Boat Mail Recommendations

[Alan de Enfield]

28 minutes ago, Slim said:

Billy Bunter?

Billy Bunter?

Billy Bunter?

 

 

We got the message the 1st time

We got the message the 1st time

We got the message the 1st time

[Puffling]

Regarding Poste Restante, I'd sound a note of caution to do your research concerning whether the post office listed on sites such as 'post office near you' still exists. There are many sites such as this listing addresses for local post offices, opening times, services, etc., and none is totally reliable.

 

I was stung getting mail forwarded to an office which was listed on multiple sites but which turned out to have been sold and converted to a private residence. All mail destined for there was unhelpfully returned to sender instead of being redirected to the nearest sorting office.

 

Check the address on Google maps, verify the date of any photos showing the post office in question.

[Nightwatch]

We have lived onboard and travelled for nearly on eight years. We have used Poste Resante many times from small items (envelopes to and anchor). No problem.

 

In the last couple of days we have experienced a challenging episode.

 

My son in Hampshire forwarded my replacement bus pass to Chorley by Special Post. Royal Mail did themselves proud. It arrived at Chorley ‘Post Office’ different company from Royal Mail. Signed for etc. went in to collect yesterday morning. The obnoxious git of a man said it’s illegal to send post in this way and has sent it back. There’s more intermediate information to this story but it’s a bit more boring than what I have written.

 

I have written to the Post Office a complaint and a solution, hoping that they could intervene immediately, but I got the standard reply that they are pleased to say they intend to answer all complaints within ten working days. Useful!

The Royal Mail were very helpful in every way. I spoke to their help people and three of them said the Post Office follow their own rules as and when they feel like it.

Any case of proof that the country is going to the dogs.

[Puffling]

30 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

We have lived onboard and travelled for nearly on eight years. We have used Poste Resante many times from small items (envelopes to and anchor). No problem.

 

In the last couple of days we have experienced a challenging episode.

 

My son in Hampshire forwarded my replacement bus pass to Chorley by Special Post. Royal Mail did themselves proud. It arrived at Chorley ‘Post Office’ different company from Royal Mail. Signed for etc. went in to collect yesterday morning. The obnoxious git of a man said it’s illegal to send post in this way and has sent it back. There’s more intermediate information to this story but it’s a bit more boring than what I have written.

 

I have written to the Post Office a complaint and a solution, hoping that they could intervene immediately, but I got the standard reply that they are pleased to say they intend to answer all complaints within ten working days. Useful!

The Royal Mail were very helpful in every way. I spoke to their help people and three of them said the Post Office follow their own rules as and when they feel like it.

Any case of proof that the country is going to the dogs.

The division of roles into Royal Mail and Post Office have brought on countless conflicts and inconsistencies.

 

I seem to be missing something in your recounted experience, however. Are you saying your son enclosed the original envelope in another and sent it to you? That this was somehow classed as 'illegal' by the Chorley employee and returned? How were its contents detected?

[Nightwatch]

To be honest, I don’t know. But son knew it was tithe bus pass so he would have opened the original envelope. He would have put it into a new envelope and addressed accordingly.

The Post Office ‘person’ didn’t know what was in the envelope.

I can only gather that ‘he’ felt it illegal to post to me via a Post Office. He stated that if he bought something off eBay could he send it to me at my address? I actually replied, to be helpful to you, yes, you could. I added, to be fair ‘you’ are a Post Office. He dismissed my point.

He actually told lies also. He said he refused it. Sent it back with the Postman. I asked, “why did you sign for it then.” He didn’t actually answer that. I went to the local delivery office (Royal Mail’) and they phoned the postman there and then. He said all was received by Post Office. He had no returns. I visited the Post Office branch again. He told me he hadn’t returned the letter with the postman but the van had been and he returned it on the van to Manchester. I asked why Manchester and he laughed and said it’s the local Delivery Office. The letter didn’t go via Manchester from Hampshire. It went from Southampton to Preston to Chorley then to the said Post Office. I then said so my letter was here when I was in earlier. He laughed again and said yes it was.

 

I gave up for the day. It transpires it was returned to Chorley RM delivery Office yesterday late afternoon. Not Manchester, not Preston but twenty minutes walk away from where I’m sat as I type. What an absolute git.

 

Its winging its way back to Havant.

Edited June 8, 2022 by Nightwatch

[mrsmelly]

5 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

To be honest, I don’t know. But son knew it was tithe bus pass so he would have opened the original envelope. He would have put it into a new envelope and addressed accordingly.

The Post Office ‘person’ didn’t know what was in the envelope.

I can only gather that ‘he’ felt it illegal to post to me via a Post Office. He stated that if he bought something off eBay could he send it to me at my address? I actually replied, to be helpful to you, yes, you could. I added, to be fair ‘you’ are a Post Office. He dismissed my point.

He actually told lies also. He said he refused it. Sent it back with the Postman. I asked, “why did you sign for it then.” He didn’t actually answer that. I went to the local delivery office (Royal Mail’) and they phoned the postman there and then. He said all was received by Post Office. He had no returns. I visited the Post Office branch again. He told me he hadn’t returned the letter with the postman but the van had been and he returned it on the van to Manchester. I asked why Manchester and he laughed and said it’s the local Delivery Office. The letter didn’t go via Manchester from Hampshire. It went from Southampton to Preston to Chorley then to the said Post Office. I then said so my letter was here when I went in earlier. He laughed again and said yes it was.

 

I gave up for the day. It transpires it was returned to Chorley RM delivery Office yesterday late afternoon. Not Manchester, not Preston but twenty minutes away from where I’m say as I type. What an absolute git.

 

Its winging its way back to Havant.

You obviously ended up with the local Jobsworth old boy 

[Nightwatch]

Yes. Seems so. He obviously missed out on his Meat and Tatty pie or Curry on Monday night.

[Puffling]

9 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

You obviously ended up with the local Jobsworth old boy 

Yet if the envelope was addressed to @Nightwatchand then the next line said Poste Restante (name of post office), the only illegal act was Chorley Jobsworth deciding it wasn't to be retained.

 

After a long delay before getting though, I contacted the Post Office 'helpline' to be told that Poste Restante no longer existed. They don't receive revenue for handling mail, so don't know about it. Don't care either, for many of them, though I have received outstanding service in many post offices associated with the canals, such as Napton, Barton under Needwood and Willington.

Edited June 8, 2022 by Puffling

[Nightwatch]

1 minute ago, Puffling said:

Yet if the envelope was addressed to @Nightwatchand then the next line said Poste Restante (name of post office), the only illegal act was Chorley Jobsworth deciding it wasn't to be retained.

 

After a long delay before getting though, I comtacted the Post Office 'helpline' to be told that Poste Restante no longer existed. They don't receive revenue for handling mail, so don't know about it. Don't care either, for many of them, thought I have received outstanding service in many post offices associated with the canals, such as Napton, Barton under Needwood and Willington.

Yes. My thoughts are that the now named’jobsworth’ intercepted Royal Mail item illegally. I have asked that question in writing to the Post Office. You have been fortunate in actually speaking to someone at the Post Office. I have not has an issue with post before. I have travelled a great deal of the country.

About seven years ago I unfairly sent an Anchor to a small post office near Oxford. I arrived complete with trolley to find said anchor in the middle of the floor. Niether of the two ladies could lift it and move it to a more convenient place. But, they were not hostile in anyway whatsoever. Oh! How we laughed.

[David Mack]

15 minutes ago, Puffling said:

After a long delay before getting though, I contacted the Post Office 'helpline' to be told that Poste Restante no longer existed.

That's not what their website says:

https://www.postoffice.co.uk/mail/poste-restante.

Seems you have to contact Customer Care to find out which branches offer Poste Restante.

 

[Puffling]

1 minute ago, David Mack said:

That's not what their website says:

https://www.postoffice.co.uk/mail/poste-restante.

Seems you have to contact Customer Care to find out which branches offer Poste Restante.

 

Yes, I'd seen that webpage. Makes a nice warm and comfy feeling when you read it, doesn't it?

 

The person I spoke to on the helpline was either experiencing some degree of cognitive dissonance, or just a complete divvy.

[Nightwatch]

44 minutes ago, Puffling said:

Yes, I'd seen that webpage. Makes a nice warm and comfy feeling when you read it, doesn't it?

 

The person I spoke to on the helpline was either experiencing some degree of cognitive dissonance, or just a complete divvy.

More than likely the latter. Mind you I don’t know what Cognitive dissonance means.

 

I have looked it up and I still think it was the latter. I think! Maybe! Perhaps!

Edited June 8, 2022 by Nightwatch

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

6 hours ago, David Mack said:

That's not what their website says:

https://www.postoffice.co.uk/mail/poste-restante.

Seems you have to contact Customer Care to find out which branches offer Poste Restante.

 

I have always contacted the post office in advance to ask if Poste Restante is available. 
Usually I will visit in person to get an idea of who I’m gonna be dealing with, at the very least I will phone and ask. 

If I have to explain what Poste Restante is then I will choose another post office. 
 

As I understand it is a service that a post office does not have to offer, and can (if offered) be declined if ‘abused’. 
 

Most Post Offices are very accommodating. 
 

I once got a gentle ticking off from one PO for ordering something not delivered by Royal Mail, where other POs have not made a remark about who delivers it. 
 

Just luck of the draw sometimes. 

But definitely do not use a post office if you think it’s run by a half wit or an officious twit. 

[Ianws]

10 hours ago, Nightwatch said:

Yes. My thoughts are that the now named’jobsworth’ intercepted Royal Mail item illegally. I have asked that question in writing to the Post Office. You have been fortunate in actually speaking to someone at the Post Office. I have not has an issue with post before. I have travelled a great deal of the country.

About seven years ago I unfairly sent an Anchor to a small post office near Oxford. I arrived complete with trolley to find said anchor in the middle of the floor. Niether of the two ladies could lift it and move it to a more convenient place. But, they were not hostile in anyway whatsoever. Oh! How we laughed.

I don't know the owners but I'm guessing you might have had a better experience if it had been the small post office at Adlington, just by the canal and carrying copies of Towpath Talk. I passed you moored just by there at the weekend. Not much help, sorry. 

[Nightwatch]

46 minutes ago, Ianws said:

I don't know the owners but I'm guessing you might have had a better experience if it had been the small post office at Adlington, just by the canal and carrying copies of Towpath Talk. I passed you moored just by there at the weekend. Not much help, sorry. 

Thank you for that. I, incorrectly it seems, considered Chorley to be a good option as we planned to be in Chorley for a longer period of time which would allow ample time for the letter to arrive from Hampshire. As it happens, the letter from posting to arrival, proof by signature, took about 22 hours. That part is very satisfactory.

[Clodi]

My son was a post-office manager at a W H Smiths branch in Bristol. 'Smiths' run the PO as a franchise and don't do Poste Restante as there's no profit in it. However the Crown PO in Nantwich are brilliant and even the Tax-man is happy to use it regarding my pension etc.