Track and Trace sometimes show wrong Delivery office??

[jackdaw53]

I sent a first class letter recorded delivery on Monday (19th Feb) from Chesterfield (centre of UK) to Bristol (South West of Country). On track and trace today its being shown as being delivered yesterday (21st Feb) from Darlington Delivery office (North East.... about 300 miles away from where letter should have gone.)

(NB I know letter was addressed and postcoded correctly... its on the proof of posting.)

Can I assume that letter has been lost?? Or is track and trace system sometimes error prone?

[DGP1]

Did you check to see if the recipient didn't get it?

[IcanthelpthewayIam]

there may be a redirection in force for that address, individuals or businesses can pay to get their mail redirected to other addresses

were you using the track and trace system that gives you the full tracking status (theres a link for it somewhere on here) or just the standard one on the royalmail homepage, as the full one should show it being scanned in the delivery office in the south east and then a scan saying redirection prior to it being sent to darlington

[PhilthyPhil]

could be someone is using a PDA with the wrong site ID

[jackdaw53]

Hi, Guys.

No, there's no re-direction in force. I've not been able to check with recipient whether its received or not, because only found out letter may have gone to wrong place this evening... place I sent it to, isn't open after 5. (TV licence refund application.)

I'll contact them tomorrow to see if I have to send another refund application. (But how does a letter clearly addressed to Bristol get to Darlington... and somebody sign to accept it?? So maybe Phil is right about PDA with wrong site ID)

[IcanthelpthewayIam]

Hi, Guys.

No, there's no re-direction in force. I've not been able to check with recipient whether its received or not, because only found out letter may have gone to wrong place this evening... place I sent it to, isn't open after 5. (TV licence refund application.)

I'll contact them tomorrow to see if I have to send another refund application. (But how does a letter clearly addressed to Bristol get to Darlington... and somebody sign to accept it?? So maybe Phil is right about PDA with wrong site ID)

one question how do you know theres no redirection in force?

[IcanthelpthewayIam]

also just by googleing "tv license darlington" bring up a whole list of their offices and departments, they do have several departments in darlington

[jackdaw53]

also just by googleing "tv license darlington" bring up a whole list of their offices and departments, they do have several departments in darlington

I may well be wrong. But 2 reasons I thought there was no re-direction in force:-
1/ I thought (after your earlier tip about full tracking service) that I'd found right web page for full tracking service. If so, all it showed was mail being original posted at Chesterfield (that wasn't show on other track and trace I tried on other site) and being signed for at Darlington early this morning... just after 7. It showed this in a small table format... one line showing original posting, next line showing receipt at Darlington.

2/ Although TV licence people do have offices at Darlington, their own web-site still gives refund centre as based on Bristol.

Anyway, I've sent an email to TV licence people asking if they've received, will let you know outcome in fullness of time... guess they'll take a few days to reply.

[TeeferTiger]

also just by googleing "tv license darlington" bring up a whole list of their offices and departments, they do have several departments in darlington

I may well be wrong. But 2 reasons I thought there was no re-direction in force:-
1/ I thought (after your earlier tip about full tracking service) that I'd found right web page for full tracking service. If so, all it showed was mail being original posted at Chesterfield (that wasn't show on other track and trace I tried on other site) and being signed for at Darlington early this morning... just after 7. It showed this in a small table format... one line showing original posting, next line showing receipt at Darlington.

A recorded delivery would only be scanned at point of delivery usually, so it's not unusual for a redirection to go ahead without an audit trail showing it's been to another office first.

[DGP1]

Sometimes these big organisations have their mail sent to a separate mailing house, you're still best to check with them to see and then if it has gone missing then it's time to complain.

[jackdaw53]

Sometimes these big organisations have their mail sent to a separate mailing house, you're still best to check with them to see and then if it has gone missing then it's time to complain.

I guess that's most likely what's happened.... won't be first time a big organisation left an old address on their website. (Especially when its the one for refunds.....)

Being a lazy git have contacted Beeb by e-mail to see if they have received. Will chase them up by phone if they don't reply by mid week. At end of day, even if original is lost, only a matter of sending another one. Will let everybody knows what happens.

Thanks for all replies from everybody... daft I know, but felt better as soon as I saw some good suggestions as what most likely happened... I was baffled.

[jackdaw53]

Just checked emails before going out for walk.

Beeb have received letter, indeed refund already on way to me.

So, it looks like re-direction "theory" was the right one.

As already mentioned: Thanks for the help. (NB I like these boards. Now I've found them, will pop in from time to time to see what's happening in great world of post.)