Royal Mail paid out more than £300,000 in compensation for lost items in Wales in 2010/11, while the numbers of complaints went up slightly.
After loss, the other categories in the top three complaints were for redirection (£31,000 in compensation paid out) and delay (£10,000) after Royal Mail received almost 50,000 complaints from consumers in Wales, up 500 on the previous year.
However, the total amount of compensation paid out in all categories decreased from £455,000 in 2009/10 to £413,000 in 2010/11.
Regionally, the highest number of complaints were made (13,640) in the CF postcode area, where consumers also received more than a quarter of the compensation paid out in Wales (£106,000).
Rebecca Thomas, Royal Mail policy expert at Consumer Focus Wales, said:
‘The vast majority of mail is delivered securely but when things get lost or stolen, it is unacceptable and causes a lot of distress. Whenever people are sending cash or vouchers, they should use Special Delivery. It costs more but it provides cover.
‘Royal Mail has improved in recent years but it cannot be complacent. If mail is lost or stolen, people should complain and seek compensation. It is vital that Royal Mail gets it right to maintain their customers’ trust and keep their business.’
A breakdown by individual postcode area and by top ten categories is available online through the Wales Post Map (see below).
Consumer advice
- Anyone posting anything of monetary value should do so using special delivery. It will cost more but includes a level of insurance.
- A proof of posting certificate (available from Post Offices) will be required for compensation for loss, damage or delay of more general items.
- Ensure all items are properly wrapped – especially if they are breakable. Clearly mark fragile packages and point this out to the post office staff.
- To complain about delayed or damaged post, contact Royal Mail by telephone 08457 740 740 and ensure that you are provided with a complaint reference number. If after making the complaint you are still dissatisfied with the outcome you can then contact The Postal Ombudsman- Independent Dispute Resolution Services (IDRS) details available from www.RoyalMail.com.
Wales Post Map
The Wales Post Map allows you to search by postcode to see how each area is performing in both delivery targets and for complaints. It allows you to compare figures and performance results for each quarter in easy to read graphs and tables. We hope this will make it easier for you to see how Royal Mail are performing and highlight any need for improvement.
You can access the website on http://walesmail.cflabs.org.uk/
