What is regarded a safe place?

[AMw]

Hi I hope someone on this forum could help me with a query please. I run an online retail business and recently sent out a package to a customer. I was contacted to say they had not received it. I am pretty sure the customer is lying and has had the parcel, she did say one thing though that I was hoping to clarify. What is regarded as a safe place for a postman to leave mail. This was a private house and I thought that post could only be posted through the door or postbox if there is one, left with a neighbour and a card left or, taken back to delivery office to await collection. Would it be in order for a postman to leave post in a shed?

[Himaggen]

In order for the delivery to be made to a 'Safeplace', the item must have been sent using the Tracked 24 or Tracked 48 services, the 'Safeplace' instruction printed on the label by the sender and the delivery person can access that place without compromising their own safety.

[Snaggletooth]

Speaking as a customer here, I received some home shopping via Parcelforce the other week and it was left behind a bin at the front of the house, then a PFW769 was put through the door telling me where to look. I was a bit miffed as I have no safe place instruction set up. I did get the parcel OK but am I right in saying that the driver should not have done this?

[NewPostieUK]

In my office, anywhere that is dry and out of sight is 'safe'. This is for any item that doesn't need a signature. This is totally unofficial and has implications should something go missing, but as it's quite a rural and very low crime area, most postmen seem to go along with the customers wishes. By customer, I mean person who is receiving the item, and doesn't want a 20 - 40 mile round trip to pick up a parcel.

[IcanthelpthewayIam]

Speaking as a customer here, I received some home shopping via Parcelforce the other week and it was left behind a bin at the front of the house, then a PFW769 was put through the door telling me where to look. I was a bit miffed as I have no safe place instruction set up. I did get the parcel OK but am I right in saying that the driver should not have done this?

With all due respect you are not a customer to royal mail or parcel force in that instance, the sender is and it would be the sender who would request it left in a safe place if availibility for their chosen method of delivery

[Lounge Lizard]

In my office, anywhere that is dry and out of sight is 'safe'. This is for any item that doesn't need a signature. This is totally unofficial and has implications should something go missing, but as it's quite a rural and very low crime area, most postmen seem to go along with the customers wishes. By customer, I mean person who is receiving the item, and doesn't want a 20 - 40 mile round trip to pick up a parcel.

This tends to work well in a rural location with a postman that has known the round and many of the residents for many years.

[IcanthelpthewayIam]

In my office, anywhere that is dry and out of sight is 'safe'. This is for any item that doesn't need a signature. This is totally unofficial and has implications should something go missing, but as it's quite a rural and very low crime area, most postmen seem to go along with the customers wishes. By customer, I mean person who is receiving the item, and doesn't want a 20 - 40 mile round trip to pick up a parcel.

Remember though the customer is the sender not the recipient and the customer may have preferred the item was returned to the depot and kept safe rather than being left. The customer has purchased a product with a specific delivery spec it's not up to the person delivering the item to change that spec just because he thinks he is doing someone who hasn't paid us for delivery a favour, if the customer wanted it left safe then they should have selected a service that allows that to happen it's not up to us to second guess what the customer would prefer

[AMw]

Thank you to everybody for taking the trouble to respond, your replies have been very helpful

[eric the viking]

Speaking as a customer here, I received some home shopping via Parcelforce the other week and it was left behind a bin at the front of the house, then a PFW769 was put through the door telling me where to look. I was a bit miffed as I have no safe place instruction set up. I did get the parcel OK but am I right in saying that the driver should not have done this?

Many Parcelforce deliveries are no signature required and can be left in a place the driver thinks is safe.