mail left in commual areas

[KS]

Can anyone explain this situation to me. A sack of mail is left inside the communal foyer area of an apartment block all day,visible to anyone coming in/out of the building. It's left there ready for me to deliver. It is gated access so would only really be accessible to residents and their visitors, or an opportunist. This sack contains mail for houses about half amile away - not just the residents in the apartments. Anyone entering this building has access to all of this mail. However I have been told that I cannot "doorstep" a parcel for a resident in that same building.
Personally I don't think it can be right leaving all that mail in such a visible place in the first place, but how crazy is that. It's OK to leave all that mail unattended all day but can't leave a parcel for someone who actually lives there. If I lived there I would have been tempted to rummage through to find any mail for myself.

[Tank]

That mail is not secure in my eyes if anything goes missing you will be to blame, I would tell your dim to find a proper secure drop if I was you!

[KS]

It was a manager that left in there! Am i still held responsible if anything happens to it?

[POSTMAN]

Refuse to us it as a drop off point/safe drop end of.
You know it's there,you use it....think about it.

[KS]

I guess that's what happens when you are new and there is no training, and no standard operating procedures given. New on the round and it is usually done in a van. They had me doing it with a HCT yesterday, using that as a drop off point!!!!

[Pat Ostman]

Postman is right, refuse, however your DIM/manager will harass, bully and promise you it's ok before he will do anything. In Royal Mail land you will be seen as a pain in the ass because now they have to manage and they really hate doing that.

You will more than likely need to take it all the way or get your union rep to witness that the DIM will take full responsibility.

He won't more than likely and arrange something else.

[PhilthyPhil]

Safe drops are supposed to be inspected and approved by royal mail security (often refered to as ib). Ask your manager to provide the documentation approving this safe drop. He won't be able to provide this because there is no way the communal entrance to a block of flats would be an approved safe drop, so then you refuse to use it.

[KS]

Thanks for all the informative replies. Every day feels like navigating a mine field. Some of the practices I have seen in my short time with RM are shocking. So glad I found this site fairly early on.

[Mr Rush]

If it was an approved drop point like a shop or residential property, RM would be paying for the use and there would be documentation certifying that. This sounds a lot like a freebie drop of point. Anyway, I thought the practice of paid drop points was ended? Maybe it was just a local decision.

[newtimes]

Thanks for all the informative replies. Every day feels like navigating a mine field. Some of the practices I have seen in my short time with RM are shocking. So glad I found this site fairly early on.

I was the same when I began at RM a few years ago, took me ages to find this site, I thought I was the only one with the concerns till I started using this forum.

[KS]

Yeah, I've made it my personal mission to tell any new starters about it - I leave the website address on a piece of paper tucked underneath the windscreen wiper on their cars so they can see it as they deliver mail from it.

[chooch]

Yes, I can see that working.. reach round or wipers on max. to remove the flyer, prang...

'You need to look up RMC, they've got lots of info. for people who are in the process of getting screwed over by Royal mail... . '


Bitter? Who you callin' Bitter Mush?! ('jokes')

[POSTMAN]

I leave the website address on a piece of paper tucked underneath the windscreen wiper on their cars so they can see it as they deliver mail from it.

Yep,they are more than welcome on here.......it's been too nicey nicey lately.