Safeplace

somersetgt · Post by **somersetgt** » 15 Feb 2020, 20:01

Hi. I'm a newbie. Could someone explain to me please RM's delivery standards regarding parcels and packets. If someone isn't home, I've been leaving packets in a safe place such as a shed or locked meter box and leaving a card for the recipient letting them know. Today however, a manager said they'd received a denial of receipt complaint. Apparently a packet I left in a shed has gone missing. Can only certain packets be left with a neighbour or in a safeplace? Any advice would be appreciated as I'm now unsure what what to do with a parcel if the recipient isn't home.

Post by **greengiant** » 15 Feb 2020, 20:21

Technically you can only leave an item in a safe place if it states so on the item, e.g. "Safeplace Shed". Even then it is at your discretion, especially if the location isnt secure.

noggin1969 · Post by **noggin1969** » 15 Feb 2020, 20:23

Did you take a pic on the PDA ?

smartecosse · Post by **smartecosse** » 15 Feb 2020, 21:19

greengiant wrote:Technically you can only leave an item in a safe place if it states so on the item, e.g. "Safeplace Shed". Even then it is at your discretion, especially if the location isnt secure.

Really? So even if safe place is an available option on the PDA unless it's printed on the packet we are not to leave it in a safe place?

I do that as often as I can as have a gazillion packets a day on my duty. I'd no idea it was only if it was printed on the packet.

ted_e_bear · Post by **ted_e_bear** » 16 Feb 2020, 01:07

smartecosse wrote:
greengiant wrote:Technically you can only leave an item in a safe place if it states so on the item, e.g. "Safeplace Shed". Even then it is at your discretion, especially if the location isnt secure.
Really? So even if safe place is an available option on the PDA unless it's printed on the packet we are not to leave it in a safe place?

I do that as often as I can as have a gazillion packets a day on my duty. I'd no idea it was only if it was printed on the packet.

Yes afraid so, it's only ok until someone claims it's gone missing then unfortunately you're in the sh1t.

twoloops · Post by **twoloops** » 16 Feb 2020, 04:51

There’s only one safe place back in the office, 739 everything & you will keep your job.

Post by **max49** » 16 Feb 2020, 06:34

This is a very grey area, in our callers' office there are cards the customer can complete identifying a safe place for their packets. Then we have a team brief saying we can only use the safe place option for tracked packets which have that option printed on it - so what do you do? There are some "customers" who will try and pull a fast one saying the packet has "disappeared " from the safe place. One of our posties found the packaging of one of these "stolen" packets in the customer's in the recycle bin.

scoobydo79 · Post by **scoobydo79** » 16 Feb 2020, 07:43

twoloops wrote:There’s only one safe place back in the office, 739 everything & you will keep your job.

Ding ,Ding ,Ding!!!
We have a winner. Only the other day My partner got F over by the old “leave in porch” “I haven’t had it “ ruse.
We should have a Data base of customer claims.!!!

clashcityrocker · Post by **clashcityrocker** » 16 Feb 2020, 08:09

twoloops wrote:There’s only one safe place back in the office, 739 everything & you will keep your job.

Except Delivery to Neighbour is the agreed procedure so refusing to D2N could leave you open to a conduct charge.
Refusing to do the job properly might not keep you your job.
If the safeplace is stated on the packet you leave it in the safeplace and take a picture on the PDA.
If you don't believe the safeplace stated is safe then you choose that option on the PDA.

somersetgt · Post by **somersetgt** » 16 Feb 2020, 08:42

Thankyou everyone. I think the issue is I've been leaving all packets (except those requiring a signature) in a safe place if no one is home. In future, unless it specifically says safeplace and I'm happy that place is safe, I'll either try a neighbour instead or take it back to the DO. I think what upsets me the most is the fact that I know I left the packet. Lesson learnt - there are dishonest people out there!!

twoloops · Post by **twoloops** » 16 Feb 2020, 10:43

clashcityrocker wrote:
twoloops wrote: If you don't believe the safeplace stated is safe then you choose that option on the PDA.

If it's available for me to open & close, it's available for anyone to open & take. That's how you keep your job somersetgt

scoobydo79 · Post by **scoobydo79** » 16 Feb 2020, 11:23

twoloops wrote:
clashcityrocker wrote:
twoloops wrote: If you don't believe the safeplace stated is safe then you choose that option on the PDA.
If it's available for me to open & close, it's available for anyone to open & take. That's how you keep your job somersetgt

Yep.Especially when there is a note on the door telling all and sundry where the safe place is lol

Seymour Buts · Post by **Seymour Buts** » 16 Feb 2020, 12:54

Officially only tracked can be left in a safe place, and it has to have a label as example: 'Safe place: shed'. It must be covered and out of sight. Take a picture and you're okay. If the location isn't secure (not covered and out of sight) you can't leave it. As a reserve I'd avoid door stepping unless it has such a label, once you have a duty you're more familiar and know who you can do it for. Keep your nose clean till then.

redneck · Post by **redneck** » 16 Feb 2020, 17:05

Do the job properly, don't leave stuff stashed anywhere on the property unless it is a named 'Safeplace' on the 'Tracked' item. You can deliver to neighbours as well for all but Special Delivery items. However, the leaving of all nature of parcels, all over the round, is endemic even though it is against the rules in Royal Mail, and if they don't like you, management will try and give you the sack for something they unofficially approve of. DOM's and linos don't like you going to neighbours because it takes longer and you claim, even though it is a routine approved of by the company as a whole.

TheTrolleyMan · Post by **TheTrolleyMan** » 19 Feb 2020, 19:59

No such thing as a safe place. , it should be called " unattended place "