Gransnet forums

Legal, pensions and money

Parcel missing its contents on delivery

(6 Posts)
Strawberrywhippyonawafflecone Mon 04-Jan-21 20:31:47

Hello ladies

Can anyone suggest my first move for the following issue;

I sent a parcel-(cardboard envelope type thing) to a family friend in early December. Just before Christmas she wrote and told me her postman had been about to deliver the item when he/she noticed the parcel was empty. Fortunately the recipient was at home when this happened. The postie said they would return it to the local sorting office who would then get in touch with me about the missing contents.

Today the empty envelope has been returned to me with a general Royal Mail sticker on. Two boxes have been ticked saying 'refused' and 'not called for'. Neither of these are true and I have the letter from the intended recipient outlining what she was told.

It wasn't a high value item-£12 approx- and the brown tape which has been used to reseal the parcel is a different shade to the original one I used. I send quite a few parcels and have not had this happen before.

Do any GN have any wise words or advice as to my first step or is it pointless trying to get a resolution from Royal Mail?

Thank you

Elegran Mon 04-Jan-21 20:52:25

Get on the phone to them, and demand an answer. You have the account of your friend, who returned it to the postman because it was empty. She was told they would get in touch with you "about the contents" so just saying it was "refused" isn't good enough. If you didn't have it with a value stated for compensation, then you won't get anything back on it, but they should admit that something was stolen from it - or possibly fell out and it was resealed, though that sounds unlikely to me, and if a parcel falls apart they usually tell you so..

Marydoll Mon 04-Jan-21 20:59:03

I agree with Elegran. There may have been other parcels with items missing and if a complaint isn't pursued, it could continue.

I recently received aparcel from China, containing a single cheap bead. The phone case I purchased was missing! Once I made a fuss, I got a replacement ASAP. What is odd is the replacement came from England, not China, two days after I complained.

Oopsadaisy1 Mon 04-Jan-21 21:42:13

Marydoll I ordered something from China and instead received a very small fridge magnet, I complained and got a refund, after reading the reviews it seems it was a common problem. I should have read the reviews first.

A heavy package came recently via the Post office , cardboard all wet and falling apart but the Post Office had put all of it into a large clear plastic bag with a sticky note on it in case anything was missing with a number to call, but everything was there.

JackyB Tue 05-Jan-21 08:49:03

I'm afraid I don't know what to recommend, strawberrywhippy.

When my DS1 was living in he US, a parcel that his wife's little old maiden aunt sent came open in transit, or was opened by customs. It contained toys and clothes for the kiddies but got muddled up with one or more other parcels. The sorters had replaced the contents to the best of their judgement, but my son was very amused to find a hodgepodge of stuff in there, predominently sex toys!

Elegran Tue 05-Jan-21 09:08:16

A parcel addressed to me went missing just before Christmas. It was from Amazon, so by claiming with them I got it replaced immediately.

What annoyed me was that I had an email on the day the original one was to arrive, saying "Your parcel has been delivered" and on tracking it I found it had been "Handed to householder" Not to this householder! Someone somewhere was happy to take in, open and keep a parcel clearly not meant for them, containing a Hotties microwaveable hot water bottle and a doughnut ring cushion - both intended to ease my sciatica and desperately needed! Unless, of course, it went missing between the post office van and me, and never reached any householder..