Post not being delivered by Royal Mail

[Castleton]

As part of my complaint, I asked if I could go pick up any of my post and they are looking into it. I need it organised apparently.

Also a reference number for my complaint, to be actioned within 72 hours. Lets see

[ianr]

If I'd known at any time that Private Eye deliveries were going to be consistently 2-3 weeks late for at least 2-3 months, as they have been, I'd have canvassed, at least half in earnest, the possibility of a large-enough bunch of us SE22 subscribers asking the distributors to send our copies in a single courier consignment to one of us, and then our arranging local delivery amongst us on a non-liability, but at least trustworthy, basis.

[Penguin68]

Surprisingly I have had deliveries on Tuesday, Wednesday and today (Thursday) - haven't had 3 in a week (and counting) since spring this year, I don't think. Mail is still both late and missing - but at least I am seeing some. Mind you, I have both complained and had support for Ms Hayes (for which much thanks) - and it probably means that my good fortune has been matched by lack of delivery elsewhere in ED. Sorry about that!

[Sue]

If I'd known at any time that Private Eye deliveries were going to be consistently 2-3 weeks late for at least 2-3 months, as they have been, I'd have canvassed, at least half in earnest, the possibility of a large-enough bunch of us SE22 subscribers asking the distributors to send our copies in a single courier consignment to one of us, and then our arranging local delivery amongst us on a non-liability, but at least trustworthy, basis.

 

I actually got the latest one today - the first time it's arrived on time for possibly months. I also got quite a bit of post. Whether they somehow fished mine out of the chaos after I complained, I don't know.

However, Royal Mail made an almighty f*** up with a 24 hour tracked item. I won't go into the lengthy details, but there were so many mistakes made it would have been unbelievable had it been any other organisation.

And on top of the mistakes, the tracking system was down on both their website and their app.

After I had identified the cup cakes and/or the crabs in the little squares for the umpteenth time I gave up.

Apparently they know about it. Don't know if they managed to find somebody sufficiently competent to fix it 🙄

[Bic Basher]

It's going to be an awful December for post with strikes on 1, 9, 11, 14, 15, 23 and 24th which makes the last day for posting gifts for Christmas much earlier than normal.

Strikes continue this month on 24, 25 and 30th November.

[Landells]

I’m on Landells Road and up until yesterday hadn’t received anything from Royal Mail for a month and the letter was from king’s college hospital dated over a month ago. To top it off went to the sorting office to try and collect everything that I know I’m missing and was told they haven’t sorted the backlog yet and all I can have is Mondays post as it’s been sorted but won’t be delivered as short staffed. They blamed the strike action for the backlog but they couldn’t tell me when that will be cleared.

[Kathleen Olander]

I have received some parcels today 48 hour tracked and posted 16th and 18th October! No wonder

Royal Mail don't want their Track and Trace system to work

Spent the morning paying back sellers that have already refunded me.

[Joe]

I've added a poll to this topic which will hopefully give us an insight into the proportion of SE22 residents affected by the Royal Mail delays.

I'd be interested to hear if any SE15 residents, who get post from the same Peckham Delivery Office, are experiencing the same delays as SE22 residents.

[Penguin68]

Actually, there are I think 2 DOs based in Peckham (Highshore Road). They are separately managed but co-located. I spoke to a postie 3 or so weeks ago who lived in SE15 who told me they also had a poor service, at least recently.

[Penguin68]

I'm afraid that it is no surprise that the overwhelming number of people participating in the poll, as I write, are SE22 residents in receipt of poor service from the ED DO. Those are the ones most likely to participate. And the ED DO is on record (even from Royal Mail's own statistics) as providing poor service. The problem (statistically) with such a poll is that the sample is self selecting - not random - and participation is voluntary. We do not know from what sample base this is drawn from (how many people have read the thread since the poll was posted, to gauge what %age of readers then went on to participate (understanding that where you weren't having bad service from Royal Mail the thread might anyway not be interesting to you).

It comes as no surprise then that the majority (vast majority) of those participating are SE22 residents - and every evidence suggests that the service is pretty uniformly bad across the postal district.

The poll needs to run for far longer (possibly) to pick up more readers for any unanticipated results to emerge.

Amended to add:- The most satisfactory polling use (statistically) for the ED Forum Universe is to ask questions about that Universe itself and the ED Forum itself. Sadly the ED forum 'members' do not represent ED (and include participants who are not (now) living in ED) so although many are ED-ers - and indeed do represent, I'm sure, many different cohorts now living in ED they have (a) to be people comfortable in using social media, and (b) be computer/ smart-phone literate (and have access to these). They also need to have both the time and inclination to participate in what might be seen as ED centric issues (Lounge apart) - and to be on this board, rather than more specific (and utilitarian?) boards. Polls, such as the one on this thread, can confirm (or deny) that a particular issue is, broadly, important, of course, but not to any degree of accuracy the scale of that importance. But I'm never the less pleased to see the poll, and participate in it!

[Glemham]

I have received some parcels today 48 hour tracked and posted 16th and 18th October! No wonder

Royal Mail don't want their Track and Trace system to work

Spent the morning paying back sellers that have already refunded me.

 

I’ve just had a chat with the postman delivering a tracked parcel from M&S which I ordered only a couple of days ago. I asked about an undelivered parcel that was sent to me on October 28 and was told that as it wasn’t a tracked item it wouldn’t be given priority, and is almost certainly in a large pile of similar items.

He had a lot to say about his working conditions and his belief that private companies will soon take over delivering letters.

He advised me to post extra early for Christmas!

[Bic Basher]

No post on Friday or today, so still waiting for the current Private Eye which will probably turn up in two weeks time!

[staplemeg]

No post of any kind for weeks, we're on Barry Road. London-based friends of ours sent out wedding invitations over two weeks ago which have arrived to friends across the country and internationally, but not to us 6 miles away! My partner and I are also waiting on some NHS referral letters.

It's so frustrating.

[Joe]

Amended to add:- The most satisfactory polling use (statistically) for the ED Forum Universe is to ask questions about that Universe itself and the ED Forum itself.

 

Agree, its not going to be statistically perfect as we're adding a leading question and will be mainly viewed by people affected. But good to know the sorts of numbers of residents who are viewing this topic and suffering the same problem nonetheless!

[Castleton]

I'm going to get any parcels delivered to my brother in SE6 for the time being

[RichH]

It's a Sunday, but I've just had a pile of small packages delivered by Royal Mail some of which were originally posted nearly two months ago. The RM postman said he'd been drafted from South Norwood to help clear the ED backlog.

[lbanks]

We have also had a small delivery just now (Sunday afternoon), items posted around November 1st - delivery guy not dressed in Royal Mail uniform so wonder if they’ve drafted in additional workers for overtime shifts. Progress at least - looking forward to seeing items from October eventually…

[dulwichquine]

We have also received delivery today that had been originally posted on Oct 26. I went to sorting office to see what was going on and they said there was a big backlog they are trying to clear and that they were trying to draft in extra people. I dread to think what Xmas deliveries are going to be like. It's a terrible service now.

[Penguin68]

18 items of mail and one parcel delivered this morning, including 6 subscription magazines, all late but mostly by no longer than a week (!).

Maybe the fuss being kicked up by, inter alia, Helen Hayes is having an effect?

But maybe it's just me who's been so lucky.

[Castleton]

No, I too was lucky albeit with fewer pieces!

Could it be related to the complaint I raised on 17th..

[Penguin68]

I've also raised complaints. It's sad that we have to do this to get the service mandated in their operating charter, and very possibly at the expense of service to others.

[apod]

I am on East Dulwich Grove, received the post Friday and today for the first time in a while, I am still waiting for the parcel sent to me on 31/10.

[smooch]

I have had deliveries on Friday, Saturday and 2 today!!

I think they are realising this cannot go on

[Sue]

I've just had a massive amount of post, including something dated 17 October and a package I was about to get a refund on.

Hopefully they are whittling down the pile at the delivery office. Just in time for Christmas.

[singalto]

I complained to RM but they put all the problems down to strikes. I did explain it’s been awful for far longer but to no avail!