Royal Mail incorrect about post

[MailMay]

I am unsure what is going on, but it doesn't look good to me.

A relative posted something to me, from a neighbouring county into London. All the items arrived, but the parcel had been split open as if someone had gone to have a look in there. It had been taped back up and placed in a bag with a Royal Mail slip attached to the front.

The message from RM basically says 'Item damaged before arrival to in UK' ... 'We are sorry that the enclosed item sent from abroad...' ... 'If you think missing or damaged, have the sender contact the postal authority with whom the item was originally posted'... 'RM is unable to accept liability for items received or damaged from other countries'

But... It's not come from another country, it's never left England!! Does it not look like someone at RM has had a sneaky look to see if anything in the package was worth robbing, and now RM trying to get around possible liability for any missing items by stating it was damaged before arrival in the UK?

I'm a bit confused as to how an item that only travelled from neighbouring counties in England is suddenly 'from abroad.'

I can't comment (or guess without seeing it) on whether it accidentally bust open, or was deliberately opened, but supposing it was accidental, maybe the slip was all they had to hand and the abroad bit is irrelevant.

We had exactly the same (not from overseas either) and so to did my FIL.

I dont think its anything to worry about - just random (though incorrect) repackaging

Sticker sounds like they put wrong sticker on there.

You have to go talk to your local PO to ask them for procedure to claim back for damage en route. Was there damage?

Does it seem like inadequate packaging that would have easily got damaged en route?

With the many hundreds of thousands of parcels that daily go thru sorting offices & the tight schedules the sorting & delivery staff have to keep to, I can't believe that dishonest posties breaking into random parcels in hopes of finding treasure (and somehow not losing their jobs or getting caught) is more than vanishingly rare event.

Dishonest buyers who falsely claim to never receive items or who falsely claim items were damaged en route -- this I fully believe in.

Is the item inside missing or damaged?

maybe the slip was all they had to hand and the abroad bit is irrelevant.

Yes, this did cross my mind. It just felt off with all the talk about coming from abroad so they can't accept any liability. Nothing is missing, so I don't want to claim anyway, but thank you for calming me down a bit anyway.

I was wondering if anybody else has ever had these slips? Did your item actually come from abroad or not? I guess if it's happened to other people without anything being missing, it's likely just the only slip they had for damaged items, idk.

We had exactly the same (not from overseas either) and so to did my FIL.

I dont think its anything to worry about - just random (though incorrect) repackaging

This is making me feel better. Thank you!

Is the item inside missing or damaged?

No, but then there was nothing particularly 'valuable' in there to take anyway, just an xmas jumper and some sweeties etc.

Does it seem like inadequate packaging that would have easily got damaged en route?

It's one of those brown parcels, I would take a photo but I'm not on my mobile. The split is all the way around the middle of the parcel (almost the whole way). It's possible.

Have had issues in past with missing post and missing items, so my back was probably up a bit!!

I've had it happen twice. Envelope had split open. I assumed accidentally. Nothing was missing. They put it in a plastic bag with writing on it. Can't remember what it said, but don't remember referencing to abroad.

I imagine they have used the wrong label or the one that have covers them in the event it is from abroad. If there was something missing you'd easily be able prove your item wasn't. I suppose someone could have opened your parcel but it's just as likely there was a weak spot in the packaging that has then torn all the way around.

I reckon they put the wrong sticker on yours, or ran out of the correct ones.
My parcel split open and they put it in a polythene bag with a sticker saying sorry your item was damaged in transit and giving me details to claim if needed.

This was ours (as I mentioned upthread)

And FiL had the same. We live 259 miles apart so not even remotely same PO sorting office!

Log it with 101 and complain to Royal Mail in writing with photos

If it was wrapped in brown paper then this is extremely common. I have had maybe four or five parcels wrapped in brown paper arrive like this. I don’t think anyone had nosied through at all, I just think the paper ripped because it is super easy to rip.

Thank you all.

I think, if I had had the correct letter from RM, I would not have worried so much. The referencing to abroad/liability made me suspicious. Glad to hear of your thoughts and I am sure it was just an incorrect letter now.