Lost special

Oxygenpro · Post by **Oxygenpro** » 10 May 2019, 19:58

Postie45 wrote: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.

What exactly does conducting involve. Only been with RM a year and had no issues with anything to date. I rang manager today as I'm on day off and it was stressing me out. He said don't worry I'm not going to lose my job but that's it.

norris9 · Post by **norris9** » 10 May 2019, 20:36

I looked up about the Special Delivery service and as far as I understand a sender can also pay for something called 'Consequential Loss Cover' in which the sender can claim up to £10,000 for loss. WOW!

I hope these Consequential Loss Cover parcels are not given to typical Posties who deliver mail and parcels in bags with holes in them....I hope these parcels are delivered by a Postie who focuses on delivering anything of high value and I hope he/she drives a bullet proof van.

Surely regular Posties don't touch things that could be worth £10,000 ? like gold bars, diamond rings....

twoloops · Post by **twoloops** » 10 May 2019, 21:26

I delivered a special, the customer told me it was a £30,000 Rolex watch that had been for repair, looking at his house & car I had no reason not to believe him?

Postie45 · Post by **Postie45** » 10 May 2019, 22:12

Oxygenpro wrote:
Postie45 wrote: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.
What exactly does conducting involve. Only been with RM a year and had no issues with anything to date. I rang manager today as I'm on day off and it was stressing me out. He said don't worry I'm not going to lose my job but that's it.

firstly, make sure you go into any meetings with your union rep. Your story seems watertight to me, as you followed procedure, yet it went missing *somehow* and maybe even after it was handed into the post office, correct me if im wrong here that could be a possibility ?
As for conduct, if youre found to be at fault, and we`re a long way from that imo then you will basically be given a warning, havent heard of anyone ever losing their job over losing 1 special. But its not great to have that on your record. But as i say, fight it till it gets to that point, if there can be any question at what point the item went missing and that you followed procedure 100% I dont see how they could conduct you, but of course they are going to investigate it.

cheerful · Post by **cheerful** » 10 May 2019, 22:15

norris9 wrote:I looked up about the Special Delivery service and as far as I understand a sender can also pay for something called 'Consequential Loss Cover' in which the sender can claim up to £10,000 for loss. WOW!

I hope these Consequential Loss Cover parcels are not given to typical Posties who deliver mail and parcels in bags with holes in them....I hope these parcels are delivered by a Postie who focuses on delivering anything of high value and I hope he/she drives a bullet proof van.

Surely regular Posties don't touch things that could be worth £10,000 ? like gold bars, diamond rings....

SD covers up to £500 worth of goods (gold, diamond rings, currency), upgradable to £2500 for an extra fee.

The consequential loss isn't on normal SD's, but can be bought as an extra, it goes up to £10k, but isn't for the physical goods value. It'll cover things like a house auction paperwork, which could cause loss of deposit if it was lost, or sending off for a solar panel rebate scheme, the day before the scheme ends.

I worked behind a Post Office counter for many years, and only saw it used about once every couple of years.

Heard of a guy who would send his holiday photos to be developed (showing my age) by SD with consequential loss, since in his opinion the only way to replace the holiday photos would be to send him on the holiday again. No idea if that would work though.

Postie45 · Post by **Postie45** » 10 May 2019, 22:18

RM are not as serious as they should be about SDs, they should be tracked the whole way through - we sign for them at the locker, then theyre signed on receipt. But if my office is like anyone elses the custody of these specials is very flimsy if theyre undelivered, when returning them to the office we just leave them on a desk - no signing them and confirming them back in, basically there for anyone to take. Luckily posties tend to be pretty honest bunch, but that doesnt change the fact that if anything does go missing or mislaid once the postie returns them to the office there is nothing to say they ever gave up the chain of custody of the item. It is rare that a SD does go missing, but the worry that the OP is facing right now is a consequence of bad procedures in place for non delivered SDs.

Postie45 · Post by **Postie45** » 10 May 2019, 22:25

cheerful wrote: Heard of a guy who would send his holiday photos to be developed (showing my age) by SD with consequential loss, since in his opinion the only way to replace the holiday photos would be to send him on the holiday again. No idea if that would work though.

haha no chance, the loss would be the price paid to have the photos developed, the photos themselves have intangible value. It would be different if it was say a work of art which had been previously assessed and professionally valued.

Sledge4211 · Post by **Sledge4211** » 10 May 2019, 22:46

I rather not know what’s inside a SD package/parcel but the thought of losing it makes me nervous lol - just focus on getting it delivered before the 1pm deadline and bring it back to the depot safely - nothing else matters - your job is the most important thing! not what the customer has in his package.

norris9 · Post by **norris9** » 11 May 2019, 06:42

Sledge4211 wrote:I rather not know what’s inside a SD package/parcel but the thought of losing it makes me nervous lol - just focus on getting it delivered before the 1pm deadline and bring it back to the depot safely - nothing else matters - your job is the most important thing! not what the customer has in his package.

I think if I was able to go out on a round on my own then I'd feel more comfortable dealing with the Special Deliveries. I'd probably just get any timed ones done right away, make sure they are always put in the same place where they can't get wet or fall out the van. I'd drive to the relevant loop, park outside the house, jump out, deliver the special, then deliver the post and parcels for that loop, then head to the next loop with the next special and do the same again.

With a van share you have got to do it the way the other Postie wants to do it and sometime have to rely on the other Postie to keep an eye on them. They get shoved into overloaded bags with holes in them and you have to remember the house they are for as we don't mark them up with a turned letter or docket. Then any non-delivered ones you put back into a hectic looking van with bags and parcels everywhere.

Post by **SpacePhoenix** » 11 May 2019, 06:48

Postie45 wrote:RM are not as serious as they should be about SDs, they should be tracked the whole way through - we sign for them at the locker, then theyre signed on receipt. But if my office is like anyone elses the custody of these specials is very flimsy if theyre undelivered, when returning them to the office we just leave them on a desk - no signing them and confirming them back in, basically there for anyone to take. Luckily posties tend to be pretty honest bunch, but that doesnt change the fact that if anything does go missing or mislaid once the postie returns them to the office there is nothing to say they ever gave up the chain of custody of the item. It is rare that a SD does go missing, but the worry that the OP is facing right now is a consequence of bad procedures in place for non delivered SDs.

Does the person who works in your SD locker also cover the callers office or are they separate duties?

Oxygenpro · Post by **Oxygenpro** » 11 May 2019, 14:53

It turned up! Covering the round again today and as I pull one of my bags out, the strap hooks onto the catch that opens the divider between the cab and the back of the van, it falls open and there it is!

Bahia Feliz · Post by **Bahia Feliz** » 11 May 2019, 15:13

Hooray,phew!!

Oxygenpro · Post by **Oxygenpro** » 11 May 2019, 15:24

Bahia Feliz wrote:Hooray,phew!!

Yep that's what I thought. It's a failure but the managers don't think I've nicked the 500 euros that is in it!

yellowbelly · Post by **yellowbelly** » 11 May 2019, 15:55

Oxygenpro wrote:It turned up! Covering the round again today and as I pull one of my bags out, the strap hooks onto the catch that opens the divider between the cab and the back of the van, it falls open and there it is!

- Have a good weekend!!

Postie45 · Post by **Postie45** » 11 May 2019, 16:22

SpacePhoenix wrote: Does the person who works in your SD locker also cover the callers office or are they separate duties?

separate duties