Care home demands apology from RM over Christmas cards

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/Ca ... 4820789.jp

THE Royal Mail has come under fire from a care home for demanding extra payments for Christmas cards.
Pat Asquith, deputy chief executive of Pennine Lodge, Todmorden, said cards sent to families of residents were being held back unless an extra £1.06 payment in handling fees and excess postage was paid.

"We have been inundated with calls saying the Post Office will only leave them if they pay the extra," she said.

There are extra postage charges for larger letters and cards. Most Christmas cards are small enough to be sent with a normal stamp, but if they are even 1mm over the limit, they are charged at the higher rate.

Mrs Asquith said she wanted an apology.

A Royal Mail spokeswoman said: "Customers wanting to send an item which is larger or heavier can check the correct postage by visiting the website, www.royalmail.com, taking it into a post office or by phoning customer services on 08457 740740."

[TrueBlueTerrier]

COMMENTS


1 Hellfire,
24/12/2008 09:23:22
I have to say, it is a business and people should send articles through the post paying the correct amount.

Even better!!! deliver the stuff personally and see the old loved ones you conveniently forget about during the rest of the year.


2 oldwarrior,
24/12/2008 10:29:27

Why should she have an apology when it is the responsibility of the sender to ensure that they have paid the corect postage - silly woman.


3 halifax1982,
24/12/2008 12:02:16
errrrmmmmm.....pay the right postage then u daft woman and people wouldn't have to foot the bill for you!!!
he doesn't deserve an apology, just maybe a little extra thought on her behalf before she posts things without the correct postage!

[Lounge Lizard]

Such from Halifax can only add to the belief that Yorkshire folk are tight-fisted.
She probably also moans when returning to her car and finding a parking ticket when she's only twenty minutes over the time she paid for.
Stupid woman.

[Stormproof]

I reckon she should pay for the surcharges on her old folks cards, they are probably being charged £500 per week each for staying in residential care so I reckon thats the least she could do, as for 'demands' an apology she can

[rhino49]

I reckon she should pay for the surcharges on her old folks cards, they are probably being charged £500 per week each for staying in residential care so I reckon thats the least she could do, as for 'demands' an apology she can

Agree entirely k66yla
It is fairly obvious in this case that the care home executive who has complained is trying to shift the blame for her own incompetence onto Royal Mail.

The residents of care homes, whether for the elderly, disabled or for those with learning difficulties are dependant to a large degree on their carers for guidance and support in accomplishing everyday tasks, and the promotion of "ordinary life principles" for those people is the main responsibility of the business concerned with their welfare.

To that end Ms Asquith should have ensured that her staff were involved wholly in the rather important event for those in their care of preparing and sending cards and ensured that all was correct. On the other hand as most care organisations are now, like us, a business, maybe they thought they could pull a fast one and save some money using their "pity us" attitude to lay the blame at Royal Mails door.

Get real - we don't give concessionary prices and you, like the rest of the country, have had two years to learn the pricing structure that is about to change again in April.

[dvbuk55]

Criticise people we might, for getting PIP wrong BUT only a couple of weeks ago it was shown that staff don't even get it right and one office had undercharged by £40,000 in the course of the year. Just another example of a scheme which hasn't worked and in truth is poorly advertised.

I'm sure that in the past when we didn't charge at Xmas, long before PIP, lots of people used to take the p*ss and always put their cards in the post without a stamp - that was when we sorted local mail at the DO and you'd get handfuls together with the same handwriting.

I must admit it does seem a bit tight when a pensioner has to be charged and I always used a bit of discretion when they came to collect.

[jacee]

Criticise people we might, for getting PIP wrong BUT only a couple of weeks ago it was shown that staff don't even get it right and one office had undercharged by £40,000 in the course of the year. Just another example of a scheme which hasn't worked and in truth is poorly advertised.

I'm sure that in the past when we didn't charge at Xmas, long before PIP, lots of people used to take the p*ss and always put their cards in the post without a stamp - that was when we sorted local mail at the DO and you'd get handfuls together with the same handwriting.

I must admit it does seem a bit tight when a pensioner has to be charged and I always used a bit of discretion when they came to collect.

Would that be the poor advertising that was delivered to every household including a template to measure the mail? Or the poor advertising that was in every post office long before and ever since the change? Where all the pensioners queue to get more pay per week than out part time staff and who probably spend at least two hours each christmas steaming off uncancelled stamps to use again. I hope the number who you make a judgement on don't impact too much on OUR pensions for the future because we are already paying for their pensions and we may have to do with somewhat less.

[dvbuk55]

Criticise people we might, for getting PIP wrong BUT only a couple of weeks ago it was shown that staff don't even get it right and one office had undercharged by £40,000 in the course of the year. Just another example of a scheme which hasn't worked and in truth is poorly advertised.

I'm sure that in the past when we didn't charge at Xmas, long before PIP, lots of people used to take the p*ss and always put their cards in the post without a stamp - that was when we sorted local mail at the DO and you'd get handfuls together with the same handwriting.

I must admit it does seem a bit tight when a pensioner has to be charged and I always used a bit of discretion when they came to collect.

Would that be the poor advertising that was delivered to every household including a template to measure the mail? Or the poor advertising that was in every post office long before and ever since the change? Where all the pensioners queue to get more pay per week than out part time staff and who probably spend at least two hours each christmas steaming off uncancelled stamps to use again. I hope the number who you make a judgement on don't impact too much on OUR pensions for the future because we are already paying for their pensions and we may have to do with somewhat less.

Has Marley not visited you yet - he usually makes an appearance on Christmas Eve - go on buy Tiny Tim a goose - no no I said BUY him one.

[DGP1]

Criticise people we might, for getting PIP wrong BUT only a couple of weeks ago it was shown that staff don't even get it right and one office had undercharged by £40,000 in the course of the year. Just another example of a scheme which hasn't worked and in truth is poorly advertised.

I'm sure that in the past when we didn't charge at Xmas, long before PIP, lots of people used to take the p*ss and always put their cards in the post without a stamp - that was when we sorted local mail at the DO and you'd get handfuls together with the same handwriting.

I must admit it does seem a bit tight when a pensioner has to be charged and I always used a bit of discretion when they came to collect.

Would that be the poor advertising that was delivered to every household including a template to measure the mail? Or the poor advertising that was in every post office long before and ever since the change? Where all the pensioners queue to get more pay per week than out part time staff and who probably spend at least two hours each christmas steaming off uncancelled stamps to use again. I hope the number who you make a judgement on don't impact too much on OUR pensions for the future because we are already paying for their pensions and we may have to do with somewhat less.

Has Marley not visited you yet - he usually makes an appearance on Christmas Eve - go on buy Tiny Tim a goose - no no I said BUY him one.

You're only annoyed because some of the cards where for you

[dvbuk55]

Criticise people we might, for getting PIP wrong BUT only a couple of weeks ago it was shown that staff don't even get it right and one office had undercharged by £40,000 in the course of the year. Just another example of a scheme which hasn't worked and in truth is poorly advertised.

I'm sure that in the past when we didn't charge at Xmas, long before PIP, lots of people used to take the p*ss and always put their cards in the post without a stamp - that was when we sorted local mail at the DO and you'd get handfuls together with the same handwriting.

I must admit it does seem a bit tight when a pensioner has to be charged and I always used a bit of discretion when they came to collect.

Would that be the poor advertising that was delivered to every household including a template to measure the mail? Or the poor advertising that was in every post office long before and ever since the change? Where all the pensioners queue to get more pay per week than out part time staff and who probably spend at least two hours each christmas steaming off uncancelled stamps to use again. I hope the number who you make a judgement on don't impact too much on OUR pensions for the future because we are already paying for their pensions and we may have to do with somewhat less.

Has Marley not visited you yet - he usually makes an appearance on Christmas Eve - go on buy Tiny Tim a goose - no no I said BUY him one.

You're only annoyed because some of the cards where for you

Wrong - they were ALL for me, these besotted geriatric chicks can't get enough of the wrinkled one - they say it saves on ribbed condoms - whatever they are