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MP receives Royal Mail response

27th April 2011 @ 7:07am – by Audlem Webteam
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Local MP Stephen O'Brien has written to Audlem Online detailing the response he has received from Royal Mail about the well-publicised postal problems since late 2010.

He describes Royal Mail's response as "hopelessly inadequate and doesn't begin to address the problems." He has therefore made further representations seeking urgent action and reassurances about the service locally.

Royal Mail's response to the MP said:

Dear Mr O'Brien
Thank you for your email regarding the problems your constituents have been experiencing with Royal Mail deliveries in the Eddisbury area.

Under the conditions of its licence, Royal Mail is obliged to use all reasonable endeavours to meet certain quality of service standards covering a wide range of products. Royal Mail is also obliged to perform to set standards in relation to collections from post boxes and deliveries to residential and commercial premises.

Where deliveries are concerned, Royal Mail is also required to meet a target in respect of the percentage of mail that is correctly delivered. However, the target does not equate to a 'guarantee' of performance. Rather, it incentivises Royal Mail to try to deliver first class letters the day after posting because a failure to reach the target may result in an investigation or automatic financial consquences. (There's then some details of quarterly results on a website).

If an item is not received within 3 working days of posting, then either the recipient or the sender can claim for compensation for delay. An item is considered lost after 15 days.

Complaints procedureThere is then a load of detail in the letter on complaints procedures, including the Royal Mail's Postal Review Panel – the objective and neutral body that declared, in response to Audlem Online's complaint, that "Royal Mail had provided exemplary service."

In essence, it would require incredible patience and fortitude for any customer to pursue Royal Mail through the Postal Review Panel, than a 'deadlock' notice after all stages of Royal Mail's complaint handling process had been exhausted, before then going to the independent postal redress scheme (POSTRS).

Fortunately, the services of Consumer Direct, a government service providing practical and impartial consumer advice is at hand to help, Royal Mail adds in its letter.

It would appear, judging from their response, that Royal Mail is as unconcerned as ever about its failures. If they are replying to all MPs' complaints in this 'copy and paste' way, Royal Mail, we suspect, could be heading for big trouble.


This article is from our news archive. As a result pictures or videos originally associated with it may have been removed and some of the content may no longer be accurate or relevant.

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