Parcel stuck in customs or lost or...??

AE7 · Post by **AE7** » 15 Oct 2019, 12:27

so I had sent a parcel to French Polynesia using royal mail international signed for. I sent it on Friday 4th October. On Royal mail tracking it says "Your item has left the UK and is now on its way to the destination country. "

Regarding the contents of the parcel; it was a letter, 2 pencils, and a little trinket box. weight was around 150 grams.

I thought this should be delivered in 5-7 days so what's wrong? is it stuck in customs? lost?

Post by **Snaggletooth** » 15 Oct 2019, 18:16

The contents should not be a problem, depending on what the trinket box is made of.

For some destination countries, the parcel will receive little or no tracking after it leaves the UK. This means that it is hard to tell if it is delivered to the locker, stuck in customs etc without feedback from the recipient.

AE7 · Post by **AE7** » 16 Oct 2019, 12:55

So I contacted Royal mail customer services on Sunday 13th October and got a reply today:

Thank you for contacting us.

I’m sorry an item of mail posted in the UK hasn’t yet arrived and can fully understand your concerns.

We aim to deliver any International items within three to five working days after posting to Europe, and within five to seven working days after posting to the rest of the world. I’m sorry it’s not yet been delivered.

I’ve checked our tracking system and, I’m really sorry, there’s no further information on your item at the moment. I’m unable to say why it hasn’t been delivered.

I'm sorry to have to advise that we do not hold any information on how a foreign postal service will handle your item; you or the recipient would need to contact the local postal service at the destination to have such queries answered.

An item being sent to Europe is only considered lost if it’s not delivered within 20 working days after the date it was due to be delivered. For an item going to the rest of the world, it’s 25 working days. Experience tells us items can still arrive within these timescales.

Any claims relating to international mail sent from the UK must be made by the sender, even if the item can be tracked as entering the recipient’s country. This is part of the Universal Postal Agreement with all our international partners. More information on this agreement can be found at http://www.upu.int" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I’m sorry again that you’ve had to contact us and I hope you find this information useful. If you still need help, please visit our Help and Support Centre on our website at http://www.royalmail.com/help" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I did ask the recipient and she said it can take up to a month for it to get delivered, so I shouldn't worry to much at this stage?
Well the reason I'm worried is because the letter is priceless to me. Anyway the trinket box is made from metal with a silver finish.

AE7 · Post by **AE7** » 23 Oct 2019, 12:56

an update on the tracking:

Friday 04 October
04:54pm
Sender preparing item

Friday 04 October
08:48pm
Item received at
South Midlands Mail Centre

Saturday 05 October
06:53am
Item Received by Royal Mail
LANGLEY HWDC

Tuesday 08 October
04:18am
Item Leaving the UK
LANGLEY HWDC

Friday 18 October
01:44pm
Item Received
PPT CENTRE TRAITEMENT COURRIER AIR, French Polynesia

My friend still hasn't received the parcel so my question is, why is it taking so long to deliver it?

yellowbelly · Post by **yellowbelly** » 23 Oct 2019, 13:54

AE7 wrote:an update on the tracking:

Friday 04 October
04:54pm
Sender preparing item

Friday 04 October
08:48pm
Item received at
South Midlands Mail Centre

Saturday 05 October
06:53am
Item Received by Royal Mail
LANGLEY HWDC

Tuesday 08 October
04:18am
Item Leaving the UK
LANGLEY HWDC

Friday 18 October
01:44pm
Item Received
PPT CENTRE TRAITEMENT COURRIER AIR, French Polynesia

My friend still hasn't received the parcel so my question is, why is it taking so long to deliver it?

Well it looks like it's got to French Polynesia - unfortunately nobody on this site or at Royal Mail will know for definite why it hasn't been delivered,
that's dependent on customs/postal service at the end destination. Having briefly researched French Polynesia it seems to consist
of numerous islands so I wouldn't be surprised if the postal service is infrequent between the islands.......

AE7 · Post by **AE7** » 26 Oct 2019, 00:36

On the RM tracking site, there’s new info but I don’t understand what it means, can someone explain?

Tracking is: RU855087428GB

Thanks.

Post by **Snaggletooth** » 26 Oct 2019, 06:17

AE7 wrote:On the RM tracking site, there’s new info but I don’t understand what it means, can someone explain?

Tracking is: RU855087428GB

Yes, "PFO520" isn't very helpful. I guess it is a local service code that RM's system doesn't recognise. A bit of searching on the local postal service website got this tracking information:

Envoi en cours de traitement. Merci d'attendre votre avis en BP ou en poste restante pour effectuer le retrait de votre envoi (Poste De Pirae - Tahiti)

Google translate got me to:

Sending during treatment. Thank you to wait for your opinion in BP or in the remaining position to make the withdrawal of your shipment (Poste De Pirae - Tahiti)

Which isn't that helpful. Hopefully your French is better than mine. Maybe it means that it is at the locker and waiting to be collected????

AE7 · Post by **AE7** » 26 Oct 2019, 13:16

Thanks for your reply.

I also have no idea what this means as I speak English. Asking the receiver, she said “the parcel is here, you have to wait”

She said she may have it tomorrow(Saturday) or maybe Monday.

Fingers crossed that it’s finally there as it’s been a pain!

Once again, thanks for your help and guidance.

AE7 · Post by **AE7** » 26 Oct 2019, 13:20

I forgot to mention in my previous post, I used international signed so I don’t know what’s going to happen since it’s a locker. Will they put a note in the locker in order to notify the receiver to sign the parcel? Or will it get sent back to me? Or will they keep the parcel for a certain number of days then send it back?

Thanks

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 27 Oct 2019, 01:19

AE7 wrote:I forgot to mention in my previous post, I used international signed so I don’t know what’s going to happen since it’s a locker. Will they put a note in the locker in order to notify the receiver to sign the parcel? Or will it get sent back to me? Or will they keep the parcel for a certain number of days then send it back?

Thanks

That all depends on what the operational rules are for the postal authority of that country. As we don't have Royal Mail lockers in the UK it would be difficult to say with any certainty how it would operate even here.

Ieva9206 · Post by **Ieva9206** » 04 Dec 2019, 14:18

I send parcel(only documents) 13.11.2019 from London to Georgia. 16.11 it’s show leaving the UK from Hdwc, today is 04.01.2019 and still showing the same. OR my parcel is lost? I m sending the power of atorney,because I m buying the apartments in Batumi(Georgia). So I paid deposit and now they are waiting my documents(300€ paid ) , and I can’t see any updates about my parcel. IS already 18 days ! Could you help me please to sort ir out?? RN600253425GB it looks that it stuck in alangley.. it’s showing in transit, but for too long.. 18 days ..