I've had a number of packages waiting for me at the Post office. Waiting for me to pick up, as I wasn't home when they tried to deliver. I don't have a problem with that. What I have a problem with is not being left a card, to let me know this is the case.
I've never had that happen to me in Australia and I've never had any packages lost in the mail in the 7 years that I've been on eBay and doing online purchases. That was until I started buying things online in the UK.
Over the last 3 months:
Service | Expected | Received/Carded | Picked up but not carded | Missing | Notes |
DHL | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | All packages were received in the leadup to Christmas. Top job DHL. |
Parcelforce | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
Royal Mail | 18 | 11 | 3 | 4 | One package was missing but ended up being returned to sender |
I'll let you do the maths but those aren't great odds.
And yes I know there's been bad weather and Christmas is always a little crazy. But I've done transactions in Australia around Christmas time and I've NEVER experienced any losses.
In the 5 months that I've been in my new address in London I've received 2 letters for someone else. This doesn't include past residents but letters that have a different address, different post codes. It's almost like the sorting office just sent random mail to random addresses.
Just last night my friend in Australia informed me that one of her parcels which she sent to me in November 2010 has just returned to her in Australia. Indications are a delivery attempt was made on 14 Jan 2011. And then it was sent to the post office for collection. But I never received a card. She received it back in Australia on 28 Jan 2011.
She sent another package earlier in Jan which luckily she had tracking for. Again delivery was attempted on 24 Jan 2011. But I never received a card.
I actually think this is criminal. There are some fundamental issues with the UK postal service. But it seems it's all too hard to fix.
I tried to submit a complaint to Royal Mail via their website. I've been told to send it in writing to:
Royal Mail
Complaints Department
PO Box 740
Glasgow
G22 6WW
So save yourself some time and send it in writing to the above address if you are fed up with Royal mail.
I'm going to send a complaint to Parcelforce later today as well:
http://www.parcelforce.com/portal/pw/content2?catId=2500046&mediaId=19900226
