Why Royal Mail's 'next day' delivery is not so special

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2010/fe ... mpensation" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I recently sent my annual accounts back to Companies House. I had left it until the last minute, so I posted them on a Friday using the Royal Mail's special delivery next day service so that they would arrive before 1pm on Saturday, a day ­before the deadline. Royal Mail failed to deliver the accounts on time and records show they arrived at 8.12am on the Monday. Due to the delay, I have been charged a late penalty fee of £150.

I have called Royal Mail about its failure and it tells me that the guaranteed next day delivery service means it will "attempt to deliver the package" and if it can't, it will refund the postage fee. I think this is very misleading and totally unfair. What can I do? ET, London

The Royal Mail website is completely clear and unambiguous about the special delivery next day service. It says that the service you paid a total of £7.15 for, an additional £2.20 more than the normal price because of the Saturday delivery, "gives you the peace of mind to know it'll be ­guaranteed to get there".

I checked with Companies House that it was open to receive mail on Saturdays and it confirmed that it was open 24/7 – so no get-out here for Royal Mail. I put it to Royal Mail that it was therefore liable for the consequential loss that you suffered as a result of the failure to meet its contractual obligations. Not so, said Royal Mail, which directed me to the "consequential loss" cover hidden­ further down the page on its website. It was, it said, your fault for not taking out this additional insurance at an ­extra cost of £1.70 that would have then paid up for its incompetence.

This insurance was not offered in the post office where you posted the accounts and neither you, nor I, had ever heard of it. Royal Mail, in my opinion, has got this completely wrong and needs to amend its website due to highly misleading use of the term "guaranteed".

The service that you paid for included £500 cover for loss or damage and I think it should also include some automatic cover for consequential loss. I know that you are now thinking about county court action. On the balance of probabilities, I think you will have a fighting chance of ­getting your £150.

Steve Playle is team leader at Surrey Trading Standards Service.

[floydy]

Fancy leaving something so important till the last minute....What a Wally

[steven100]

Fancy leaving something so important till the last minute....What a Wally

And expecting RM to deliver it on time too.

[not me]

he sent it to companies house who would probably be open in Saturday but would their be someone to sign?

[eian687]

propbably shut like most bussiness on a saturday
should have posted it earlier

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/toolsT ... cent.shtml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Opening hours - Monday to Friday 9.00am - 5.00pm

[jockstrapp]

Easy answer..................................DON'T USE ROYAL FAIL for anything important.......

Last week had guaranteed 9am delivery............no chance i never got it until after 9am and no-one gave a f#ck.

[Stormproof]

Hes probably angry with himself for leaving it so late to post stuff and wants to blame someone The pricing given by the Trading Standards bloke don't add up, its 2 quid extra for a SG special.

[Itsa]

Knowing these government departments even if they are open the chances are they have a Saturday retention in place so it would not have been delivered anyway until Monday morning. I can't believe anyone would think that HM Revenue and Customs would be available on a Saturday surely everyone knows the only state run organisation working outside the 9 to 5 Monday to Friday regime is Royal Mail....!!!!

[naughton]

I sent a letter to post office pension that had to be there friday(guaranteed ) £4-95 checked to see if it had arrived (about 25 mile journey) STILL IN CHESTERFIELD DELIVERY OFFICE-OFFERED MY MONEY BACK IF I FI LL IN A FORM-BIG DEAL-F--KING USELESS -

[BlueEspresso]

We don't delved to any gov dept on my office on a sat they all have a retention agreement so even a sat guarantee special delivery will not be delivered until the Mon. That retention therefore would superside the Guarantee delivery day unfortunately covering RM for cases like this I would say.

[floydy]

Well i ordered 2 electronic items from London off ebay, quite bulky at 2:30 pm in afternoon...

they where on my frame 250 miles away at 8am the next morning recorded delivery....what a great service we provide


most of the time

[Stormproof]

Well i ordered 2 electronic items from London off ebay, quite bulky at 2:30 pm in afternoon...

they where on my frame 250 miles away at 8am the next morning recorded delivery....what a great service we provide


most of the time

The trouble is people soon forget about the good stuff

[naughton]

i ve worked as a postman for 24 years,i know the good stuff,but if taking my pension early is put back 3years because something that is supposed to be GUARANTEED fails im not going to be happy-the letter as got to chesterfield sorting office ,they have just not delivered it -thanks you evers fault that is-T-AT

[not me]

Knowing these government departments even if they are open the chances are they have a Saturday retention in place so it would not have been delivered anyway until Monday morning. I can't believe anyone would think that HM Revenue and Customs would be available on a Saturday surely everyone knows the only state run organisation working outside the 9 to 5 Monday to Friday regime is Royal Mail....!!!!

we have some where we can deliver mail on a Saturday(security takes it) but nobody is in to take signature items so these are held till Monday