Lost special

Oxygenpro · Post by **Oxygenpro** » 09 May 2019, 17:24

Advise please,

So yesterday I was on a van share and we had 12 specials, of which 2 were towards the end of the round so we decided to get them out the way and not have to worry about them. Mine wasn't in so I carded it and my colleague asked me to put it in a tray in the back of the van. Fast forward to this morning and my manager asks me what I know about it, I explain that I put it in the back of the van at 10am and after that I have no access to the van until halfway round the round where we local collect stuff to the post office in the village, but as I am there after my colleague he has already taken all the notice lefts inside. It turns out the only scan on the item is me at the door so it has been lost between me putting it in the van (my colleague saw me put it there and is freely admitting so) and him getting to the post office half way round.

My question is really what is the procedure for this? As far as I'm concerned I wouldn't have done anything different. I'm expecting a call on my day off as the customer has complained and it was foreign currency.

leolion855 · Post by **leolion855** » 09 May 2019, 17:33

Can you check at the local collect place?

Oxygenpro · Post by **Oxygenpro** » 09 May 2019, 17:36

They've already checked. Nothing was scanned there and they've gone through everything to see if 2 were stook together or something.

number one · Post by **number one** » 09 May 2019, 17:45

Might be in a tray/bag. They usually always turn up

Oxygenpro · Post by **Oxygenpro** » 09 May 2019, 17:52

Just wondered what happens if it doesn't show up. It's the other guys duty, I was just covering for the walker as he's off sick. He's emptied his van/bags and nothing there.

scoobymunster · Post by **scoobymunster** » 09 May 2019, 19:20

You sure it wasn't between two trays put inside one another? Usually it'll turn up, ended up in a collection bag or something etc.

scoobydo79 · Post by **scoobydo79** » 09 May 2019, 20:04

I’m thinking it will turn up.They usually do.At the Sub? Gone into the collection? In a cassette?

Bahia Feliz · Post by **Bahia Feliz** » 10 May 2019, 16:19

Any sign of it yet?

Oxygenpro · Post by **Oxygenpro** » 10 May 2019, 16:45

Nope, all I can think is it's been dropped or something. Van/bags were checked top to bottom. There was only one tray in the van and it was the one containing all the specials. Post office have checked everywhere and we know the only scan was when I scanned it as no answer on the door step.

What's annoying me is the grief I'm gonna get for it when I know 100% my only contact with it was to put it back in the tray.

yellowbelly · Post by **yellowbelly** » 10 May 2019, 17:52

Oxygenpro wrote:Advise please,

So yesterday I was on a van share and we had 12 specials, of which 2 were towards the end of the round so we decided to get them out the way and not have to worry about them. Mine wasn't in so I carded it and my colleague asked me to put it in a tray in the back of the van. Fast forward to this morning and my manager asks me what I know about it, I explain that I put it in the back of the van at 10am and after that I have no access to the van until halfway round the round where we local collect stuff to the post office in the village, but as I am there after my colleague he has already taken all the notice lefts inside. It turns out the only scan on the item is me at the door so it has been lost between me putting it in the van (my colleague saw me put it there and is freely admitting so) and him getting to the post office half way round.

My question is really what is the procedure for this? As far as I'm concerned I wouldn't have done anything different. I'm expecting a call on my day off as the customer has complained and it was foreign currency.

If your colleague agrees with what you've said above (which I've highlighted) and is willing to say so, how can you bear any responsibility for it's current whereabouts?

arnold cheshire · Post by **arnold cheshire** » 10 May 2019, 17:58

You handed it in ? If so it's been stolen not your responsibility to watch it in the locker

postslippete · Post by **postslippete** » 10 May 2019, 18:40

We used to have a book for writing in the addresses of special delivery items that we handed back in and they would stamp it to say that they have received it. Its easy how things can go missing so its always best to cover your back as best as possible. In our office the responsibility of the Specials lies with the driver who signs for them and its small wonder that many posties who work for Royal Mail don't like being the nominated driver.

Postie45 · Post by **Postie45** » 10 May 2019, 19:29

To me its a lack of proper procedure for handover of specials at the PO that should get you off the hook for any wrongdoing. if there is no process in place to sign over the specials at the desk when handing them over, then its impossible for anyone to say where the blame lies. Your partner could have handed it in and it was lost at the PO for all anyone could actually know.
This is not to say RM wont try to conduct you for this, they likely will if it hasnt turned up.

norris9 · Post by **norris9** » 10 May 2019, 19:42

postslippete wrote:We used to have a book for writing in the addresses of special delivery items that we handed back in and they would stamp it to say that they have received it. Its easy how things can go missing so its always best to cover your back as best as possible. In our office the responsibility of the Specials lies with the driver who signs for them and its small wonder that many posties who work for Royal Mail don't like being the nominated driver.

Who decides who is the 'nominated driver'? and is it fairly swopped about?

I have people at my depot who refuse to drive....is this allowed?

Oxygenpro · Post by **Oxygenpro** » 10 May 2019, 19:56

yellowbelly wrote:
Oxygenpro wrote:Advise please,

So yesterday I was on a van share and we had 12 specials, of which 2 were towards the end of the round so we decided to get them out the way and not have to worry about them. Mine wasn't in so I carded it and my colleague asked me to put it in a tray in the back of the van. Fast forward to this morning and my manager asks me what I know about it, I explain that I put it in the back of the van at 10am and after that I have no access to the van until halfway round the round where we local collect stuff to the post office in the village, but as I am there after my colleague he has already taken all the notice lefts inside. It turns out the only scan on the item is me at the door so it has been lost between me putting it in the van (my colleague saw me put it there and is freely admitting so) and him getting to the post office half way round.

My question is really what is the procedure for this? As far as I'm concerned I wouldn't have done anything different. I'm expecting a call on my day off as the customer has complained and it was foreign currency.
If your colleague agrees with what you've said above (which I've highlighted) and is willing to say so, how can you bear any responsibility for it's current whereabouts?

That is my thinking. The facts are that 1. I've scanned at doorstep 2. Driver has seen me put back in van after leaving notice with customer 3. I then have no access to the back of the van. To me a logical manager would see that I can't be blamed once I hand it to driver.