Mail redirection.

[Benjo]

My first post here, made in desparation and frustration.

A history.

I moved house in April 09, didnt use the redirection service, I did it the old way and wrote to all my contacts - all good, no problems. The guy I bought the house from, lets call him Fred Bloggs, DID use the redirection service. I guessed it was working as desired since I didnt get any of his mail - all good, no problems you would think.

Three weeks ago, my mail arrived, it had been redirected to Fred Bloggs, opened, resealed with sticky tape, put back in the post with a note on the front....

POST OFFICE, DO NOT REDIRECT THIS MAIL TO ME.

I rang Royal Mail to alert them about this mistake, oh they were very sorry, couldnt understand how it could happen, it wouldnt happen again and further more they would escalate this as a complaint and someone would respond to me within 48 working hours (I know you posties work some strange hours, so Im not quite sure how to calculate that into normal days ).

A week later and more of MY mail arrived, at my house, having been redirected to Fred Bloggs, who again had reposted it and noted on the front POST OFFICE, DO NOT REDIRECT THIS MAIL TO ME.

I rang Royal Mail again to complain very strongly that this was still happening, oh she was very sorry, unable to understand how this could happen - twice, and was doubly certain it wouldnt happen again, further more it would be escalated to a complaint and someone would respond to me within 48 hours....

Yesterday I found out that 4 items of (really important) mail, posted during September and October have just never arrived with me - a pure fluke that I found out.

I phoned Royal Mail today to complain - oh let me check the status of your original complaint madam....madam, this complaint is way out of date, it should have been dealt with ages ago - Im very sorry, it wont happen again and someone will respond to you 'within a couple of days'....

Please, for the love of fluffy bunnies - stop redirecting my mail, I didnt pay for the service and I dont want the service, and finally one question to you Royal Mail - will you really respond to me?

[Dogs of War]

Its the postman/women fault he's not looking at the names on the letters he's redirecting. Every redirection comes in a wallet with the list of names too redirect. Hope this helps.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

and finally one question to you Royal Mail - will you really respond to me?

Not on here they won't we are not an official "Royal Mail" site

But I am sure members will try to help.

[DGP1]

We're an independent website and not connected to Royal Mail or the CWU but we mostly work for Royal Mail.

As for your complaint, yes it should've been dealt with but the way RM works these days it's more likely to be brushed under the carpet in the hope that it goes away. Does this mistake happen all the time or does it only happen occasionally because I know the cover on my duty doesn't check the names on redirections but just takes all the mail for that address and sends it on. I know it's not an excuse but it is a reason as to why it's happening.

[steven100]

Mate you'd have more chance getting blood out of a stone then complaining to RM or your local office. It will only get worse.

[westlondonpostie]

You could write to the DOM (Delivery Office Manager) at you're Delivery Office informing him that you intend on ringing customer services as many times as as you can everyday until he assures you that this will not happen again, every call to CS's is logged and relates to his Offices's performance standards, and if his Quality of Service figures take a nose dive he'll have to answer to his boss, he'll do something about it then.

[POSTMAN]

Have you never bumped into your postie,or at least a local postie so you can have a chat about it?
I'd go down to the Delivery Office if i was you pronto and ask to speak to the manager.

[Benjo]

Many thanks to all of you for responding. I knew this was not an official Royal Mail forum and as such didnt expect an official response, but sincerely hoped that someone amongst the higher ups might read this and care enough to ask the question .....

'do we bother to respond to formal complaints and if so - how long do we take?' I should be patient, they will still be climbing over the mound of stuff under their office carpet

I havent been to the local sorting office, but thats a good idea.

I didnt bother to chat to the postie, since it is a different one most days and honestly I didnt feel like waylaying the poor bu**er - since that might reduce his average walking speed, meaning he would have to run through the rest of his round or his boss my dock his pay, I think his job is probably crappy enough already without me making his working life worse.

Again, many thanks for the info.

[DGP1]

I didnt bother to chat to the postie, since it is a different one most days

I think you've just hit the nail on the head, a set dedicated postie wouldn't want this to happen (but the way RMs going this will be the standard), anyway, your best bet is to go to the delivery office and complain in person because the individual manager can place a card into the frame that tells the postie to show the redirections before it goes out.

[firestarter1]

as previous.
clearly you have no set postie anymore,instead its either a part timer who just picks up the bags and delivers it.whilst its prepped by the manager or 3 or 4 differant postie,none of which are bothered much by doing another rounds redirections when they have there own to do.

more likely,its the manager prepping the round,which would explain why its happening..they are managment because they are either failed posties or university grads in art.

either way,you shouldnt complain, its whats called modernisation(cost cutting)and as such its what we are all striving for isnt it

[Mercian]

Contact customer services again and ask them for the name of the manager in charge of redirections because you wish to bring a charge of "willful delay of mail" against them.

That should get a quick response.

[Benjo]

Again, many thanks for your responses. To update you, I phoned customer services again asking why nobody had responded as promised, well frankly they couldnt explain why I hadnt had a response, but I would surely get a response within 'a couple of days'.

The awaited response arrived yesterday, wonderful I thought........

"We are very sorry to hear of the problem you have had with your redirection service........ (remember - I DONT have a redirection service, I didnt pay for one and I dont want one - I want them to STOP redirecting my mail to a guy who DOES have a redirection service).

Of relevance and in brief the letter reads...

"My investigations have included checking that the name and address details provided in your application (erm what application????) have been added to our system correctly, including any variations of the names included in your request (what request???)"

"I can confirm that I have also taken the following action on your behalf:

Confirmed with the manager at the delivery office local to your old address (they dont know my old address) that they are in receipt of full instructions regarding this service and that further steps be taken to ensure these instructions are clearly displayed against your old address"

Ok, I phoned customer services again and asked...

are you absolutely sure these actions have been taken? " yes madam, absolutely certain"

Ok, then can you explain to me how you took this action, since it clearly doesnt relate to my complaint - ie I dont have a redirection service, and you dont even have my old address, so how on earth can you have confirmed with the manager at the delivery office local to my old address that they are in receipt of full instructions? "yes, you do have a point madam"

Ok, so this letter is just a lie? "no madam, we dont lie, we just sent you the wrong standard letter"

Ok, so Im going to ask again, are you absolutely sure that these actions have been taken? "no madam, clearly we have not taken those actions, we have taken the right actions"

Credit where it is due, I think posties are great, I have been blessed throughout my life with the most wonderful men and women who do a crappy job, with a smile on their face, nothing has ever been too much trouble in my experience and the telephone staff at customer services are pleasant and as helpful as they can be.

I have to say I was very annoyed about the whole mail redirection thing, since it caused me worry (bank details and life insurance policies ending up at the wrong place), inconvenience and expense to put things right. But this annoyance doesnt even compare to my boiling anger at the attitude and incompetance of those responsible for responding to what I feel was a reasonable complaint - and I dont intend to shut up and go away.

Now, does anyone have contact details they might share with me of someone who the complaints people would be really embarrassed to have to answer questions to? if so, I will happily kick up a stink with them (even if it is the chief exec!)

[TrueBlueTerrier]

well this page provide Adams Croziers email address http://www.connectotel.com/marcus/ceoemail.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

of course you could try Consumer Direct can be contacted on 08454 04 05 06. they took over from postwatch