Royal Mail - late deliveries - what is happening?

[tjbuilders]

A posties job used to be respectable. Not now,  they employ buck eedjits who will deliver letters at six o’clock in the evening like an old style paper boy.

[Penguin68]

On 12/10/2024 at 10:55, Kathleen Olander said:

Sorting office is Highshore Road, Peckham.

It is the Delivery Office (DO) which is in Peckham - Sorting Offices (where mail goes when collected from Post Boxes) are entirely different - and there are now only one or two in London. Sorting does take place at Peckham - but it is for post waiting only to be sorted into 'walks'. Sorry, it's just a technicality but it does mean that issues we have with delivery locally are not mirrored into problems when we ourselves post locally - that doesn't go anywhere near Peckham when collected (unless it is later for local delivery, and then it comes back to Peckham from the Sorting Office).

12 hours ago, tjbuilders said:

A posties job used to be respectable. Not now,  they employ buck eedjits who will deliver letters at six o’clock in the evening like an old style paper boy.

That's quite offensive. 'Late-in-the-day' deliveries are made by posties working overtime to clear the backlogs caused by local mismanagement - granted they will be working on overtime rates, but they will have been working for many hours. And will have walked many miles.

[Herbie Russell Southwark News]

Is this something people are actually doing? Getting bank statements etc delivered in boxes? Am a journalist at Southwark News by the way. 

On 12/10/2024 at 05:13, Dulwich dweller said:

I have been waiting for a particular letter for five working days now. Annoyingly it's my new pin number for my bank card but still no sign of it. Im just by the Gardens and have only seen the postman once this week. I spoke to him to find out why we see very little of them, get no deliveries for a week then all of a sudden a pile of letters drop through the letterbox on a Sunday afternoon. Some of that post is weeks old going by the dates on the letters.

The postman informed me that this particular round- Gardens, kelmore, Oakhurst etc is really messed up mate and we're really only doing parcels now and don't really do letters. That pissed me off a bit so i asked him do the PO no longer deem letters as important or indeed worthy of posting anymore? I'm again informed that it's a mess mate and that he'd have a look in the sorting office and drop my post in if he finds anything.

I have zero hope or faith in getting my delivery unless i contact my bank and ask them to resend my A4 sheet of paper but this time in a huge bloody box. Their attitude suggested that they don't give a flying,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and that i'm some sort of lunatic for expecting a  postman to be delivering,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,letters. I reckon he'd have been less offended if i'd asked him to lend me £300.

 

 

ssss

[Borderlands]

Would love to know what posties in the area think about how badly managed the delivery service now is and is willing to post updates on the forum. Anonymously would be fine, of course. Or could a local journalist go and investigate each of our local sorting offices and build up a picture about what's happening beyond the obvious chaos of deliveries. May be the local branch/s of the CWU would know?

We had no issues with our local post, an area on the edge of East Dulwich, until about a month ago, and now ordinary post (not tracked) is delivered completely randomly and days/weeks after when it was expected - even first class stamped items don't appear - so no point in paying for this non-existent but expensive service.

About the Czech billionaire buyout - does anyone know if that means the idea of mutualising the service has been rejected?

40 minutes ago, Herbie Russell Southwark News said:

Is this something people are actually doing? Getting bank statements etc delivered in boxes? Am a journalist at Southwark News by the way. 

ssss

I doubt it. But I was walking around that area in the afternoon a couple of weeks back, and saw a Royal Mail van with the back doors open and two posties looking at what was inside as if defeated by the huge load there. It was completely stuffed with crates full of mail - not just an accessible layer that could be lifted out. Sure, it could be for delivery to a number of different areas - but there wasn't one of those boxes on wheels nearby that could be attached to lamposts for a postie to collect from. So that suggests at least some of the crates would have been for the immediate area. Wonder if any were delivered to local addresses that day?

[Sally Eva]

Just what I was thinking. See you in the queue at 8am

[Happyme5]

The post is only focussed on parcels so maybe I should ask for all post to be sent via a box.  It would probably be cheaper to send  a  letter in a parcel that is tracked rather than pay 10.00 for a letter to be sent recorded delivery 🚚 🚚 🚚 

[Dulwich dweller]

7 hours ago, Herbie Russell Southwark News said:

Is this something people are actually doing? Getting bank statements etc delivered in boxes? Am a journalist at Southwark News by the way. 

ssss

Not that i'm aware of 😁It was a joke based on the fact out postman now only delivers parcels.

[geh]

As most readers will be aware, this is an issue that has persisted since the closure of the East Dulwich sorting office.  I have been complaining to the Royal Mail periodically over the course of summer, and finally raised it with Ellie Reeves as our new MP, when a bulk delivery was received containing PCN's, court letters relating to those PCN's, hospital appointments and much that has been referenced by other forum posters!

It appears this was acted on swiftly, and ER paid a visit to the Peckham Sorting Office, which is welcomed, and indeed, we have received some post, but it is sporadic, and it is very obvious that non essential mail (for example magazines/periodicals that have differing publishing dates) are being lumped together and delivered in a single weekly delivery.  My father (Peckham Rye borders of SE22) has not had mail for 3 weeks now.

My concern is, rather than admitting that the closure of the East Dulwich sorting office has caused systemic issues that have not been addressed, The Royal Mail continues to blame staff sickness and recruitment problems.

In my view, they continue to lie to their paying customers, and have also lied to the MP when challenged.

Does this make any difference, probably not, it's another example of how in my view utilities/infrastructure and public services do not sit well with the privatisation model.  

What will happen, ultimately I suspect the Royal Mail will be subsumed into one of the more efficient carriers, and letters by post will become a thing of the past (if they are not already!!)

Its like a reverse highway robbery, instead of the mail coach being held up, it's paying customers who have their money stolen, for which they gain no service.

[tjbuilders]

Wow , good job you didn’t put all that in a letter.😜

[Happyme5]

Thank you Geh.  It is horrible when your parking fine goes up before it arrives.  It has happened here and we have missed VIP medical appointments.   The contacts are not very attractive now as with all newbie contracts.  But they don't seem to recruiting new staff just shoving existing staff around.  Maybe that's their version of recycling.   Reuse Redeploy Recycle.  But don't actually employ more people.  High turn over low paid, uncared for existing staff.  Creates a recipe for 3rd class service.    When I do get post I often have to spend a good half hour taking post to the correct properties.  Maybe I should ask them to pay me for my time.  I do a better job than they do.  

[mayfly]

Post being sent by Special Delivery which should arrive the following day are not arriving either.

Something sent by Special Delivery from Wales last Monday never arrived, nor has the same thing sent again yesterday.

[se22]

I am genuinely surprised about this. Whatever you may think of Royal Mail, Special Delivery is an extremely reliable service and items rarely go missing. Assuming it was correctly addressed and packaged I suggest you follow it up. You can claim compensation if a SD item gets lost in transit.

[Sue]

On Saturday I phoned Royal Mail to arrange for the parcels which should have arrived on Friday (and then Saturday) to be delivered on Tuesday, as I had a dental appointment on Monday.

Surprise surprise, they were delivered on Monday. Luckily someone else happened to be here, as they arrived shortly before I came back from the dentist.

 I had another two parcels arrive on time today. Amazing.

[Happyme5]

Well tomorrow when I return from work I will find out if my complaint has been addressed.   Will I have any letters in my box?  If so will the letters actually be mine.   Or will it be that I have no post.   Let's wait and see.    I will let you all know when I get home tomorrow...

Tomorrow, tomorrow, I'd love to have some post tomorrow..... Tomorrow's a day away........

 

Edited October 15, 2024 by Happyme5
X

[mayfly]

The Special Deliveries were correctly addressed. Another proof copy posted off to Yorkshire by Special Deliver did arrived today.

I have sent a message to [email protected] the CEO of the PO asking him to investigate.

[Dulwich dweller]

It seems that the local MP made a visit to the Peckham and East Dulwich Delivery Office in early October. Nothing has changed for the better where we are.

https://southwarknews.co.uk/area/dulwich/ellie-reeves-latest-mp-to-wade-into-east-dulwich-postal-fiasco-but-locals-fear-she-will-just-be-fobbed-off/

 

 

[Sue]

6 hours ago, Dulwich dweller said:

It seems that the local MP made a visit to the Peckham and East Dulwich Delivery Office in early October. Nothing has changed for the better where we are.

https://southwarknews.co.uk/area/dulwich/ellie-reeves-latest-mp-to-wade-into-east-dulwich-postal-fiasco-but-locals-fear-she-will-just-be-fobbed-off/

 

 

I see they quoted (and named) one resident who blamed Labour politicians for Royal Mail's shortcomings and complained that his Spectator should have been delivered on Friday.

Don't know whether to laugh or cry.

Anyway, Ellie Reeves is encouraging  everyone to let her know of delays in their post, if possible with envelopes as proof of dates (I presume you can scan and email).

Edited October 17, 2024 by Sue

[Dulwich dweller]

4 hours ago, Sue said:

I see they quoted (and named) one resident who blamed Labour politicians for Royal Mail's shortcomings and complained that his Spectator should have been delivered on Friday.

Don't know whether to laugh or cry.

Anyway, Ellie Reeves is encouraging  everyone to let her know of delays in their post, if possible with envelopes as proof of dates (I presume you can scan and email).

Not sure what good can come of it if she's already been to the sorting office and nothing has changed/ improved. I emailed both her and the royal mail over a week ago and have had zero response from either yet. I've had no post for about two weeks now. I know for a fact that at least two letters were sent out to me 10 days ago, I think we're having the Michael taken out of us and so is Reeves by the looks of things.

[Sue]

1 hour ago, Dulwich dweller said:

Not sure what good can come of it if she's already been to the sorting office and nothing has changed/ improved. I emailed both her and the royal mail over a week ago and have had zero response from either yet. I've had no post for about two weeks now. I know for a fact that at least two letters were sent out to me 10 days ago, I think we're having the Michael taken out of us and so is Reeves by the looks of things.

Basically the buck surely stops much higher up than this delivery office.

For some reason, senior managers don't appear to be taking action about poor management further down the line.

I can't believe this is just a staffing issue. But if it is, how come they can suddenly employ two more posties,  after years of clear shortcomings? 

I know Helen Hayes raised it at a higher level on more than one occasion. Things improved for a while (ie the backlog got delivered) then just deteriorated again.

I don't know whether she and Ellie Reeves have discussed it, but surely they must have had some kind of handover when the constituency boundaries changed?

[ianr]

On 14/10/2024 at 09:03, Penguin68 said:

issues we have with delivery locally are not mirrored into problems when we ourselves post locally - that doesn't go anywhere near Peckham when collected (unless it is later for local delivery, and then it comes back to Peckham from the Sorting Office).

Do you happen to know which office does all the actual SE22 district pillar box collections?  I'm curious as to who is responsible for the systemic failures that I've observed over the last four years, to change the Next Collection Day plate on pillar boxes each time a collection is made. I also wonder  whether or not it's common in any other districts.

[Penguin68]

Mount Pleasant is the London Sorting Office (there is also one in Croydon but I think all London postcodes are handled by Mount Pleasant) . I don't however know how post box collections are organised or managed. There would be no logic however for that to be based out of Mount Pleasant.

[Sue]

I had an email from Royal Mail saying my package would be delivered on Saturday. I was going to be out all day, so I requested delivery on Monday, when I would be in all day.

 

While I was out on Saturday, I had another  email from Royal Mail saying my package had been delivered to "your safe place." I don't have a designated  safe place, as there isn't one.

 

It turned  out that they had decided my safe place was behind a flower pot.

 

I got home late on Saturday night to find  that at least the package was still there.

 

However a snail was sitting on it and was happily chomping away at the cardboard! It was only a small snail, and it had already eaten quite a lot of it  🙂

 

 It was lucky  I got home when I did, or it might have eaten right through the packaging

 

Also, the 24 hour tracking label  says "Photo only", but I never got a photo.

 

I'm not making yet another complaint to Royal Mail, because I reckon the postie was trying his best, but honestly .....

 

 

Edited October 29, 2024 by Sue
Adding pic

[Happyme5]

LOL happy snail he was having a right royal munch.  As for the delivery like you said at least you got it...

[Earl Aelfheah]

I had another case of a postie trying to hand me a recorded delivery package for a completely different street. Luckily I clocked it before he jumped back in his van and managed to hand it back. I get the impression that they're under a lot of pressure to drop and run - perhaps it's being target driven?  

[Dulwich dweller]

After a series of complaints sent to Ellie Reeves about the extremely poor service/lack of deliveries to The Gardens/ Kelmore Grove round we have started to get deliveries again. One delivery came last Sunday and so did a lot of mail ( we got 22 letters ). Many of my letters were dated as far back as early 4th, 6th and 7th of October. Others were from the second week of October. Thankfully, it seems that we now have a new postman ( as promised by Peckham sorting office ) when they replied to Ellie Reeve's initial email in support of the unhappy residents at Kelmore and The Gardens.

Have to say that Ellie Reeves and her office were very helpful and kept us informed/ updated on the situation and with regards to what the post office had to say about their terrible service.

Edited October 30, 2024 by Dulwich dweller