Porch delivery

[IloveMYredTROLLEY!]

Similar situation for houses that have newspaper boxes (or anything along those lines) that anyone can open to take the mail, it is your responsibility to leave all mail (including D2D and p739 cards) in a secure place.

Correct me if i'm wrong but all new build flats should have boxes outside, are we supposed to bring the mail back everyday?

Proper mail boxes need a key to open them, to get access to the mail inside. If the box clearly has no lock or it clearly open, so anyone has access to the mail, you are opening yourself up to disciplinary proceedings i.e. out of the door (P45).

[Mightyaj]

Surely common sense needs to be used here! Just open that porch door and chuck it in!! The do gooders on here will tell you otherwise as "technically its wrong" but from near 20 years experience from being a postman I can tell you the majority will open that porch door. In fact I doubt a postman in my office would do otherwise!

[A2B]

If i can put the mail in the box then a thief can take it out, not seen one that is secure

[the-hanz]

Surely common sense needs to be used here! Just open that porch door and chuck it in!! The do gooders on here will tell you otherwise as "technically its wrong" but from near 20 years experience from being a postman I can tell you the majority will open that porch door. In fact I doubt a postman in my office would do otherwise!

I'll use that as my defence then should I get disciplined? Cheers, lol

[IloveMYredTROLLEY!]

Sorry. Even you are now confusing me, lol.

You originally said not to try opening a porch door but are now saying I should if I see an inner letter box... Which is it?... Sorry

Re-read what I said originally...

"If the house has a letterbox on the outer porch door, you do not touch the handle."

I see... bloody hell it's complicated.

One final scenario and I'm done... Many of the houses have their door bells / door knockers on the inner door. I shouldn't open the porch door to attempt to get an answer?

Now this one is a loaded question, one that managers might try and trip you up with during an investigation...

If when you have a parcel or signature item, you open the porch door to ring the door bell, what are you doing when there is only letters?

If every time they have a parcel, the porch door is always unlocked, do you ever post mail through the outer porch letterbox?

This is why if there is an outer porch door letterbox, that should be the delivery point, so when I have parcels I knock on that outer porch door (I do not try the handle). They will hear you, if they are in, if you knock loud enough.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Surely common sense needs to be used here! Just open that porch door and chuck it in!! The do gooders on here will tell you otherwise as "technically its wrong" but from near 20 years experience from being a postman I can tell you the majority will open that porch door. In fact I doubt a postman in my office would do otherwise!

Yes common sense needs to be used

I have always been told that leaving mail / parcels in a porch with an unlocked but closed door is a "secure" delivery but recently a customer has complained that this was not secure and should not have been done.

So the common sense advice would be - to ignore the complaint and carry on as before.

[the-hanz]

Sorry. Even you are now confusing me, lol.

You originally said not to try opening a porch door but are now saying I should if I see an inner letter box... Which is it?... Sorry

Re-read what I said originally...

"If the house has a letterbox on the outer porch door, you do not touch the handle."

I see... bloody hell it's complicated.

One final scenario and I'm done... Many of the houses have their door bells / door knockers on the inner door. I shouldn't open the porch door to attempt to get an answer?

Now this one is a loaded question, one that managers might try and trip you up with during an investigation...

If when you have a parcel or signature item, you open the porch door to ring the door bell, what are you doing when there is only letters?

If every time they have a parcel, the porch door is always unlocked, do you ever post mail through the outer porch letterbox?

This is why if there is an outer porch door letterbox, that should be the delivery point, so when I have parcels I knock on that outer porch door (I do not try the handle). They will hear you, if they are in, if you knock loud enough.

Nice one. Thanks for your assistance.

[jimmynailsalive]

Hi
I'm relatively new to the job so I'm sorry if this question has been asked / answered before.. I'm sure it has.

I have always been told that leaving mail / parcels in a porch with an unlocked but closed door is a "secure" delivery but recently a customer has complained that this was not secure and should not have been done.

OK, fair enough they've a right to complain but having looked at the walk today and other walks I have done, 90% of the houses have unlocked porches with letter boxes in the porch door. Many of these houses do not have a letter box on the inner "front door" so am I right in thinking that the mail should not be left at any of these properties? If so, it's going to make my walk extremely short.

Just ensure you go by the book for the complainer in future, guaranteed they'll be moaning at you next time you take a parcel back to the office rather than leave it in the porch, subject to it not being tracked!

[IloveMYredTROLLEY!]

But.. "doorstepping" makes walks quicker; makes more achievable outdoors; less agro with lino about overtime and/or cutting off; more chance of better tips...

Until it all goes wrong.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

If i can put the mail in the box then a thief can take it out, not seen one that is secure

But thats the customers choice, as is not locking their front door. But you opening the door is your choice.

[Mightyaj]

Surely common sense needs to be used here! Just open that porch door and chuck it in!! The do gooders on here will tell you otherwise as "technically its wrong" but from near 20 years experience from being a postman I can tell you the majority will open that porch door. In fact I doubt a postman in my office would do otherwise!

I'll use that as my defence then should I get disciplined? Cheers, lol

When you say someone complained..Did they just come to you and complain or did they go to the manager? Obviously you don't leave a parcel in the porch for that complainer again but otherwise I'd carry on! That's me personally but do it by the book if you don't feel happy about doing that!

[wabbithunta]

Bugger..
That means I better look at taking pics of quite a few delivery points on our P&L delivery and inform management of the dilemma then.
Open porches, or rather porch doors that can be opened (not secured, as in not locked) these have letterboxes on both outer and inner doors. I either put mail through the outer door, if closed/locked. If open/unlocked then I put it through the inner door. Packets I leave in the "open" porch on the doorstep of the main door and shut the porch door afterwards. If the outer door is locked and there's no response, then I leave a card.

Does that mean I should do this with all mail/packets then?

[the-hanz]

Surely common sense needs to be used here! Just open that porch door and chuck it in!! The do gooders on here will tell you otherwise as "technically its wrong" but from near 20 years experience from being a postman I can tell you the majority will open that porch door. In fact I doubt a postman in my office would do otherwise!

I'll use that as my defence then should I get disciplined? Cheers, lol

When you say someone complained..Did they just come to you and complain or did they go to the manager? Obviously you don't leave a parcel in the porch for that complainer again but otherwise I'd carry on! That's me personally but do it by the book if you don't feel happy about doing that!

Complained to the manager. I couldn't get a straight answer though when I asked what should I have done? Lol

[Mightyaj]

"So the common sense advice would be - to ignore the complaint and carry on as before. "

@Trueblueterrior

I'd like to think he'd have enough common sense not to do it to the same person!

[Mightyaj]

"Complained to the manager. I couldn't get a straight answer though when I asked what should I have done? Lol"

Its seems you've have a bit of bad luck there! My manager would just say be careful with that individual!

Basically don't do it for the same person!

Also I'd like to add that I do not know what your round looks like or how rough the area is and again common sense needs to come in. If your round is in high crime area and lots of people coming past these porches then maybe just maybe I'd think otherwise but that's if your delivering to the bronxs.

Another thing to add is my advice I think is the common sense answer but not necessarily the right answer! If its doesn't feel right to you then don't do it!!