Royal Mail compensation

[istevenh888]

Hi,

So my buyer has suddenly opened a case after 1 month it was supposedly delivered. I used Royal Mail special delivery guarantee 1pm and purchased label via eBay. Because it's been a month, I have thrown away my receipt from the Post Office to proof I have sent my parcel. 

The tracking says it has been delivered to the correct address but buyer is claiming he lives in a estate and that there are other door numbers with 33.

Does anyone know how exactly I can file a claim to Royal Mail asking for compensation for mis-delivered items? Only seeing options for lost or damaged parcel.  Also without the receipt to prove I posted item, can I still get compensation? Tracking does show I've dropped my parcel off and that it was delivered.

[istevenh888]

Buyer only has 9 feedbacks, but they are dated just over 1 year ago, feels like I'm being scammed since he took a whole month to file a mis-delivered claim.

But obviously eBay is going to favor their side, I just need help with getting Royal Mail to compensate me in this case.

[4_bathrooms]

Has the buyer opened a case? If so you can upload the tracking and the case will be closed in your favour. There are very few examples of there being two properties with the same house/building number also having the exact same postcode. I believe Special Delivery provides GPS coordinates with a map showing where the delivery was made - can you see this in the tracking?

[4_bathrooms]

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@4_bathrooms wrote:

There are very few examples of there being two properties with the same house/building number also having the exact same postcode. I believe Special Delivery provides GPS coordinates with a map showing where the delivery was made - can you see this in the tracking?

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Actually, there is a good way to test the buyer's claim if you so wish. Try this:

1. Go to Royal Mail's postcode finder
2. Enter the delivery postcode you were given
3. Click the "More addresses" link
4. Every address with that postcode is listed. You should be able to tell if there are two addresses numbered "33" etc.

If Royal Mail have obtained a signature and GPS scan I highly doubt they're going to compensate you. However, that said I doubt your buyer's claim. I'm assuming this was a high value item as you used Special Delivery; anyone with any sense in the buyer's claimed position would arrange for the delivery to be somewhere it would be more certain to arrive without mishap!

[four_mid_able]

Without a receipt RM won't entertain any claim as you would have no proof at all of posting.

Receipts should be kept for at least 1 year.

[4_bathrooms]

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@four_mid_able wrote:

Without a receipt RM won't entertain any claim as you would have no proof at all of posting.

Receipts should be kept for at least 1 year.

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The label was (apparently) purchased via eBay so the OP will have the email receipt. I assume it is the Certificate of Posting from the Post Office they didn't keep. As the item has an acceptance scan in the tracking I doubt the CoP is required.

[rjwilmsi]

I would say it is suspicious for a buyer to wait a month to report that an item was misdelivered. I'd expect to hear from the buyer within a couple of days if tracking shows delivery but they didn't get item.

I would check the GPS location on the delivery scan carefully. Unless the location is obviously wrong, the buyer should be protected by eBay Seller Protection if the buyer opens an Item Not Received case.

If the buyer hasn't opened a case but has just sent a message, then tell them to open a case and ignore any further messages. The buyer may be fishing for a refund.

If the GPS delivery location is clearly wrong then as the seller you would need to refund the buyer and claim from Royal Mail. However, "clearly" wrong would need to be very clearly wrong, say at least a mile away from correct location. If you don't have the paper Proof of Postage then you can always use the Royal Mail smartphone app to download a PDF Proof of Postage to provide for a Royal Mail claim.

[moldosgifts]

Stick to you guns you have proof of delivery upload tracking number to the case and don't reply to any further messages .

Add buyer to your blocked bidder list.

[istevenh888]

Yes they opened the case as "Buyer didn't receive the item".

I searched their post code on Royal Mail website, there are no other addresses listed with the same door number as them. I can see the tracking details and it gives me the GPS coordinates, which matches post code location in Google Maps. It shows photo of parcel but unfortunately courier didn't take pic of the door number, you just see door opened and parcel on floor. It does also say "Signed for by: CAREW", which matches buyer surname.

[istevenh888]

Yes I have just lost the certificate of posting from the office, i've got email from eBay to say I bought the postage.

[tommystrezures]

Ensure you upload the tracking number of the item into the case. As much of its controlled by 'bots' so at this point its unlikely a human will have seen this.

[istevenh888]

I've just spoken to eBay customer service to get their advice, and the associate said

"Upon checking,   your tracking number shows delivered,   therefore,   Thanks for doing your part in resolving this case. In line with your ebay Seller Protection Program, I have closed the case in your favor. This case will not count as a defect from your monthly evaluation and any funds being on hold will be released back."

The case has been closed, and my money has been released now. Hopefully buyer stops there and doesn't attempt to do more to try get a refund for an item clearly delivered to their address.

I will certainly not be selling a high value item in future to a buyer with low feedback and no recent feedbacks!

[papso22]

As you have won the ebay case, ebay says they will protect you against any future cases from payment sources. 

[istevenh888]

Thats reassuring, so if buyer tried to make a claim with their payment service (e.g. bank/paypal), if they somehow convinced them to take money back. eBay will protect me?

[magpiecorner1]

The OP can see the details and the front door, that's all Royal Mail needs.

[magpiecorner1]

Then you are fine.  Royal Mail shouldn't be involved, if they show the door and they have the tracking number. 

The tracking number is all you need to upload, so that eBay can close the case in your favour,

Go to Google Earth and search for the address. Very good chance that you can see the buyer's door.  

If the door in the RM picture matches the door in Google Earth, take a shot an upload it to the case.

If the doors are different, then you have options.  Won't make a difference to the eBay case (though it might if the OP uploads this info), but you would have an insurance case against Royal Mail.   Obviously would take longer to sort than the case, but if you win the case against the buyer, and subsequently win compensation from Royal Mail, you could refund the buyer directly.   Bear in mind that the compensation from Royal Mail might not be the selling price.

[fabrication-tools]

Probably way overdue but im writing this as sometimes others are searching for the answer. The photo that Royal Mail supplies can be cross checked on google images. I had a buyer claim it wasnt delivered and they were spot on, the front door was similar but the path had different colour stones, we both contacted Royal Mail, they sent a postie out to retrieve the parcel from where the GPS had pinpointed the delivery to be and swifty got it to my buyer.

Ive got to say, NEVER send a parcel that is not tracked, if over £100 also tick the box that requires a signature, it will save you hassle and those extra few pennies spent open up extra benefits like a fully tracked and verified service.

eBay do say to ensure you send via a tracked service, if you do they see that you have done all you can from your end.

Also in my experience other very good companys are UPS and Parcel Force both of which have never left a parcel on our doorstep and recorded them as delivered however the likes of Fed-Ex, Hermes, DHL all leave parcels on our step in full view of those passing by, only to record it in the system as delivered, that in my view is a disaster waiting to happen and is why if that is the company policy i refuse to use those so called tracked services from them.

Hope this helps somone.

Wayne 

[istevenh888]

Yeah so eBay ruled in my favour, and deemed the item as delivered. So I kept my money and nothing happened to the buyer. I caught the buyer 2 weeks later, selling the same item he apparently "didn't received"  😂 what a total scammer.

[istevenh888]

I used Royal Mail special delivery service, and they took a picture which does show a door opening and someone actually receiving the parcel. However they did miss out the door number from the picture annoyingly!