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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To wonder why I couldn't collect a parcel for my other half!!

100 replies

whydoibothersometimes · 21/11/2013 18:55

Got a card through front door saying a parcel was attempted to be delivered and had been left at my local post office for collection. Take the card (which only said first line of address, no name) and proof of address with me. Lady takes card after checking proof of I.d, goes to check parcel and says I can't give you the parcel it's in a completely different name. I say the name I know it must be, she's says yes, but I can't let you collect it. Aibu to think, the name is obviously not on the card put through the door and I quite obviously live in the same house as the person the parcel is for! So if I would have been at home the delivery bloke would have handed it to me and let me sign for it. So really don't understand why she had to be such a jobs worth about it? It's so frustrating because my bloke is working all week and sat and sun all day then all week next week and sat, so actually won't be able to get to the post office himself to get it.

OP posts:

TheDoctrineOfWho · 21/11/2013 19:41

The ID required is the ID of the addressee. Because the postie didn't write the name on the card , you didn't know who the addressee was. Why aren't you mad at the postie?

peppapigmustdie · 21/11/2013 19:42

Cross post. If it is Parcelforce it wouldn't have been a postie who delivered it. We kept parcelforce items for 3 weeks but did need named id and the bloody drivers never put names on the cards, which in a Uni town was great fun!

MinesAPintOfTea · 21/11/2013 19:42

Doctrine: small village post offices who also discuss whether Mrs Jones has had her baby and Mr Smith is out of hospitaldon't always bother with id because they already know who you are.

sapphirestar · 21/11/2013 19:42

Post office worker here - we are not allowed to hand over parcels to anyone other than the addressee without seeing ID for the person the parcel was intended for. She wasn't being a jobsworth I'm afraid, we can get into trouble and even lose the ability to handle mails items if we don't follow the various compliances set out for us.
Yes, it's a pain but sorry, she was just doing her job.

TheDoctrineOfWho · 21/11/2013 19:45

Yeah, but they are still breaking the Roolz

SugarMiceInTheRain · 21/11/2013 19:47

Wow I always collect parcels for DH, and have never been refused one. I just hand over the card, and they give me the parcel. The only time they needed ID to prove my address is when I'd lost the card!

TheCrackFox · 21/11/2013 19:47

This has to be the biggest pain in the arse.

The collection point used to be conveniently situated in the centre of town but is now 2 bus journeys away in a desolate industrial estate. DH has a motorbike so incredibly easy for him to get there but is not allowed to pick up parcels for me despite sharing the same address and surname.

Moreover, half the time I have been in the house when the postie made no attempt to deliver the parcel but just put the note through the door instead.

Joke.

KirstyJC · 21/11/2013 19:48

I hate when the PO leave cards with no name on - we sometimes get these and often they haven't even ticked where it is, or when they tried to deliver either. On the plus side, they don't ask for ID and I have collected parcels for me and addressed to DH with just the red card.

The annoying thing is that the local PO which is 2 mins' walk away doesn't have the facility to leave parcels, so I have to drive 6 miles away. Not that the PO can help that I suppose!

TheDoctrineOfWho · 21/11/2013 19:50

CrackFox, your DH can get it for you if he takes your ID.

peppapigmustdie · 21/11/2013 19:50

Sapphire is right it a serious offence and we used to get spot checked, if you had been a mystery shopper the "jobsworth" could have lost her job. Especially if she was working in one of the franchised branches who sack people for the slightest of breaches.

starsandunicorns · 21/11/2013 19:51

There are not jobs worth they are following basic security procederes it sounds like some dont do them but dont get cross about the ones that do

you would be spitting nails if someone else picked up your parcel and then you would be saying why didnt they check there name the intake of mail has started so more than likely they will be sure that the correct procedere is done

KirstyJC · 21/11/2013 19:52

The thing is, if you're not allowed to hand over parcels to another name, then the postie should write the name on in the first place!

Plus, how come they are allowed to hand over parcels in his name to me if I open the door to them and take them in? I don't need ID for that!

peppapigmustdie · 21/11/2013 19:52

At the risk of being a bore, the Post Office does not deliver mail. It is Royal Mail or Parcelforce, the Post Office only takes in mail. All different companies.

TheDoctrineOfWho · 21/11/2013 19:54

Because you are physically there, presumably with the knowledge of the addressee.

NewtRipley · 21/11/2013 19:55

Kirsty

Because you are there at the address, and while I suppose you could be a burglar, there's not much chance you'd have answered the door to the postman.

mum11970 · 21/11/2013 19:55

Newt, the parcel was for me but it's just the same if I pick one up for my dh. I've never been asked for id at our post office ever.

Trifle · 21/11/2013 19:56

I've never come across anyone who works in the post office who isn't a complete jobs worth, intent on making life as difficult as possible. I loath going to the post office as the moron who runs our local one is a complete wanker.

Tullahulla · 21/11/2013 19:56

I've been on a thread most of the day defending my job as PO clerk. Everyone assumes that we are all jobsworths trying to make your lives a misery.

Then you get comments like pickledmoomins.

Just what everyone needs at work, someone shouting at you! That's the kind of shit we take daily, no wonder we look fucked off!

And as the others have said, it's all about security. Most parcels are high value, phones, tablets etc, which is why they're not just handed out to anyone who wants to come in shouting the odds!

itscockyfoxagain · 21/11/2013 19:57

I always take DHs spare bank card when I go to collect a package for him though if he orders something he usually has it addressed to Mr and Mrs so either of us can collect it.

NewtRipley · 21/11/2013 19:57

Tullahulla

I'm always nice. It's rarely ever the fault of the customer-facing person, and I've done a few of those jobs in my time

BenNJerry · 21/11/2013 19:59

Another post office worker here, and as others have said, we legally cannot hand over mail without proof of ID etc. The ones who don't ask for that sort of thing are not doing their jobs correctly.

Also postmen work for Royal Mail or a courier service, not for the post office, and it's not up to us what they do.

Trifle · 21/11/2013 19:59

So, when you get a card through the door saying to collect a parcel from the PO and there is no name on it, do I really have to drag every member of the household to collect it as there is only a one in 5 chance that it could be for me.

Tullahulla · 21/11/2013 20:00

Newt, me too, unless someone really riles me, like calling me a jobsworth.

I'd be interested to hear what those calling us jobsworths do for a living?

Tullahulla · 21/11/2013 20:01

Trifle, no, you read the card and bring ID for the person who ordered the parcel

sapphirestar · 21/11/2013 20:02

Trifle - you should spend a day on the other side of the counter and then say that we all try to make life as difficult as possible!!

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