Special Delivery /Court documents query

[GillW]

Good evening, everyone. I've been reading through tposts on the forum to try to get an answer to my query - there is a mine of useful info here and it's appreciated that posties are giving up their free time to answer customer queries - thank you.

I'm suing a car dealer in the county court over a dodgy motor. I sent him the evidence bundle (all 73 pages!) by Special Delivery on Saturday and delivery was attempted but unsuccessful on Monday. The documents are due to be in his possession by tomorrow.

When I look at his business address on Google Street View, I don't see a letterbox. I guess every property must have one, though? This one may be behind automated gates opened with a buzzer system. What would happen if the delivery could not be made and no letterbox was available to put the card in to tell him to come and collect the package from the delivery office (which would be in Enfield, I believe) or arrange redelivery?

Luckily, I have the proof of posting and it's on the same receipt that shows I sent a duplicate package of evidence to the court on the same day, which arrived safely. Legally speaking, it's not really my problem, but rather his - the law says it would be 'deemed served' (ie, I did my best to serve the papers within the deadline, so would not be in contempt of court), but I'm wondering what would happen if Royal Mail can't tell a recipient they had a parcel - would it just come back to the sender eventually or would they try again to deliver it?

Fearing he might reject the package if he knew it were from me, I did not write my sender's address on it deliberately! I'm regretting that now, of course! Would I have been asked at the sub post office for my address (or house number and postcode) when the parcel was being processed and would that have been input into the system and/or written on the envelope by the postmaster, given I hadn't written it on there myself?

My tracking details say ' Tracking no. VE155079161GB. Sorry, we tried to deliver your parcel on 11-01-2021 but there didn't seem to be anyone in. Please choose an option below.'

Thanks in anticipation of some reassuring replies!

[Snaggletooth]

The PO till system didn't used to have an option to collect return address information, I doubt that has changed since I left.

I don't think it is part of Post Office training to ensure that every parcel has a return address, except where required by law under the Dangerous Goods Act. I used to take every opportunity to make sure that a return address was on an item - to some extent, this is was a ploy to keep the customer busy while I input data into the till - but many don't.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

from a posties point of view, it looks like the items has had a card left as they wouldn't normally scan ready for collection/redelivery when they can't leave one.

[GillW]

Thank you both for your helpful replies. I called RM Customer Services and was told the same thing. I'm heartened to hear that a card must have been left at the address for the info about collection or redelivery to have been entered on the system. That means the ball is definitely in the defendant's, er, court!

[clashcityrocker]

from a posties point of view, it looks like the items has had a card left as they wouldn't normally scan ready for collection/redelivery when they can't leave one.

From my experience quite often a business won't have a letter box.
It may have been booked into the CSP on the off chance they will check the tracking and see that the item is available for collection.
Obviously if they don't want to accept it they won't make any effort to retrieve it in which case it will be RTS at the end of the retention period.
If there is no return address it will go to Returned Letters Branch where a return address will be sought.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

from a posties point of view, it looks like the items has had a card left as they wouldn't normally scan ready for collection/redelivery when they can't leave one.

From my experience quite often a business won't have a letter box.
It may have been booked into the CSP on the off chance they will check the tracking and see that the item is available for collection.
Obviously if they don't want to accept it they won't make any effort to retrieve it in which case it will be RTS at the end of the retention period.
If there is no return address it will go to Returned Letters Branch where a return address will be sought.

Possible, in my office though non accessible through no letter box go back to the Prio Locker and not the callers. They may go out each day for 18 days or whatever the manager/locker decides.

[GillW]

from a posties point of view, it looks like the items has had a card left as they wouldn't normally scan ready for collection/redelivery when they can't leave one.

From my experience quite often a business won't have a letter box.
It may have been booked into the CSP on the off chance they will check the tracking and see that the item is available for collection.
Obviously if they don't want to accept it they won't make any effort to retrieve it in which case it will be RTS at the end of the retention period.
If there is no return address it will go to Returned Letters Branch where a return address will be sought.

Thanks for your new replies, folks. May I ask what a CSP is? If no card could be left because there was (possibly) no postbox, would you be able to explain how the recipient could check the tracking?

To save myself the bother, ink and paper of printing out those 73 pages again, and the expense of another £7 Special Delivery, perhaps I will simply ask if the court can email the defendant the tracking number!

[GillW]

from a posties point of view, it looks like the items has had a card left as they wouldn't normally scan ready for collection/redelivery when they can't leave one.

Possible, in my office though non accessible through no letter box go back to the Prio Locker and not the callers. They may go out each day for 18 days or whatever the manager/locker decides.

Yes, I was advised 18 days and 21 days as the possible length of time Enfield DO might hold on to the package before it got sent to the National Reeturns Centre in Belfast.

Wonder if there's an Enfield postie on this forum who might be familiar with the business park in question and could tell me if it has a postbox!

[GillW]

Although, if I understand you correctly, you may be saying delivery will be attempted daily during that time?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Although, if I understand you correctly, you may be saying delivery will be attempted daily during that time?

In my office yes it would.

A CSP is a Customers Service Point - Or as we know it a Callers Office.

[GillW]

Thanks for the clarification on CPS!

[GillW]

The defendant is today in receipt of the evidence bundle - bravo, Royal Mail, and a big thanks to all who helped me on this thread. :-)