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Postman refuses to ring the bell

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kartoffel
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Joined: 24 Jun 2022, 22:48
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Postman refuses to ring the bell

Post by kartoffel »

What to do when the postman refuses to ring your doorbell. I’ve written requesting that they ring the doorbell as we cannot hear when they just tap on the door and I’m sitting in my office on the 2nd floor of the house. They leave the parcels on our doorstep, in full view of the street (and in this last instance, in the pouring rain). I’m at my wits end as the last person I’ve been talking with on the Royal Mail side said that it could have been “any courier”, never mind the fact that it was a package with a RM tracking number, delivered by a postie in full RM gear, driving a RM van as shown on video.

Anyone have any ideas about what to do? It’s only a matter of time before something gets damaged or stolen.

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tomtallis
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Re: Postman refuses to ring the bell

Post by tomtallis »

Put a note on the door asking them to knock. When they knock you can have a word and explain the dilemma.
I always knock rather than ring as so many bells aren't audible from the front step.
Typical scenario...So postie rings bell, doesn't hear it, knocks and ticked off customer yanks the door open with a face like thunder
I HEARD YOU THE FIRST TIME!!
Damned if we do, damned if we don't.

It's not a Ring doorbell is it? No one likes those things.
ted_e_bear
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Re: Postman refuses to ring the bell

Post by ted_e_bear »

What about putting a note on the door saying something like "please use doorbell as working upstairs and can't hear knocking on the door"

When you answer or go to the door politely say thanks for using the bell I can't hear from upstairs, that should do, you can bin the note then.

Don't do what a few WFH types do which is expect the postie to wait while you finish your call or whatever you're doing that won't work you'll get a knock and a note.
2yearpostie
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Re: Postman refuses to ring the bell

Post by 2yearpostie »

If its a ring door bell then it causes issues with gdpr and someone seeing the details of the letters we are holding while delivering so we tend to try and avoid using them.
kartoffel
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Re: Postman refuses to ring the bell

Post by kartoffel »

I’ve managed to catch him one time because I happened to be looking out the window when he was walking away and asked him why he didn’t ring the bell since we can’t hear him knocking from 2 floors up whilst we’re working. He mumbled something about having done so and the bell wasn’t working and I tested it in front of him, clearly audible from both inside and out.

It’s also doesn’t seem to be an issue of smart vs dumb doorbell as he won’t ring either type. I had to change to the smart one because it will also give alerts if there is motion at the door and I can turn that on if I know I’ve got a delivery coming but I don’t always know when a delivery is being made which leads to missed parcels. We kept missing him entirely with the dumb doorbell, so at least a smart one gives us a chance.
kartoffel
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Re: Postman refuses to ring the bell

Post by kartoffel »

ted_e_bear wrote:
25 Jun 2022, 06:36
Don't do what a few WFH types do which is expect the postie to wait while you finish your call or whatever you're doing that won't work you'll get a knock and a note.
Definitely not a problem with me as I’m like a puppy when I hear the bell go, running to the door even if I’m on a call since I’ve got a wireless headset.. If they rang the bell, they’d only have to wait the time it takes for me to run down 2 flights of stairs. If they knock, they end up spending three times as long and sometimes having to write out a “sorry we missed you” slip.
TrueBlueTerrier
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Re: Postman refuses to ring the bell

Post by TrueBlueTerrier »

kartoffel wrote:
25 Jun 2022, 09:07
I’ve managed to catch him one time because I happened to be looking out the window when he was walking away and asked him why he didn’t ring the bell since we can’t hear him knocking from 2 floors up whilst we’re working. He mumbled something about having done so and the bell wasn’t working and I tested it in front of him, clearly audible from both inside and out.
From a posties view, I have been accused of that at least a few times. But for us, it is always better to be able to hand it over to the customer. Every time I was accused I knew for an absolute certainty that I had used the bell every time. In fact, I do this every time I have to knock.

I have no idea what the disconnect is but very few posties will refuse to use the bell if they are decent ones anyway.
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Woody Guthrie
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Re: Postman refuses to ring the bell

Post by Woody Guthrie »

There is a natural reticence to use a video doorbell.
Not many people feel comfortable being filmed especially in a work environment.
Why this person doesn't want to use the normal bell I have no idea but I can only repeat what's been said.
Make sure it's visible.
Make sure it works.
If possible add a please use doorbell sign.
Be aware that it might not always be the same person responsible.

If they are simply leaving things on your doorstep make it clear this is not acceptable and that it will be reported if it continues. Again be aware that this may not always be your regular postie so keep a note of times and dates.
Only dead fish follow the current
yellowbelly
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Re: Postman refuses to ring the bell

Post by yellowbelly »

You're obviously willing and proactive to find a solution to your situation and the advice that has been given is good
but other reasons (not to excuse the postie doing what they're doing in your situation) why posties don't like using them:

Battery powered ones run out of power and you end up knocking anyway.
You end up wasting time trying to have a conversation with someone who is away from the house over a poor
mobile connection or connection that takes time to connect or drops halfway through.
The ring doorbell rings the mobile of someone who is away from the house but there is actually someone in the house.
You end up having a remote conversation with the recipient who asks you to leave the item in non-permitted
locations or solutions that are not practical e.g 'In the bin - it'll be alright', 'Just chuck it over the gate', 'Try my sister in the next street',
'Just leave it by the door' or for a Special Delivery (I've had this one) to be left under the caravan without person to person handover.

In isolation a single one of the above situations doesn't appear to take that long but if you have three or four of these
situations/discussions on your delivery each taking let's say three to four minutes then that's twelve extra minutes of lets call it 'faffing'
that posties who are under pressure to complete a delivery within a certain time because they've got to pick the kids up from
school don't want to suffer.

I hope you get a good result with your postie!
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tomtallis
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Re: Postman refuses to ring the bell

Post by tomtallis »

Spot on yb. No practical use to the customer sadly bar a little more background re reluctant use of Ring/normal doorbells.
If a direct approach to the postie fails to work it would seem only right to try the delivery office manager.
kartoffel
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Joined: 24 Jun 2022, 22:48
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Re: Postman refuses to ring the bell

Post by kartoffel »

Thanks for the suggestions. I’ll give the sign another go and see how that works. We’ve had relatively little interaction with the postie since we moved in, aside from the odd conversation and giving him a cup of tea when he locked himself out of his van down the road. Hopefully my tea making skills aren’t that bad. :whistle

I suspect, given that no one else on my road has the same issues, that it might have something to do with the people who lived in this house before we bought it since we didn’t move in *that* long ago. The guy especially seems to have been quite a peach (the cops showed up recently looking for him).
twoloops
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Re: Postman refuses to ring the bell

Post by twoloops »

😅🤣😅🤣😅

yellowbelly
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Re: Postman refuses to ring the bell

Post by yellowbelly »

twoloops wrote:
27 Feb 2024, 16:16
😅🤣😅🤣😅

Bored again?
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