What's your postal delivery like? Post Reply

[Jen66]

I only ask because ours (SW12) seems to be getting worse and worse.

We don't have a regular postman just different (I assume) agency workers. I would say that I get the wrong post about two or three times a month. Sometimes for someone a few doors down. Sometimes it's for someone who lives in a totally different street.

I'm also absolutely convinced (as are my neighbours) that the postman doesn't come out to us six days a week - more like four. Delivery is also getting later and later. Last night it came at 7pm.

Just curious as to whether ours is particularly bad or if it's a bigger problem.

[Goldhawk]

Ours is often after 3pm and we have various different postmen
We do seem to get our mail 6 days though

[papinian]

Jen66: There is something dodgy going on with your postal deliveries.

Royal Mail aim to make one delivery every working day by 3 p.m. in urban areas. In my experience up to 5 p.m. is not uncommon but no way should you be getting your post at 7 p.m.

You need to contact Royal Mail customer services and give them all of the details:
http://www.royalmail.com/personal/help- ... -complaint

If you don't complain it is unlikely anything will change.

[Goldhawk]

No mail here yet

[juliantenniscoach]

Erratic here just off Northcote. Never in the morning. Someone must be getting theirs early surely?

[Jen66]

I have contacted Royal Mail - in writing and on the phone.

Nothing's changes. I really can't see why postmen can't be assigned a regular route like they used to. Makes so much more sense

I chased after a postman a while ago who was putting the wrong mail through people's letter boxes (it was for a nearby street with similar sounding name) and he just shrugged and carried on delivering to the wrong houses!

[Bodders1]

We are just off Trinity Road (SW18) and often our post does not arrive until late afternoon. And I am not sure the post gets delivered every day...think your experience is probably quite a common one unfortunately.

[Mummy2b2212]

Ours in sw11 is seriously erratic and I agree about them not coming every day. We seem to have bumper post every 3 days and nothing in between.

[janee]

ben.ferguson@royalmail.com
Ben Ferguson
Chairman and Chief Executive’s Office
Royal Mail Headquarters
100 Victoria Embankment
LONDON
EC4Y 0HQ

We have also had unreliable deliveries near Wandsworth Bridge. It is difficult to get to the truth but it appears that Royal Mail have increased the size of the rounds. One story I have had is that posties are supposed to finish their rounds at 2.00 pm and take back everything undelivered to the sorting office to be delivered another day. Before they set out on their rounds the posties have to sort their own mail. I was told that posties were not paid overtime for delivering later, but I am not sure about that. Certainly, the delivery service in Battersea has become very, very unreliable.

I suggest emailing the above gentleman (Moya Greene is CEO) and making sure you copy in local MPs, etc.

[papinian]

Another example of how badly-managed privatisation does not work.

The postage charges are significantly higher than previously and the service is significantly poorer. The senior executives are now receiving eye-watering remuneration packages and huge amounts are wasted on outside consultants.

Even Mrs Thatcher was against privatisation of Royal Mail.

[janee]

I agree with much of what you say about privatisation and the huge salaries paid at the top, rather than the bottom. However, in defence of the problems faced by Royal Mail (and not being addressed by them) they are faced with unfair competition:
1) the increase in usage of email has hit them
2) the opening up of the lucrative areas for mail deliveries to competition
3) having their hands tied by being forced to deliver mail to all addresses, including those which the private companies take money for but don't deliver to.

That said, part of the problem is the Government's fault and part of it is the fault of Royal Mail and we have to question whether Moya Greene is worth the money being paid: "Royal Mail boss Moya Greene saw her pay increase by 13 per cent to £1.52m in the last financial year"

[secondtimer]

We live in SW11 and our regular postman (Seymour) is an absolute treasure!

He goes out of his way to make sure I get my parcels (we live on Broomwood road and he once brought one to me at tumble tots in Broomwood church!) and he is rarely without a smile on his face and a friendly greeting. Yes, our post doesn't usually arrive till 13.00-14.00 but I've seen him loading the van on Lavender hill at 8.00 so I think it might be route length that's a factor.

Having said all of that, I do notice a deterioration when he is on holiday, perhaps because the others have to do more or don't know the route?

[leapyearbaby]

We get large piles after days of nothing and I passed a postie this eve on st Ann's hill at around 7pm.

[Balhamberry]

We are also sw12, close to chestnut grove, and our post is terrible. Frequently not delivered until evening, sometimes as late as 7pm.

But my main issue is over delivery of larger post. Last week we got a completely blank "sorry we missed you" card, and the week before we got a card addressed to a neighbour saying postman had left their parcel in our bin. If we hadn't been around, the neighbour would never have known they had a parcel, never mind that it had been left in our bin (on the day before rubbish collection . . . ). I also think leaving parcels in bins is a very bad idea!

[sid_seal]

Lambeth side of SW12 here. Post seems to be delivered regularly (I never obviously noticed any no-post days with bigger bunches the following day).
Being at home during the holiday I could do some more monitoring and we did have two deliveries/day with one around 2.30 PM.