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Original poster

To think Royal Mail should have delivered this by now?

95 replies

AyrshireAmbler49 · 21/12/2020 20:57

Last Wednesday (16th) I posted lots of packages to various family members in the uk. They weren’t expensive things so I didn’t want to have them signed for. I sent them second class and not one person has received any of them, there were hand made cards from DD, presents for my whole family dispersed around the UK. I’ll be so gutted if they’ve got lost in the post.
Does anyone know if Royal Mail are particularly slow at the moment or not?
Thanks for reading.

OP posts:
Chloemol · 21/12/2020 21:24

It’s Christmas, there are thousands of parcels stuck on sorting offices as they are short of staff

Ilovewheelychairs · 21/12/2020 21:26

I'm still waiting on a parcel posted first class on the 26th October!! I have claimed a refund for that though. Generally things are taking about two weeks here, and our posties are working til at least 9pm every night trying to clear the backlog. They are working their socks off and are totally exhausted and overwhelmed. I really feel for them.

Gobbeldegook · 21/12/2020 21:28

I'd expect they are run off their feet. Currently my street has an extra 3 people delivering, bag round at 7ish, normal parcel round around 10, normal bag round around 12, another parcel round around 2 and another bag round about 4. And we live in a rural town. I dread to think what large towns or cities are like.

delilahbucket · 21/12/2020 21:29

To those who have sent things more recently and they have arrived quicker, think of it like this. You have a room with one way in and out. Stuff arriving on the 8th goes into the room, followed by the 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th etc. What ends up closest to the door and what ends up inaccessible, rammed into a corner? This is what has happened at the beginning of December. It will all get delivered eventually, but they can't get to the cages at the back to sort them until they've cleared the things nearest the door. Vans are turning up to depots with sacks of mail and they can't get it inside because there's no space left.
Yes Royal Mail did expect an increase. They recruited 33,000 more staff. They didn't expect another lockdown, none of us did, and you cannot recruit new staff overnight who are capable of doing the job. Certainly in my local area they took on parcel delivery temps last year and stuff was misdelivered left, right and centre. I could have done with another member of staff for my team, but by the time I could have got one it would have been too late. It took me three weeks to find and start one person in a job and I rushed it.

Mayvis · 21/12/2020 21:35

@HereBeFuckery

And where does Royal Mail squeeze in all those extra staff members? The sorting offices are rammed with mail and people. It’s not socially distanced at all. At one point the posties weren’t allowed to van share (might have changed again now) but no extra vans so some were doing their usual van delivery on foot.

The management are useless granted.

ginswinger · 21/12/2020 21:37

I am an online retailer and nothing is arriving. I have an automated message to address the upteenth message asking 'my parcel is not here as I hoped, any idea where it is?'. I truely have no idea where it is. I can only pray to the gods of the Royal Mail.

Wicker382 · 21/12/2020 21:38

HereBeFuckery what a shitty reply. No he doesn't need to find a 'better job' thanks very much. He enjoys his work a great deal and is a valued member of the community he delivers to which was reflected in the £700 in tips he was given by his customers last year. Who stole your chritmas spirit? There's no need to be so angry about it, my DH isn't, he's getting on and getting the job done and I'm very proud of the work he does.

TheFairyCaravan · 21/12/2020 21:40

I posted 2 parcels, 2nd class, on the 6th December. Neither have arrived yet. I know they’re snowed under but it’s been a fortnight.

Thelnebriati · 21/12/2020 21:41

Our local Post Office has an extra collection most weekdays, he's only got the small van and has trouble fitting all the bags in. They've been pretty efficient at sorting and delivery, we've only had to give a few refunds so far.

Nottherealslimshady · 21/12/2020 21:42

I received a parcel today that had been posted on the 4th, and another posted on the 10th.

Lougle · 21/12/2020 21:42

I've just had a DPD notification for tomorrow, for a parcel that was posted on the 13th.

Royal mail are delivering a lot of Amazon stuff, too. The posties are getting 4 days off over Christmas but they're doing a 6 day week in the run-up.

PoloNeckKnickers · 21/12/2020 21:42

I bought a couple of things from ebay. Both were posted second class and took 3 weeks to arrive.

Sweettea1 · 21/12/2020 21:43

They are struggling at min alot more parcels plus the new parcel pick up from home staff of isolating also less staff in warehouse due to social distancing so it will take awhile to receive parcels. I sent first class signed for an they arrived aweek later so 2nd unsigned is going to be a while.

LIZS · 21/12/2020 21:43

Ime letters are taking longer than parcels. First class parcels posted in village on Friday arrived next day but first class parcel posted in town last Tuesday arrived today! Still waiting for card posted 2nd last Tuesday although others posted same time/place arrived on Friday!

middleager · 21/12/2020 21:44

My next day delivery took a week.
Another item posted on the 8th arrived today, so I'd say you need to wait a bit longer.

QueenieButcher · 21/12/2020 21:44

Something posted second class to me on 2nd Dec only arrived today.
And I'm still waiting for first class items posted a week ago.

gingercat02 · 21/12/2020 21:46

No issues with post here. NE England to N Ireland 2nd class 2 days for cards 3 for parcels

DontStopThinkingAboutTomorrow · 21/12/2020 21:47

Yes, very slow. It's been in the news- massive backlog.
They might not arrive till after Christmas.
I ordered some stuff from Amazon and didn't realise it was RM delivering- they are presents for someone in my household, but it's not the end of the world is they don't come before Christmas, just very annoying!

WhatDoHedgehogsSay · 21/12/2020 21:48

One parcel took a week to arrive to my house.

gingercat02 · 21/12/2020 21:49

I also ordered Christmas present for DH on Saturday afternoon and it came this evening

BakewellGin1 · 21/12/2020 21:50

We get no post for days then many arrive at once... We recieved letters on Friday dated back to 7th
Parcel's don't seem as bad in our area more actual post... DS school report sent a week ago and we appear to be the only parents still awaiting the arrival...

ChristmasBubble · 21/12/2020 21:50

I posted a parcel around the same date second class and the woman in the post office explained about a big backlog. Due to social distancing they can't employ the same number of temp sorting staff apparently but she said it would arrive before Christmas.

CuntyMcBollocks · 21/12/2020 21:50

I've posted a couple of Christmas cards 1st class, but its taken anywhere from 5 days to over 2 weeks to get to the intended people. Its going to take longer this year as the number of people having to use the postal service for deliveries has surged.

viccat · 21/12/2020 21:51

Second class can take 3-5 working days even in normal times so they wouldn't even be considered late yet anyway, and it's taking a lot longer at the moment.

I think my postie is only delivering post for my street twice a week at the moment. They are incredibly busy and never caught up after Black Friday orders before the Christmas rush started.

QuestionableDanceMoves · 21/12/2020 21:51

I posted a parcel first class signed for a week ago, it’s not been delivered yet. Equally, the person who the parcel is for has said they posted something to me on the 14th which hasn’t arrived.
However, someone else posted a parcel to me on Friday and I got it today.
Definitely seems different areas are managing differently. I do not envy the post staff at all, it must be relentless at the moment