lost in post or extreme delays?

[papa_lazerous]

I'm hoping this might be the place for some advice and maybe to put my mind at rest,

I have 6 different packages/small parcels that I ordered. All of them where sent on the 6th of April and all from different people. Only 2 of them are tracked though. The tracking information merely states where and when it was posted and that its being processed through the network for delivery. the one thing all of the items have in common is that they have come from the north of the country. I am down in Southend on Sea.

I have contacted royal mail customer services to see if there was a problem with the service as 6 items going missing seems odd, they have reported back that there are no issues and that my sorting office (Short Street, Southend on Sea) has no backlog and is not holding any mail that is mine.

I am at a total loss right now, anyone got any ideas/thoughts/theorys/advice or if you have a similar problem right now please chime in as its 14 days now and thats a long time for 1st class!

[IcanthelpthewayIam]

Ok none of your packets have been sent as tracked, the two have been sent as recorded delivery and will only be scanned again after delivery attempt, 6 going missing in that time is very suspicious, are they different senders or all from same one?

Another suggestion, have you moved house and forgot to update your new address on paypal and ebay?

[fishtank]

It is not uncommon for multiple small packets for the same delivery address to be "merged" and allocated for van delivery.
It doesn't answer the question of why they have taken so long but it may be a clue as to why all six have not turned up....yet.

[papa_lazerous]

Hi thanks for the replies,

I know the recorded items are not actually tracked, shame really.

All 6 items are from different sellers 4 of them where from iternet stores that I've used before and are reliable at sending. The other 2 items where off eBay, also sellers i use regularly I've lived here for years and my adress is shown letter perfect in the correct format on eBay/paypal and the sites I used. I actually re ordered one item yesterday from one of the companies as it was something I needed urgently and it came today! Go figure, 6 go missing but I order 1 now and it comes. It's a bummer as all the items rack upto a few quid. I will have to re order all of them now and foot the costs, the major thing was I had ordered everything I needed to build a new model helicopter for my 2 weeks off that I booked over Easter, kinda throws that out of the window. I have a slight hope that they may turn up but deep down I know they're gone.

Was really hoping that there would be a plausible explanation as to what may have happened that I hadn't thought of

[Izzy]

One posibility is that all 6 have been banded together, a postie has tried to deliver them, and then a neighbour has kindly offered to take them for you. Unfortunately this neighbour then went off for two weeks in the sun and in the rush to pack has forgotten to bring them to you. I know not all posties bother to put a card through letterboxes when they leave items with neighbours or in sheds. Stupid I know. Are any of your neighbours away? Have you checked your shed/greenhouse/garage?

[papa_lazerous]

There's nowhere outside that anything could feasbly be left like a garage I have a front door that's it. I've asked my neighbours plus they are very good at taking stuff in and dropping it off. My usual postie is good in that I always get while you where out cards that say it's at a neighbours. Nobody is away either. I think a less than honest person has pinched them. when and where on it's journey who knows certainly not me lol

[BT2010]

i would guess they are banded together awaiting a van delivery.

we had this in our office over xmas whilst it was busy and not enough staff to cover the additional work

there is a lot of election material to sort and deliver at the moment so i would say its a stong possibility you will recieve the items late and all in one go.

shame about the easter weekend mate but there just isnt enough of us now-a-days.

you can complain and recieve 6x 1st class stamps, though you will also recieve a letter informing you how to complain to the postal regulator.

the service will never improve if people dont complain.

[Pat Ostman]

I would wait until 15 working days have past and then ask for the case to be forwarded to the investigation branch.

[mazza111]

The first thing to do is contact the delivery office, just on the off chance that they are there.

If there's nothing there, contact the senders of the items, you have a contract with them, they have to prove delivery, they should resend your items, they have a contract with RM. It would then be up to them to do the chasing.

I know it might seem daft, but this way the buyer has full protection.

As there are 6 items missing, I would also put a complaint in writing, seems extreme to say the least. Unfortunately RM does have some undesirables, just like most businesses, but they don't usually last long, hope this helps :)

[papa_lazerous]

I will wait till my 15 days is up. I've been told by RM this includes Saturdays.

Have already contacted my sorting office directly and RM customer services contacted them on my behalf and they stated they have no backlog and are not holding any of my mail. I will of course check again, probably after Easter to give everything a chance.

I personally think I'm on a sticky wicket about getting the sellers to re send. All companies seem concerned about is that they can prove they sent it. While that may not be right, we all know that's how it is

[mazza111]

I will wait till my 15 days is up. I've been told by RM this includes Saturdays.

Have already contacted my sorting office directly and RM customer services contacted them on my behalf and they stated they have no backlog and are not holding any of my mail. I will of course check again, probably after Easter to give everything a chance.

I personally think I'm on a sticky wicket about getting the sellers to re send. All companies seem concerned about is that they can prove they sent it. While that may not be right, we all know that's how it is

But that's the point. If they can prove they've sent it, it's them who will get the compensation from Royal Mail for things going missing, not you. It's their responsibility to make sure you receive your items. All to do with who has the contract with who I'm afraid. It's really up to the sender to chase this up, but unless you contact them, they won't know that the items haven't been received as yet. This is the kind of thing that the Distance Selling Regulations were made for.

3.35 Yes. Where the DSRs give consumers rights to cancel, this right is
unconditional. If consumers cancel before they have received the
goods you must refund the total price of the goods, including any
delivery charges. Consumers who have cancelled under the DSRs
may refuse to accept delivery of the goods. Refusal in such a
situation cannot be treated as a breach of contract.
3.36 Where goods are lost in transit from you to the consumer you will
need to either send new goods or offer the consumer a full refund,
including delivery charges. See paragraph 3.20 for more information.

Quoted from http://www.oft.gov.uk/about-the-oft/leg ... gulations/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[papa_lazerous]

Mazza you are a star! All in writing like that I can just contact them quoting that and not lose

[mazza111]

Glad I could be of assistance :) You can see why RM wanted to get rid of me eh :D

[papa_lazerous]

Glad I could be of assistance :) You can see why RM wanted to get rid of me eh :D

I thought to myself with a fresh wind of hope that sod it I will just ring up people now.... First company told them its not been recieved. they said oh ok we'll pop it in the post again.
Second company said ok we will re send.
Third company said I can prove I sent it, and I said I can prove I didnt recieve it... And quoted the paragraph you kindly inserted. And the guy said ok not a problem I will re post today.

The other 3 are ebay and I have sent a mail to each, 1 is recorded so may kick up a fuss the other 2 dont have proof they sent so cant even try and wiggle. Paypal will have to refund me otherwise. At the end of the day I know they sent the items but its not my fault I havent recieved them, if they can prove they sent it then they will get refunded by claiming from RM if they cant prove they sent it then more fool them lol

Happy again

[mazza111]

Glad it's sorted out from your side anyhoo, now RM will surely notice that amount being missing for same address when the different senders call up to claim from them :)