Royal Mail - Special delivery my ar*e!

[streethawk]

Which way do you see this going?

Bought a guitar neck off ebay, seller sends it via next day special delivery with royal mail.

Did not arrive.

Tracking facility on their website says the item was delivered to my address, on time, and even showed a signature of receipt: not my name. Not my neighbour's name. No note shoved through my door (I was home all day anyway, watching out for a delivery).

Royal Mail say they're going to interview the driver today and get back to us. But surely, if he says 'yup, I deffo delivered it', isn't it just his word against mine?

Anyone with any experience of this? Don't want me, the seller or both of us out of pocket here.

[JAYJO]

I had this happen. The parcel was at the local depot! Give them a ring.

[Viz]

Happened to me the other day. Wrong signature. I queried it and it arrived 2 days later as normal.

[streethawk]

Been reading that some delivery drivers sign for it themselves if they miss the guaranteed by 1pm cut off point, would explain the L Walsh signature (probably does a good S Cowell as well...).

Hopefully that's the case and I'll find it sitting in the depot later today.

Or perhaps he is just genuinely crap at his job and delivered it to the wrong address and they'll return it to the depot.

But if not, if he's binned it or pocketed it, where does that leave us? Who does the onus of proof land on?

[Fretwired]

Do you have a bin or somewhere it could have been left outside? My postie regularly signs for it leaves the parcel in my wheelie bin. A useless service which I won't use.

[streethawk]

Surprise surprise, it's just arrived.

Postie looking a bit sheepish this morning...

[bertie]

thats cos he tried to fleece you

[John_A]

I was once waiting in for a multi-fx that was due to be delivered Special Delivery, saw the postie coming up the drive and opened the door just as he was posting the 'tried to deliver but you were out' card, I asked where the parcel was and he said 'at the depot' Basically he couldn't be arsed to carry it!

Never complained, maybe I should have

[Sporky_McGuffin]

I had a Special Delivery go missing for three months - the postie had left it at the local post office but not told anyone. RM accused me of lying when I said it hadn't arrived - when it was finally found they half-apologised and refused any compensation as it wasn't a late delivery, it was a non-delivery.

I don't use Royal Mail any more - they are institutionally incompetent and corrupt.

[John_A]

Another Royal Mail story... I reguarly used Parcelforce to ship guitars a few years ago when I was buying and selling a few Japanese guitars. I paid £30-40 each time I sent one for additional insurance and then read the small print that a musical instrument would only be covered up to a maximum of £200. I submitted an application for a refund of over £300 in insurance premiums on the grounds that they wouldn't have paid up and was basically told to get lost!