Lost items in the post.

[mr hws]

Hello, if a seller posts an item (recorded delivery) and the buyer does not receive it, should the seller reimburse?
I have purchased a watch off Ebay, the seller (excellent feedback) posted the watch 2 weeks ago ,i have not received it and the seller has got in touch with Royal Mail to be told they cant trace it.He has sent me the receipt details and i have rang up myself, the trouble is that because the post office didnt know that it was a watch that was being sent ,they will only compensate with 2 books of stamps?The watch cost me �30!
Any ideas please, or previous experience greatly appreciated.
Thank you.

[snook]

Since he sent it, if it has gone missing then it's up to him to claim for it - it's a matter between him and Royal Mail. And it's up to him to reimburse you, which is a separate issue.

[Postdog]

Just to say that sending stuff recorded does not entitled you to any compensation at all. Recorded is primarily for items of no value, but where proof of delivery can be checked (as opposed to ordinary post) IF needed - and then as you have found out that's it - yes or no.

Compensation is only paid on Special Delivery (Registered) items, for which you pay more when sending, and these items are track/traced all along the route until they are delivered and signed for, or left for collection at the sorting office if no answer is obtained.

[snook]

This is from the Royal Mail site (here), under the heading, Recorded Signed For:

What happens if your mail gets lost?
If your mail gets lost, we�ll give you a minimum compensation of 12 First Class stamps. However, if there was something of value in your mail, we�ll refund you the market price, up to a maximum of �30. Please apply for this within 12 months.

I assume 'your mail' is referring to the person who posts the item, so what I stated in my first post still holds true, I think. But I suspect you know more about this than me, Postdog, judging by your name!

[mr hws]

Thanks for your answers.
Apparently the receipt has value of item �30 written on it by the post office, but the Royal mail are saying that because it wasnt special delivery and stated as jewellery then you can only get 2 books of stamps as compensation.

[chazza]

I have been in a similar situation and the item lost was recorded delivery. Apparently you are covered up to �30, which is the amount of compensation you are entitled to, but only the sender can claim this money.

I would go back to Royal Mail again, perhaps ask to speak to someone in authority, as I feel you are being fobbed off.

Good luck

[mr hws]

Thanks for that.

[spudqueen]

I sent an item which had been bought off me on e-bay which didn't arrive. I hadn't sent it recorded delivery, but I did have a proof of postage. I rang the number on the proof of postage who said that it was easy if it involved e-bay as I had definate proof of how much the item was worth. They gave me a reference number, I sent them a copy of the page from e-bay and within a few days I received a cheque for the value of the item (which was about �22) and I then reimbused my e-bay buyer.

[GLpinxit]

I found this thread through an 'answer bank' search. For the second time in the last three months things sent to my house have gone missing. I may have been unlucky but it has never happened to me in the past and now in the last three months a birthday card to my daughter (with �10 enclosed) and most recently one package of a consignment of four (enclosing a �15 inkjet cartridge).

All this is more tedious than anything else but I'd be interested if the amount of stuff failing to reach its destination is rising for some reason.

[THE Katy]

Since December, i have had a parcel disappear at the local pick up office, a cheque from a DSS office didn't reach me in the past two weeks and worse, an international money order has not reached me, which was posted approx three weeks ago. Our postman seems to change practically weekly since the reliable one left some months ago.

I have also noticed that I suddenly was receiving mail only three days a week, always several pieces of mail, never just one. When I caught the postman two weeks ago to enquire about this, he was immediately VERY defensive, and since then Ive been getting mail almost every day again. The money order has not been cashed (yet) and I cant help wondering if this is because I asked the postman certain questions that day. I clearly have NO proof about any of this, so cannot do a thing. Its very frustrating.