Royal Mail Compensation

[bobbyjoeufb]

I have recently had to refund a item which I sold on ebay but went missing in the post.

The item was only sent by first class post and as such Paypal automaticly refunded the payment as I could not provide any tracking information.

I have submitted a claim with Royal Mail a couple of weeks ago and not heard anything back.

Just wondering if any one else has had any sucess in gaining compensation from them?

[EDDIE]

Well did it get lost or did that person u sold it to just made it up.I have sold items on ebay before and i alway send things buy registered post or special delivery if the item is dear at least that way you know for sure that the other person has recieved it and more importly its next day delivery .I cant remember properly but i think registered post is about 80 pence more to send but i think it only covers about £20 and special delivery is £2 more and covers about £250 after all its not u that pays for posting its the buyer.

[dpw39]

I've recently had some hassle with the GPO after 3 missing items, 2 to the same address on different days, and the last to The Post Office's missing items office in leeds (?).

In fact I was asked if I had a "proof of posting certificate" for proof that I had sent the "proof of posting certificate" in my initial claim for compensation (beggers belief). I was informed that the Post office only classed items lost/missing after 15 working days (3 weeks), and even then I have to supply reciepts for the contents of the the items sent, bureaucracy on a par with Highland Council.

Invariably if its just a letter or card that has gone missing, they normally, automatically return 12 1st class stamps for your pains. Apparently its cheaper and more efficient not to waste time investigating initial complaints for singular items of lost/missing post unless the client (eg. YOU), complain and push the matter further. Therefore by complaning it will draw to the attention of the Post Office's need for better standards of improvement and efficiency.

You can complain to the Post Office Regulator, who will investigate your complaint, but I must agree, the standards have dropped over the years due to varying factors such as working conditions, bad management, and the old chestnut, the Human Touch...temporary staff and staff with light-fingers. If you ever get chance, see if you can organise a trip round the local sorting office if not the Inverness one. You'd be amazed at what you see, and only 75% of people actually use the post-code system. Many years ago whilst visiting the main sorting office in Lancaster, down south, the possibilities of lost/missing mail by (normal means) is quite a small % as opposed to theft.

Hope this has been helpful,

Ciao,



Dave the Rave :cool:

[Venture]

Had to send an important letter to DLA last year by a certain date. Sent it by Recorded Delivery with three days to spare and obtained proof of posting. It never arrived there. Pursued it with the Royal Mail. Outcome - after a lot of phone calls, photocopying receipts and letters.......received compensation for inconvenience caused....SIX FIRST CLASS STAMPS.

[Mr P Cannop]

Had to send an important letter to DLA last year by a certain date. Sent it by Recorded Delivery with three days to spare and obtained proof of posting. It never arrived there. Pursued it with the Royal Mail. Outcome - after a lot of phone calls, photocopying receipts and letters.......received compensation for inconvenience caused....SIX FIRST CLASS STAMPS.

not good enough

[Bobinovich]

Had to send an important letter to DLA last year by a certain date. Sent it by Recorded Delivery with three days to spare and obtained proof of posting. It never arrived there. Pursued it with the Royal Mail. Outcome - after a lot of phone calls, photocopying receipts and letters.......received compensation for inconvenience caused....SIX FIRST CLASS STAMPS.

If you send by Recorded Delivery and the item doesn't get deliverey then, so long as you keep the stub, you should be entitled to (if memory serves me right) 100 times the cost of a First Class (or Second Class) stamp - depending on which service you used.

I have had numerous occasions where I have had to claim compensation - the worst was just under £1000 for an consignment of printing sent by Special Delivery which was eventually found strewn across a park in Glasgow! As a result I lost a major contract so felt justified in claiming consequential loss as well as the actual cost of the original printing order.

I agree that there has frequently been delays in processing my claims, but so long as you keep your receipts then the old adage THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT should prevail - keep pursuing them and always photocopy all documents before sending them away - just in case.

Ensure you know which is the best service to use. First Class Recorded Delivery for items up to approx. £25 (if it gets lost you're entitled to about £28 at current stamp prices), and Special Delivery for anything over that. Don't forget that Special Delivery has 3 bands of compensation - standard is up to £250, the 2nd level is up to £500 and the third up to £1000 (again I think those levels are correct).

Know your rights and exercise them - if you're not happy then there is even a Postwatch representative in Thurso (that's if he still is) - Keith Muir who works for C.A.S.E. - take your case (sorry about the pun) to him.

[bobbyjoeufb]

Sucess!!

I have finally received a cheque to cover the cost of the missing goods.

Thanks to all who replied.

Ill be sending all future items by register or signed for post.