To think they can't just shrug their shoulders and say bad luck - Royal Mail

[icloud75com]

So I was staying with a couple at their home and ordered an expensive phone to be delivered, my bank card, details etc were registered there so I thought at the time it was pretty permanent. Something happened and I had to leave in a hurry, the item was delivered to the address. Post office took a photo and the woman of the house also sent me a photo showing the item had been delivered and what should she do with it.
Fast forward a month, we've fallen out.
I've asked when I can collect my post - "what post" was the response. Ive contacted royal mail who haven't got a signature but they have got a photo of the fact that they dumped an £500 phone on a doorstep - great job guys !
Everyone is just shrugging their shoulders and saying it's not their problem, well I don't have a phone I paid good money for.
What would you do ?
Just to make it worse, the woman of the house is a police officer.
Haven't spoken to her, just her dickhead husband emailing denying all knowledge and no doubt disposing of my phone as we speak.

People who have joint Facebook profiles freak me out.

Just to add something probably irrelevant into the mix- I have had courier companies email me a photo of my item " in a safe place" presumably to stop people claiming that it didn't arrive, but this has only ever been with my agreement to tell them a safe place to start with.
Never Royal Mail.

@MusicForTheJiltedGeneration I'm a postie, never taken a picture of a parcel being left anywhere. Certainly wouldn't take one of an item being left on a doorstep because we're not allowed to do that!!

My postie leaves parcels on my doorstep all the time. Tucked away in the storm porch out of sight mind you. I'm glad they do. Our sorting office is miles away and only open for ten minutes twice a day when there's a r in the month.

Judge Rinder would soon sort this out.

No not normal really. The only time we do it is if there is a note on the door saying to leave the parcel in a certain place. That way it's proof it was delivered in case the customer complains and says they haven't got it. Covers the posties back but usually posties don't bother.

Leaving the phone on the doorstep wasn't very responsible, but that's irrelevant.

You have proof that they received the phone. Email them saying that if they don't return the phone within X days, you will make a claim via the small claims court.

If they don't return the phone, google small claims court - it's all very easy to do online. As you have proof it is very likely that you will win, and as at least one or both of the couple are employed in a reasonably well paid job, it seems unlikely that they can claim to have no assets to pay the claim.

They will then have to pay you the cost of the phone and the court fee or else they will get a CCJ and their credit rating will be ruined, so it is in their interest to pay up but hopefully it won't get to that stage.

Missing the point slightly but - if you bank with Barclays you absolutely cannot change your address by answering MMN and DOB. You need to complete other, higher level security, i.e. using passcode or calling through your mobile banking app. They wouldn't ask for additional proof of address because it is secure enough that way.

I think you can probably guess how I know this!

The thing is, had RM delivered the parcel "properly", ie handed it to whoever was at home, this would not change your situation. They would still have your item and then deny having it.

Report it to the police as you have proof they had your item and for whatever reason, our witholding it.

Good luck.

Judge Rinder would soon sort this out

Did actually lol at that

Thanks for the answers re: wannabe David Bailey's @lemondropcake and @Samoyedydog

I would guess the friend's DH will come back to you before you call the police, OP, but do let us know how this progresses.