Royal Mail has my money – literally

[flower5]

I thought that by sharing my experience I can help somebody who suffered from Royal Mail unsatisfactory service.

I came to UK a while ago but back home I still have my mother. Occasional I send her £100 to help her day to day living. I used to do it through my bank and every time it would cost me £20-25. One day I was chatting to my local Post office owner Mr P. and he told me that I can do it through Post Office and it will cost me just over £4.

Although it was the best way for my old woman and she wouldn’t need to go to post office (she suffers from arthritis) I new putting notes in letters is a no no. But Mr.P checked it out and assured me that post is guaranteed and if anything happens I will get my money back. Great, I did it there and than. I had to show the man £100 in notes, put them in a special envelop and off it went. First time she got it ok!! Second time instead of money she found paper inside the sealed envelope. Surprise? …… not!

Next time I saw Mr.P he was very sympathetic and gave me a complaint form which I filled in and sent to Royal Mail Head Office. All of this happened in July last year.

Shortly I received the acknowledge of my complaint from International department and a request for the photographic proof and my bank statement showing that I actually withdraw the money on the day.

I was furious; my mum doesn’t have a camera so I had to ask her to send the letter back to me. Thankfully I did withdraw the money on the day (what if I had cash in my pocket). To cut long story shot; Two months later I received a letter of apology that it takes them so long. In December I decided to call them myself and got the answer that because the Mail Service on the other side said that my mum received sealed letter and didn’t complaint straight away my complaint is closed. ??????

I was so frustrated and even wrote an article for the local paper but just before I was going to send it off I received another letter from Royal Mail International department admitting that they failed to provide high standard service to me. The cheque for £34 was enclosed. Than the letter went on explaining that they could not refund me in full because I didn’t provide any evidence. You can see how I replied below.

Senior International Customer Advisor

Royal Mail Customer Service Centre

PO Box 740

Stoke on Trent

ST15XZ

Ref: R0000000000GB

Dear Sir

I am writing in reply to your letter from 00/00/2008.

In the letter you are stating that you do not have a Proof of value for the missing item.

It is obvious to me that the person who wrote the letter didn’t bother to check my file, if there is one. I submitted all requested by Post Office Proofs of value, bank statements and photographs 7 months ago.

I return your check for £34.00 because I consider your offer as an insult and it is not sufficient to cover my losses. I would like to express that I am completely unsatisfied with the service provided by Post Office and feel upset and frustrated.

I require repayment in full. If you do not comply fully within 14 days then I shall begin a claim against you for the full amount plus interest plus a claim under ss.7 and 13 of the Data Protection Act 1998 plus my costs and without further notice.

 

Furthermore, I shall submit a Consumer Credit Act 1974 complaint to the OFT upon the basis that you have failed to comply with the OFT's direction of 5 April 2006 and are therefore not a 'fit and proper person' to hold a consumer credit license under the 1974 Act. If you do not understand what this means then seek advice from your legal department.

Looking forward to hearing from you

Faithfully yours

In 14 days I received a cheque for £107 which was successfully put into my account. It took them 9 months!!!! Never again I will post money in the letter even it's extra guaranteed.

[Lukeduke]

I know how u feel , i will never trust Royal mail again , i know it was stupid of me now , but i sent £50 recorded delivery with birthday card.

 

when it arrived my sister noticed a big slit in the letter and told the mail man before he left , he noted this down , money was gone ..... but still to this day i never got my money back , i gave up in the end as i was sick of the excuses.

 

Im glad you got your money back and good on you for not backing down , obviously they hope people will.

[1stlifeline]

Was your letter sent Special Delivery? I dont understand where the figure of £34 came from.

[Bookworm]

£34 is the maximum amount items sent by RD are covered for. (£36 now, according to http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/jump2?mediaId=500201&catId=400028), so that's probably why they paid that.

[1stlifeline]

But if thats the case Bookworm then he wasnt covered anyway. The only way to send cash is by Special Delivery which should have insured him for the full amount.

[Bookworm]

I understand that, but no doubt that in their wisdom, RM probably thought: "Ah, we've screwed up, we'll give him what we'd give under RD and hopefully that will be enough for him to go away".

 

Cynical, moi?

[barracad]

But if thats the case Bookworm then he wasnt covered anyway. The only way to send cash is by Special Delivery which should have insured him for the full amount.

 

It was an international item, with insurance, by the sounds of it. You can't send Recorded or Special Delivery items overseas.

 

Presumably £34 was a goodwill gesture as they didn't feel he had submitted sufficient proof as to what was enclosed?

[1stlifeline]

Ah, thanks Barracad, that had me confused for a while. Not difficult!!!:o

[flower5]

I am sorry for being late. I didn’t expect people will be so interested. Yes it was International special delivery and it was £100 guaranteed means insured, that is why I thought if money go buy buy at least I can get all amount back. Imagine how I felt when they requested my Bank statement. I could send just cash out from my pocket.

[flower5]

This is a first letter I recieved:

 

Dear Mrs ....

Thank you for your complaint about an international Signed For letter, ref 0000000000.

To help me deal with your complaint, I need further information from you before I can contact the postal authorities in (my country). Please return this letter to me with the following information or items.

 

Proof of value (for example, a bank statement or cash withdrawal slip).

 

I have enclosed a pre-paid envelope and look forward to hearing from you. If I do not receive a reply from you within 5 working days of receipt of this letter, I will assume that the matter has been resolved and bring enquiries to a close.

 

Laura Smith

Customer Service Advisor

[flower5]

Inn the next letter they requested a proof of damage goods. I wrote back asking ‘what damaged goods’ they were stolen, so in a way I could not present them. I sent them a picture of a letter with pieces of paper two months later when I came back from mum.

 

Then 5 months later I received following:

 

Dear Mrs .....

 

To follow up my letter from 00/00/2008, I am sorry to say that my enquiries are taking longer than expected. I am looking into your complaint and I will contact you as soon as I have finished all my enquiries.

I apologise for the time it is taking to settle your complaint. If you need to contact me, phone me on [EDIT] or write to me at the address shown above.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Sue McLean

Customer Service Advisor

Edited June 24, 2008 by Rooster-UK
Phone number removed.

[Mrs_Ryan]

Not being pedantic here but you would have wasted your time submitting a complaint about RM not being fit and proper to hold a consumer credit licence... they dont have one in the first place as they dont grant credit

[flower5]

you are not at all. I new that but was very tired and angry when I was writing that letter. To be honest my bet was on Joe Blogs who have no idea of their own company P & P.

[Mrs_Ryan]

Thats fair enough

 

flower5, my OH has worked for Royal Mail for 21 years and even he has no faith in them.

 

Make of that what you will

[animal_lover]

Royal Mail are a waste of time. I stupidly sent £25 in the post by recorded delivery as i didn't realise at the time that's it was Special delivery i needed. Anyway i kept checking on the website to see if the money had been recieved and it never has that was about 3 months ago. I've also had 6 other letters of importance sent recorded delivery but none of them have been recieved. As i only have the Ref number and can't remember the dates they where sent RM say they can't do anything about it.

 

But i've noticed a few times with me that RM don't always get you to sign for Recorded delivery items they just shove it through the door.

[Help is at Hand]

i know how you feel we have a friend with 2 boys who lives to far to just go drop a card off we have to mail it every time anyway for her youngest's 6th birthday we decided to send some money in pound coins in his card cause we thought it would be fun for him bare in mind this was a while a go so making a complaint would be pointless now anyway we always send them cards for their birthdays through the post with no trouble anyway this 1 time we get a phone call from her the day before his birthday saying that one of the corners had been cut off and the money was gone silly mistake i know but we made the mistake in trusting the royal mail with pound coins as well as pound notes we always send pound notes now instead.