serve me once but not again. I didn’t question it as I did not know the rules.

“When I got home I phoned Royal Mail and they said they had to accept my mail, which is why I went back,” he said.

“I was being calm and polite but just pointing out that what they were saying was wrong. The Post Office is a public service and they have to take it. It was the way I was treated that upset me.

“I do not accept that he had any excuse to refuse my item and kick me out of the shop. I did nothing wrong. With respect the fact they are not getting paid for it is a problem between them and Royal Mail. It does not give them the right, as a public service, to refuse mail.”

A Royal Mail spokesman said: “We have written to Mr Da Silva apologising for the mistake that was made at the branch. All Post Office branches have to accept items of mail on behalf of Royal Mail, regardless of where or how the postage has been obtained. At the same time all recorded delivery items have to be processed through our computer system and a printed receipt provided.

“We have advised the branch of the correct processes in order to ensure this remains an isolated incident and have made a goodwill gesture to Mr Da Silva in recognition of any inconvenience caused by the mistake.”

Staff at the post office declined to comment.

[Lounge Lizard]

A bit like a pub refusing to serve someone who just wants a drink of tap water.

[Pat Ostman]

A bit like a pub refusing to serve someone who just wants a drink of tap water.

Not sure on this one, at the end of the day he was kicked out of the 'shop'. This means they sell other things and at the very least RM are providing them with potential custom.

Wow, am I siding with RM here? omfg!

[aquele]

the post office is absolutely wrong, they have to accept the item regardless, they signed a contract to offer the service...understand he might dont get paid for it...but kick the customer out of his shop and even called the police..come on..that wasnt a smart move was it?!

[fishtank]

A bit like a pub refusing to serve someone who just wants a drink of tap water.

No It's like the pub having an agreement with the brewery to provide tap water and then refusing to serve someone.

[piranha]

That's what happens when you sell Post Office franchises, welcome to a new 'modern' Royal Mail

[stokes11eg]

MM. this reminds me of a couple of years ago, whrn R/M stopped paying the P.O for taking in our pouch bags My local P'O' made us feel most unwelocme, and no more skipping to the head of the queue--still get moaned at yet!

[bitchface]

this is a shop which is owned privately,royal mail have stopped paying them to do certain things.things that they said would be paid when the contract was signed.
they clearly told the guy ,they would take it this time but not again.
these people donot work for free.this shop doesn't draw its custom from the post office.it will be a village shop that has a captive custom base,milk ,fags ,papers and sweets

again its the little guy's(shop owners)having their core payments stopped,everything else cut and being bullied into providing a service for free.just so the post office plc can bump up profits.
in villages all around us ,they have for a few years been telling royal mail too stick it where the sun dont shine,and to bugger off outta their shop.
result is very part time post offices operate out of pubs and village halls for a couple of hours a week.
ring any bells people??????????????

no doubt this owner wants the p/o in his shop not for profit but for the good os his own village /town.but he aint going to do it for ,what is effectivly a loss

if you do not get paid ,donot expect that service to be provided...simple

[aquele]

this is a shop which is owned privately,royal mail have stopped paying them to do certain things.things that they said would be paid when the contract was signed.
they clearly told the guy ,they would take it this time but not again.
these people donot work for free.this shop doesn't draw its custom from the post office.it will be a village shop that has a captive custom base,milk ,fags ,papers and sweets

again its the little guy's(shop owners)having their core payments stopped,everything else cut and being bullied into providing a service for free.just so the post office plc can bump up profits.
in villages all around us ,they have for a few years been telling royal mail too stick it where the sun dont shine,and to bugger off outta their shop.
result is very part time post offices operate out of pubs and village halls for a couple of hours a week.
ring any bells people??????????????

no doubt this owner wants the p/o in his shop not for profit but for the good os his own village /town.but he aint going to do it for ,what is effectivly a loss

if you do not get paid ,donot expect that service to be provided...simple

I have to disagree...the guy HAVE to accept the items even if he is not getting paid for it...if you read the article you'll see that the royal mail had to apologiaze to the customer for the misunderstanding...

[fishtank]

"no doubt this owner wants the p/o in his shop not for profit but for the good os his own village"

"if you do not get paid ,do not expect that service to be provided...simple"


How do you square those two statements in the same post.

[Pat Ostman]

this is a shop which is owned privately,royal mail have stopped paying them to do certain things.things that they said would be paid when the contract was signed.
they clearly told the guy ,they would take it this time but not again.
these people donot work for free.this shop doesn't draw its custom from the post office.it will be a village shop that has a captive custom base,milk ,fags ,papers and sweets

again its the little guy's(shop owners)having their core payments stopped,everything else cut and being bullied into providing a service for free.just so the post office plc can bump up profits.
in villages all around us ,they have for a few years been telling royal mail too stick it where the sun dont shine,and to bugger off outta their shop.
result is very part time post offices operate out of pubs and village halls for a couple of hours a week.
ring any bells people??????????????

no doubt this owner wants the p/o in his shop not for profit but for the good os his own village /town.but he aint going to do it for ,what is effectivly a loss

if you do not get paid ,donot expect that service to be provided...simple

Do not agree, having a post office franchise alone would be fair enough but this guy owns a shop and business is potentially driven his way that he might not otherwise have. They will have more people enter his shop because he is also a post office than if he was solely a shop. Ultimately though every single business in the world will do certain loss making activities to generally make a larger profit in the end. Loss leaders mean anything to you?

What I would like to know though is how much the Post Office charge, or do they pay you to have a post office in store. That would shed more light on this.

[bitchface]

the shop gets core payments.ie,sell a stamp get one pence of the sale price.same with specials,recorded's etc

this guy comes in to drop off his packets.which need to be then scanned and entered onto computer.

shop gets nothing .cost to shop, the time of the shop keeper how ever long it takes him/her to scan and enter onto computer also more time bagging up and giving to postman.these shops dont have people just sat behind a screen waiting for custom.they are one man bands already struggling against the pull of supermarkets

so thats a loss in my books. the post office plc stealing from the shop keeper so they can say look how much we made this year arnt we efficiant.

not to mention if they didnt have the post office then all the oap's who collect there pensions etc.would just get it paid into a bank account as they wouldnt be able to get to a p/o.people would get their car tax online.print their own stamps...sum total of that= p/o loss

i do not work for free and i hope you guys dont expect other to either

[Lounge Lizard]

the shop gets core payments.ie,sell a stamp get one pence of the sale price.same with specials,recorded's etc

this guy comes in to drop off his packets.which need to be then scanned and entered onto computer.

shop gets nothing .cost to shop, the time of the shop keeper how ever long it takes him/her to scan and enter onto computer also more time bagging up and giving to postman.these shops dont have people just sat behind a screen waiting for custom.they are one man bands already struggling against the pull of supermarkets

so thats a loss in my books. the post office plc stealing from the shop keeper so they can say look how much we made this year arnt we efficiant.

not to mention if they didnt have the post office then all the oap's who collect there pensions etc.would just get it paid into a bank account as they wouldnt be able to get to a p/o.people would get their car tax online.print their own stamps...sum total of that= p/o loss

i do not work for free and i hope you guys dont expect other to either

If you are thinking of taking on a business, a Post Office or whatever, you, or your accountant, will look at the overall picture and decide whether or not to accept it, risks and all. Having taken it on you can't then reasonably start picking and choosing which bits of it you do and don't like. Swings and roundabouts springs to mind.

[POSTMAN]

errrmm i think the clue is he's running a 'Post Office'

[Pat Ostman]

Sorry, as I said, most successful businesses will do certain things for a loss for the greater profit. Sorry but the owner is a clown who should give it up and let someone else have a bash.