recorded delivery question

**Russ** · 16-12-2004, 11:26

The postman came a few moments ago and put a letter through my letterbox with a 'recorded delivery' sticker on it, with another sticker over the top saying 'signed for' when I did no such thing, he just posted it like normal mail. Now AFAIK, recorded delivery is legally binding so are they committing an offence by claiming the letter was signed for when it most certainly was not?

STONEISLAND · 16-12-2004, 11:32

Sounds well dodgy just sums up the post Office of today. Recorded delivery means it does need to be signed and recorded as delivered. Is it possible he forged your sig?

Take it to the top and see if you can get compo

bopdude · 16-12-2004, 11:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ D

The postman came a few moments ago and put a letter through my letterbox with a 'recorded delivery' sticker on it, with another sticker over the top saying 'signed for' when I did no such thing, he just posted it like normal mail. Now AFAIK, recorded delivery is legally binding so are they committing an offence by claiming the letter was signed for when it most certainly was not?

I don't know about the legalities, but something similar happened to me, I was waiting for my emmigration papers for a long time so rang the embassy, they said that i had signed for them already, what a job i had to convince them otherwise. I had to fax a copy of my signature off to them before they would cancel the papers and resend some new ones

Postmen

looks like he went to the wrong addy and someone just signed.
Also the other day i had a recorded delivery for 'next door' as they weren't in. When the guy had gone I checked the addy only to find it wasn't next doors but 2 streets away

I delivered it anyway

Sorry for going off topic a bit, it's just posties ??? and i have a mate who's one and the stories would make you cringe.

**Russ** · 16-12-2004, 11:35

I don't think he would have forged my signature (if he had then someone WILL be in trouble) but I just phoned my sorting office and when I asked if they'd broken the law, the guy went all coy and said 'my supervisor would know about that but he's not here right now" and seemed to want to get me off the phone.

bopdude · 16-12-2004, 11:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ D

I don't think he would have forged my signature (if he had then someone WILL be in trouble) but I just phoned my sorting office and when I asked if they'd broken the law, the guy went all coy and said 'my supervisor would know about that but he's not here right now" and seemed to want to get me off the phone.

It'll be interesting to see what names been signed on the delivery note !!!!

Bifta · 16-12-2004, 11:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ D

I don't think he would have forged my signature (if he had then someone WILL be in trouble) but I just phoned my sorting office and when I asked if they'd broken the law, the guy went all coy and said 'my supervisor would know about that but he's not here right now" and seemed to want to get me off the phone.

Forget your local sorting office, there's a complaints number listed on the Post Office web site, I rang them with a problem I had with a late delivery of a Special Delivery item, they sorted it out almost immediately and couldn't apologise enough. Give them a ring instead.

STONEISLAND · 16-12-2004, 11:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ D

I don't think he would have forged my signature (if he had then someone WILL be in trouble) but I just phoned my sorting office and when I asked if they'd broken the law, the guy went all coy and said 'my supervisor would know about that but he's not here right now" and seemed to want to get me off the phone.

Keep us posted on this one

**Chris** · 16-12-2004, 11:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by skunk4u

Keep us posted on this one

Too right ...

Seriously Russ, the postie has acted in well dodgy fashion. Pursue this one, they must not be allowed to think they can get away with being lazy (which is all this will come down to). People pay extra for recorded delivery because they want proof and peace of mind that something has been delivered. It's not on for a lazy postman to shortcut the system like that.

Who was the letter from? They will have a claim to get their money back.

**Russ** · 16-12-2004, 11:51

Not sure who the letter is from, I'm not paranoid enough to be weary of recorded delivery letters but I don't want to open it in case it affects the complaint I've just made.

I spoke to the people Bifta reccommended and the woman sounded concerned at this and assured me she'll look in to it. I've been given an enquiry reference number and they'll get back to me as soon as it's been investigated.

SMHarman · 16-12-2004, 11:56

Have they not put the return address sticker on the back? You need to for recorded delivery as if it is not collected in 7 days it is returned to sender. Difficult if no return address exists.

Strangely for "Next Day" Special Delivery they will keep the item at the sorting office for 21 days.

**Russ** · 16-12-2004, 12:03

There's no return address but if it was undelivered, I'm sure they'd just use the recorded delivery reference number on the sticker. I'm not really bothered who it's from to be honest.

Thinking about it though, I could just open the letter as normal, after all there's no proof I recieved it. When I called the complaints line they said there was no electronic record of it being delivered, so irregardless of what happens, legally it was not signed for/delivered.

**Chris** · 16-12-2004, 12:27

Whoever accepted the letter at the post office was also sloppy in that case. The slip you fill in includes a return address sticker that should be put on the back of the envelope. What a mess!

Shaun · 16-12-2004, 12:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ D

There's no return address but if it was undelivered, I'm sure they'd just use the recorded delivery reference number on the sticker. .

The reference number doesn't hold any personal data attached to it for the sender, its just there for tracking.

Quote:

Thinking about it though, I could just open the letter as normal, after all there's no proof I recieved it. When I called the complaints line they said there was no electronic record of it being delivered, so irregardless of what happens, legally it was not signed for/delivered.

To be fair I'll be surprised if you get a call back regarding this, I've got a "sorry you were out" card that I picked up from our front garden a week ago that I reported to them and they haven't bothered to get back to me. The poor woman ten streets away will have her item returned to sender at this rate

As for opening the letter, if its in your name go ahead, the issue now is will the PO do anything about the postie?

Oh and like Chris said the sender can claim their cost of postage back in these circumstances, not an easy job but almost worth it for the book of 12 first class stamps they send. :rolleye:

ian@huth · 16-12-2004, 12:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ D

The postman came a few moments ago and put a letter through my letterbox with a 'recorded delivery' sticker on it, with another sticker over the top saying 'signed for' when I did no such thing, he just posted it like normal mail. Now AFAIK, recorded delivery is legally binding so are they committing an offence by claiming the letter was signed for when it most certainly was not?

The "signed for" sticker over the top of the "recorded delivery" sticker sounds rather suss as Royal Mail would have no need for such a sticker. Sounds to me like some kind of junk mail that is being made to look more important than it is. Probably entry details for a free draw.

Mal · 16-12-2004, 12:34

I got a package from play.com last month which was recorded delivery. It was there waiting for me when I got home. It must have been signed for by the postie as there was no one else at home.

Well it saved me the trouble of having to pick it up/re-delivered though