Royal Mail delivery

[Gorse]

We are getting post about once every three weeks on Belvoir Road.

I went into the Peckham distribution office today to check what was there for us (as I was told that we could collect) and was assured that a large pile of post was out for delivery and we would DEFINITELY get it today. But nothing at all has come through yet again. We are waiting for a variety of things - cards, letters and ironically my last three copies of "the Week" magazine.

I feel very sorry for people at the depot and our postie - they are very nice people but clearly hugely under-staffed and demotivated. I have been told that it is "chaos" with a "mountain of post" and even "I'm really sorry, but we are a complete sh!t show at the moment".

That said, it really isn't good enough and it is so frustrating asit seems like there is nothing we can do to change this or to improve the service.

We have now had to start telling people to post things to our work or to order only by Amazon/courier.

I was told today that the local MP is visiting the office next week to try and understand the current issues, although I am not quite sure what effect that will have.

[Sue]

Helen Hayes has been very proactive about the delivery issues, including coming to a (poorly attended) demonstration outside the old delivery office in Sylvester Road in a vain attempt to stop it closing.

She also did all she could in other ways to stop our deliveries coming from the Peckham office, but sadly with no result.

Now all the predicted chickens are coming home to roost (not sure that's quite what I mean, but you get the picture).

I really hope that things will change. It does seem to me that at least part of the problem is down to poor management at Peckham, but I might be completely wrong.

It can't all be due to Covid, because the deliveries went way downhill as soon as they were moved to the Peckham office, which was long before lockdown.

[dulwichquine]

I went to the sorting office today to try to find out what had happened to my parcel, still sitting there since Aug 26. They told me there's still a big backlog of parcels. It could be there, but maybe not. They have no idea. Helen Hayes MP apparently visiting tomorrow. Instead of 40 staff, they have ten. Letters/cards taking at least 10 days to arrive to our house. Totally unacceptable.

[Penguin68]

Effectively no mail deliveries for us at all in the last 10 days (but packages are still being delivered). I'm guessing 'our' postie is on holiday, and his walk isn't being covered by anyone - which used not to be the case. If they are really working on 25% staffing levels that's a disgrace. Their monopoly comes at a service quality price (i.e. %age of first class deliveries made next day, 6 days of deliveries etc.) They are clearly failing.

[DulwichFox]

My Postman comes Every day. Not always at the same time.

Foxy.

[jackieas]

I too am waiting for two parcels, the first one posted on the 17 August. Letter post is very patchy which we get every three or four days. I wrote a letter to Royal Mail and got an automated response but nothing else. Other than Helen Hayes, who else can we complain to? The postman said no one was covering our round.

[DulwichFox]

There is a Post Van outside my house at this time (12:00) Delivering parcels to several houses.

The Parcel van comes most days. Of course I do not always see it.

It does not Always stop outside my house.

When I order things on line (Not very often) I use the company's mail service E.G. DPD

and use their tracking system. It's very good.

Royal Mail also have a Tracking System.

DulwichFox

[Bic Basher]

I've had no post at all this week after a decent period of deliveries during August.

[ianr]

My benchmark post, Private Eye, gives some indication of the up-and-down nature of the service. The issue due on 12 August was ten days late, and the next one (due 26 August) twelve days. That was after I'd been ringing some virtual bells to celebrate the timeliness of the preceding two, after a previous period of delays. Today's, of course, hasn't arrived.

What I don't understand is why, along with the 12-day late one, posted first class, arrived a 2nd class letter from SE14 franked only three days earlier. Systematic, or simply disordered?

[Sue]

My Private Eye for 28 August to 10 September also only arrived a couple of days ago.

Does anybody know what the outcome of Helen Hayes' visit was?

[Spartacus]

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

I received a letter today for a hospital appointment yesterday. Fortunately, I had arranged it by telephone.

[Reg Smeeton]

My weekly magazine has been arriving, on average, about six days late since April. One edition was over 2 weeks late, another never arrived at all. A birthday card arrived over a week late. It's the collapse of what used to be a great service that perhaps we all took for granted.

[ianr]

I'm reposting the following post of mine, which got deleted. Sue (post also deleted) followed it up, confirming that her issue of the 26 August Eye was also twelve days late, which was in a sense good to know, and asked what was the outcome of Helen Hayes' visit to the delivery office, to which Spartacus replied with the above link to HH's twitter page.

-------------

Posted by ianr September 09, 03:05PM

My benchmark post, Private Eye, gives some indication of the up-and-down nature of the service. The issue due on 12 August was ten days late, and the next one (due 26 August) twelve days. That was after I'd been ringing some virtual bells to celebrate the timeliness of the preceding two, after a previous period of delays. Today's, of course, hasn't arrived.

What I don't understand is why, along with the 12-day late one, posted first class, arrived a 2nd class letter from SE14 franked only three days earlier. Systematic, or simply disordered?

[AD]

I have two items from May apparently still with Royal Mail, another item from 10th August that is still with them according to the tracking.

I now have 3 months worth of contact lenses that normally get here 1st Sept and still not arrived... we had one letter yesterday that was recent but nothing from all of Augusts outstanding or before.

Its an absolute shambles and I will have to start claiming for missing post soon.

[Fwomble]

Likewise seveal items sent to me over past 2 months not yet delivered

any suggestions? Not the poor local post man's fault

[jim_the_chin]

Called Royal Mail customer services late August due to no post for two weeks, they said if there?s any financially important post expected they can arrange a delivery

‭0345 774 0740‬

[James Barber]

Royal Mail is regulated by OFCOM who state:

Royal Mail Customer Service Centre, FREEPOST, 20 Turner Road, St Rollox Retail and Business Park, Glasgow. G21 1AA

Tel: 03457 740 740 (textphone 0846 000606)

Royal Mail customer services https://personal.help.royalmail.com

If your complaint cannot be resolved, the operator can issue a ?deadlock' notice that will allow you to ask the Independent Postal Redress scheme to investigate your case - https://www.cedr.com/consumer/postrs/

The scheme can only investigate complaints about Royal Mail's regulated postal services. If your complaint is about a non-regulated service and you are still unhappy with Royal Mail's response, you should seek independent legal advice.

[Penguin68]

Our postie is back off holiday and delivering like fury - he was surprised to hear that there had been no cover for him whilst away. I'm guessing that if they're not providing cover then many of our recent woes may have been holiday related. Although clearly if they are operating 75% under-strength there may be walks permanently uncovered.

Daily post deliveries are actually part of their regulated service requirements (as are around 93% of first class post delivered by the 'next working day'). If they are failing to staff at sufficient levels to provide that (outwith the short-term impact of local illness) then they are in breach of their regulated requirements. My guess is that taking one week with another the local service to us is in breach.

This isn't really about an individual dispute with the Post Office. But about a general failure in a local area. Something an MP would be (and I suspect is) pursuing.

[yummumbums]

A birthday card to my son posted first class on the 22nd August arrived today. I?m missing about 4 parcels and we rarely get post. It?s not good.

[kennarro]

Grandparents "good luck back to school" cards not getting to children (2 weeks late and counting). Kids birthdays cards from early summer never arrived.

Royal Mail has not been functioning correctly for some time. Structural problems since ED sorting office closed. One senses they've given up now.

Think very carefully about the consequences of delivery by Royal Mail.

[sian]

We had most of our backlog delivered yesterday - lots of our parcels and post. Some dated early August. Others not yet arrived. Looks like Helen Hayes? visit has achieved something but I don?t see the service ever getting back to the level it was at when Silvester Road was open. I will try and have things sent by click and collect in future.

[pecksniff]

Spoke to Postie yesterday whilst walking up Chesterfield Grove about postal delays. They mentioned being assigned for the next fortnight to clear some of the backlog.

[tomskip]

Received a card for my son yesterday, to congratulate him on his GCSE results! It was posted first class in East Sussex more than 3 weeks ago.

[JRK]

We haven't had any post since Monday and I have parcel's missing from over a month ago. Feeling rather helpless!