Special Delivery anything but special or delivered

[flipnflap]

I am one of many people who've recently sent mail by Special Delivery and it hasn't arrived at its destination. Moreover, although Post Office say you'll get compensated, that doesn't materialise either. Any of you been failed by Special Deliveries?

[China Doll]

I'm actually getting a bit concerned over a dress I ordered from ebay over a week ago now. I emailed the seller today. I really hope it's not been lost.

[lindapinda]

It's happened twice lately to my nephew. Special next day delivery doesnt need a signature.All they say is that according to their records,mail was delivered,and they cant trace further.Complete cop out!

[SRH]

I had a parcel worth �100 that went AWOL. Royal Mail claimed they left a card at the address it was sent to - but my friend insists no card was left. Finally tracked down someone at the post office who said they had sent the parcel to Northern Ireland because they couldn't trace the sender (er - it was Special Delivery and had my address on). I contacted the office in NI and was told to forget seeing the parcel again - and I never got compensation despite filling in forms etc. I suspect the parcel was swiped on route - but it's my word against theirs. I do a lot of eBaying and last year around 1-in-10 of the parcels I sent out never arrived. Royal Mail are a disgrace.

[Kathyan]

Special delivery does need a signature. I sent something by SD 48hr. It didn't arrive within the 48 hours, so I claimed and got the postage costs back.

[flipnflap]

you got the postage costs back? what about the contents cost?

[Yorkie580]

Likewise... I sent something before Christmas. It took a week to arrive rather than before 12 the next day. SD does require a signature (although if a card is left (genuinely) because nobody is in they can't be blamed.

I claimed (forms on internet or from Post Office) and got full cost of postage, plus �5 becasue it was over 24hrs late. You can't claim contnts costs if the package arrives intact so I have no experience of that.

[Gromit]

You can usually track Special Delivery items as a bar coded sticker is applied to your parcel.

If you have had a parcel go missing and not got compensation, you are giving up too easily.

Here is more info:

http://www.postoffice.co.uk/portal/po/content1 ?catId=19100231&mediaId=22700554

As someone who receives Special Delivery rather than sends, the service for me has got considerably worse. The card says I cannot go and collect it until after 1pm, but the sorting office closes at noon. To collect my parcel myself, I have to wait until the following weekend when I am not at work.

[Kathyan]

Read my post again! I said it didn't arrive 'within the 48 hours' not that it didn't arrive.