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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

……to be very cross with The Times/Sunday Times Newspapers?

35 replies

nowahousewife · 14/04/2013 10:42

Longtime lurker, first thread post so I'll try to get it right; not too longwinded but not drip feeding.

I've been a subscriber to The Times home delivery service for over a year now. Every so often my newspaper does not turn up (particularly on Sundays). I ring up to complain and usually spend over 15 mins on the phone listening to different options, piped music etc before being told I'll be given a refund in next month's direct debit.

Earlier this year a nice lady knocked on my door one Sunday afternoon with my newspaper. It turns out she lives in a road with a similar name to mine (eg. I live at 4 Privet Drive while she lives at 4 Privet Close) and said her downstairs neighbour keeps getting my newspapers. This happens a couple of times again so I duly phone up the Times, inform them and they assure me it won't happen again.

Fast forward to 17th March and once again my Sunday Times is not delivered but I get this email:
(sic) "....can you please go and collect the papers as I have been informed that they are disabled and can not bring it to you, the newspapers will be in the veranda waiting for you.
I have told the delivery team to make sure that you will get the newspapers, I am sorry for this inconvience and it will be sorted out for you as soon as possible."

I replied telling them it was not my job to rectify their mistakes and that they had a cheek asking me to collect it ? I did however send my son round to collect it.

They replied with:
"Please accept our sincere apologies for the issues surrounding the delivery of your Sunday Times recently.
We have applied 3 days of credit to your account.
More importantly, we have escalated this issue and are confident that the Sunday papers should now be delivered to the correct address." Hmm

Last Sunday again the paper did not turn up so I emailed them to advise. Monday the paper did not turn up again and I received a phone call from a manager, let's call him 'Dave', asking me to go and collect my paper from disabled lady at 4 Privet Close. I asked him did he have record of the email I sent yesterday to which he said he did not. I told him this was the last straw and I wished to cancel my subscription. This was a very longwinded process being passed to two different departments and eventually speaking to 'Jo' who proceeded to entice me to stay with them by offering me 3 months subscription at half price etc. Told him it was of not use to me even if it was free as they could not deliver reliably. I'm paid up to 8th May.

Anyway 'Dave', the manager assured me it would be sorted. Guess what I did not get today. Yep, no Sunday Times! I spent 25 mins on the phone speaking to 'Greg' who offered me a credit to which I laughed and said no use as I've already cancelled! I told him where the paper would be and asked what were they going to do about it? He couldn't answer so I was really mean and said to him did he want on his conscience a disabled lady not to be able to get out of her house as his papers were blocking her porch? I did not shout or swear at him (very restrained of me I think) but I was mean to him and got off the phone and was very grumpy with DH.

Told DH I was going to speak to someone senior tomorrow and write a stroppy letter. He said "don't waste your time, post on Mumsnet and those stroppy women will sort it for you!" V wise man my DH. Grin

So if you've managed to get to the end of this very long winded post what would your next step be and should I feel guilty at being mean to 'Greg'"

OP posts:
nowahousewife · 14/04/2013 13:08

Laquila, although it goes against all DH's capitalist principles he does rather like the Guardian

McSHoni - thanks for the links. You are also correct in that I shouldn't have been angry with the call centre worker. I was not aggressive or shouty at him just v frustrated!

Horry - keep supporting your local newsagent - not worth changing for 80p a week and getting a crap service.

OP posts:
LessMissAbs · 14/04/2013 13:40

(sic) "....can you please go and collect the papers as I have been informed that they are disabled and can not bring it to you, the newspapers will be in the veranda waiting for you

OMG.

Not much point in paying for a newspaper subscription, if it isn't going to arrive every day, particularly a Sunday as you might want to spend a relaxing day reading said newspaper, rather than on the phone or walkabout trying to track it down...

ComposHat · 14/04/2013 13:50

YABU for lining Murdoch's pockets by buying his Tabloid rag, dressed up in the tinsel of Broadsheet journalism.

LineRunner · 14/04/2013 13:52

The Times is very dull.

The Guardian and the Observer are much better.

the newspapers will be in the veranda waiting for you I think I'd have got a bit arsey with the call centre as well, tbh. Smile

OldLadyKnowsNothing · 14/04/2013 14:02

Thank you for this thread, OP. My copy of the Sunday Times is sitting in front of me, and I had noted the price; £2.50 £2.00 TO SUBSCRIBERS and idly wondered how that worked. Now I know it doesn't, I'll stick with my amazingly reliable local newsagents. :)

nowahousewife · 14/04/2013 14:06

Yes OldLady but when they refund for issues not received they told me it's £1.20 per issue Shock.

OP posts:
OldLadyKnowsNothing · 14/04/2013 14:43

Shock I'm definitely staying local, then! Kinda believe in that anyway, so many small businesses are going to the wall I like to do what I can to support them.

IloveJudgeJudy · 14/04/2013 17:02

Agree with all the posters saying use your local newsagent. All three DC have been paperboys/girls. They definitely care as if they misdeliver it is taken out of their wages. They may not get to your house at 7 am, but it will definitely be by 9 am on a Sunday. They will deliver rain/shine/snow, because they don't get paid if they don't deliver.

IloveJudgeJudy · 14/04/2013 17:03

Need to add that they will deliver where you want - in the porch, sticking out the letterbox, through the letterbox, in a bin by the door, ringing on the door into your hand. However you want it delivered, they will do it. It really is a personal service.

HamiltonCampbell · 15/07/2019 19:19

bump

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