heathrow parcel problem

davearkley · Post by **davearkley** » 18 Aug 2016, 14:38

This seems to be a fundamental problem with information and accountability.
I have been waiting for a parcel (tracking number RS107991775CN) sent to me via China Post quite quickly arriving Heathrow 23 July. China Post were very good and gave me all information immediately.
It has then stalled in HWDC - I have made many many calls over the last 2 days to Royal Mail, HMRC, Border Force, Battersea Dogs Home etc etc etc - wherever I could locate a number and I have had problems everytime trying to speak to someone. Each conversation has ended with "I cant help you"
No one seems to have a number for a contact at Heathrow and I have been told I cant raise an investigation - it has to be the sender - unfortunately he is not contactable due to serious illness.
Why is it that I am unable to investigate a parcel located in this country and addressed to me - yet someone in China who cant speak english must do this on my behalf.
Also why is there a record of the parcel arriving at HWDC but no one can actually tell me where it is. Can we ask the person who scanned it in - where he put it?
More to the point - why? after its been sat there for nearly a month is there no movement/record /information/accountability and why hasnt any information (or God forbid - the parcel !!!) been passed to Royal Mail for eventual (dare I suggest) delivery to me - other than telling Royal Mail that they have it and the time of arrival. - Its bizarre.
I need to contact HWDC - someone needs a rocket or a P45. You cant run a businees this way - no wonder theres always problems. I would hate to think I was importing from China often. It would have been quicker to fly over and bring the thing back with me. I need some help. Who is in charge of HWDC.

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 18 Aug 2016, 15:42

You cant run a business this way

Happily WE (as in this site) don't. I am afraid this site has no official (or unofficial) recognition by Royal Mail. We are a forum for postal workers that got a few Customer Queries so we started a Customer area (which is why I moved your thread here), we can only offer insight, unofficial advice and the benefit of experience from members across many different functions of the business.

There äre no Customer facing numbers at HWDC and there is no one trained in customer service there either, which is why RM prefer you to go through their trained staff.

HWDC is also a customs clearing house and experience from customers posting the same queries as you, seem to suggest that delays up to 4 weeks, or more, are not uncommon.

Once it has passed through Customs and handed back to RM after inspection/investigation then it should be processed through to the delivery office overnight, they will either deliver it or raise a card if Customs have imposed any charges.

Asking the person who scanned it. It's unlikely they'll remember it, the scanners are used by multiple people and on an average day there are 100s of workers and hundreds of thousands of items going through HWDC.

In essence, we can't help and RM can't do anything but wait for Customs.

However to clear one misconception the sender needs to contact Chine post, who will start an investigation, they will contact Royal Mail and they will respond. it sounds daft, but your contract is with the sender, their contract is with China Post, and China Posts is with Royal Mail. with that in mind and with this litigious society RM have to be fairly precise in who they deal with as regards contracts.

Sorry, we can't help any further.

davearkley · Post by **davearkley** » 18 Aug 2016, 18:21

Hi
Thanks for your remarks and your interest. I do appreciate the enormous task they have.
Possibly I'm wrong in thinking that I am the legal owner of this parcel?
I have contacted Customs and they dont have any information regarding the tracking number and they dont have the parcel - so a blank there. Border Force have no interest as a suspicious parcel
Royal Mail operate HWDC so you would expect them to know where it is. Wrong. They dont know if its cleared customs or not. So I have not had any cards or calls relating to this delivery from anyone.
The remark regarding the contact with the guy scanning the parcels was a feeble attempt at humour - their must be millions of parcels going through at any one time.
The sender is Chinese and while he speaks a little english he is very ill so not contactable. This leaves me in limbo as I cant generate an investigation.
I will contact China Post and ask if they will look into it - its bizarre that I need to go to China to get answers on a parcel located in the UK. Its just a nonsense.
It appears that the right hand wont let the left hand know whats going on. There should be some way of direct contact for these situations.
In the meantime I must just sit and wait? and assume that eventually it will turn up - this is after nearly 4 weeks - lets just live in hope. I wont be using this service again.
Sorry for the rant but I had 5-6 weeks before I needed these vital parts - after this my business will close down - I hoped that this would be enough time.
I'm terrified of the effects of this.

Post by **Snaggletooth** » 18 Aug 2016, 19:11

HMRC are not responsible to anyone except central government, and HMRC do not do any scanning. If you have a complaint about them, you need to contact your MP.

Royal Mail have no choice but to put things through customs, it's the law.

HWDC is owned by Royal Mail but HMRC rent part of it for their operation.

Goalmaster6 · Post by **Goalmaster6** » 18 Aug 2016, 23:05

HI Dave,

I know how you feel. I've ordered many products from China and this is the first time i've had a problem with delivery time.

I ordered a pair of football boots from China (RM712206522CN) with the last updates on 17track being that they have been handed over to the airline for shipment. After now checking the Royal Mail website my package has been sitting in Heathrow DC since !3:00 27th July.

I have no idea why it is taking over 3 weeks to get my parcel cleared through customs and to me but i am finding it completely ridiculous considering i've never had this problem before.

davearkley · Post by **davearkley** » 19 Aug 2016, 11:43

Hi Guys
Yes I do understand that HMRC are a law unto themselves and an essential process - my question is, why is it that I cant find out whether its lost stolen or held up at customs. I have enquired at customs and they have no record so it would appear that the problem is with HWDC and they are using Customs as an excuse.
HWDC should be able to release a record of this status. Mearly saying that it arrived at HWDC nearly 4 weeks ago and now they dont know where it is is totally unacceptable.
If its lost then I can try to start a trace as the longer I wait the more difficult it gets. Is there a lost property section to contact?
Its the lack of information thats frustrating - after all it is my property and I should be allowed to ask where it is.
It could even have been delivered to the wrong address and I dont know about it although I would assume this would show on RM tracking.

Post by **SpacePhoenix** » 19 Aug 2016, 20:05

davearkley wrote:Hi Guys
Yes I do understand that HMRC are a law unto themselves and an essential process - my question is, why is it that I cant find out whether its lost stolen or held up at customs. I have enquired at customs and they have no record so it would appear that the problem is with HWDC and they are using Customs as an excuse.
HWDC should be able to release a record of this status. Mearly saying that it arrived at HWDC nearly 4 weeks ago and now they dont know where it is is totally unacceptable.
If its lost then I can try to start a trace as the longer I wait the more difficult it gets. Is there a lost property section to contact?
Its the lack of information thats frustrating - after all it is my property and I should be allowed to ask where it is.
It could even have been delivered to the wrong address and I dont know about it although I would assume this would show on RM tracking.

Until the item is released by customs, there's nothing that Royal Mail can do. Customs don't scan anything when stuff is handed to them or when it's released by them to Royal Mail

davearkley · Post by **davearkley** » 19 Aug 2016, 21:11

Hi
Yes I can fully understand and appreciate the need for tight customs controls
What I cant understand is why there is no trace of this other than a confirmation that it arrived at HWDC on 23rd July.
Customs dont know if they have it as they dont scan RM dont know if its still with HWDC or Customs or lost or stolen or what!
If someone could just tell me where this is and an estimated delivery time. I will need to make provision in case its lost.
so frustrating and will be very expensive for me to sort an alternative.
Do I just keep checking the RM tracking site or is there another tracking system I can look at.

Post by **Snaggletooth** » 20 Aug 2016, 08:50

The only thing you can do is check the tracking sites.

After 5 weeks, your item will officially be regarded as lost (even though it is quite likely to turn up later). At that point you can make a claim for loss by submitting a P58international form. It is recommended that the sender submits the claim, because they will know much more of the detail that RM want to know, however it is possible but more difficult for you to claim.

On the face of it, the way you describe the seller does seem a bit dodgy: stops communicating after the item is sent etc. It might be genuine, but there are several hallmarks of a scam in the way you describe this.

davearkley · Post by **davearkley** » 20 Aug 2016, 14:05

Hi
I have had an email of apology from the sender - just been very ill so communication has been shut down for a while
I did wonder at one stage but it all seemed OK. So - I have asked him to initiate an investigation. He has agreed to do this.
The parcel actually was scanned at HWDC at 15.20 on 23rd July so its not a scam (unless the box is empty)
Its just my patience is so stretched - this is an important delivery and it was at HWDC within 3 days of him sending it via China Post. DHL or Fed EX would have been better for internal processing.
I will keep checking RM tracking but in the meantime I am contacting my MP regarding this HMRC fiasco.

davearkley · Post by **davearkley** » 21 Aug 2016, 16:51

Hi
I have had an email of apology from the sender - just been very ill so communication has been shut down for a while
I did wonder at one stage but it all seemed OK. So - I have asked him to initiate an investigation. He has agreed to do this.
The parcel actually was scanned at HWDC at 15.20 on 23rd July so its not a scam (unless the box is empty)
Its just my patience is so stretched - this is an important delivery and it was at HWDC within 3 days of him sending it via China Post. DHL or Fed EX would have been better for internal processing.
I will keep checking RM tracking but in the meantime I am contacting my MP regarding this HMRC fiasco.

Post by **SpacePhoenix** » 21 Aug 2016, 21:54

davearkley wrote: DHL or Fed EX would have been better for internal processing.

Both DHL and FedEx track every single last item that passes through their system, so can probably take any given item down to both the flight over and which cargo pod it's in so if customs choose a certain cargo pod for closer inspection they'll be in a position to update the status for all items in that pod to show that their being inspected by customs. National postal operators (like Royal Mail, China Post, USPS, etc) don't track every single last item passing through their system as they handle way more items per day, though I wouldn't be surprised if they all eventually track all parcels.