Royal Mail - Parcel left on doorstep

[whatever1980]

My elderly parents live on the front of a busy housing estate. I bought my mum a coat for Christmas and it was sent with a tracking number etc. Royal Mail delivered today apparently at 1.57pm. Photo shows parcel on front doorstep. They didn't hear the door apparently and I've just told them now a parcel was delivered at .57pm (being almost 9pm now)

Of course parcel no longer there.

Should Royal Mail have simply left parcel on front doorstep of house on busy street? Their garden has no fence around it or gate so is open.

My dad is 85 and my mum is 77. If they hadn't heard the doorbell my mum would've simply picked parcel up from depot.

Sue to strikes we weren't expecting any delivery this quickly

Not sure where we go from here now

Anyone had similar please?

The item was delivered so the merchant would ask you to report to the police as mail theft. They would then be able to use the crime ref no to claim from royal mail

We had a signed for item a couple of weeks ago... postman said that due to massive backlog they have been told to just leave parcels at the door.

I have had this several times, where a parcel has gone missing after being "delivered" but I haven't actually received it. Each time, the seller has taken responsibility. www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/somethings-gone-wrong-with-a-purchase/if-something-you-ordered-hasnt-been-delivered/

It seems really shit for the seller when they have done nothing wrong

I had this with Royal Mail. They said they had left it in the safe space requested by the customer In the enclosed which was a lie because I hadn’t requested anything and my porch is not enclosed. I am sick of “delivered” apparently meaning left on doorstep in full view.

So they go to Royal Mail, who they have paid to deliver it, and complain ... Royal Mail have made the decision that the cost of compensating for the parcels not received is lesser than the cost of not delivering at all, hence they are leaving them on doorsteps on the basis that only a small number will disappear. But the seller is the one who has the contract with Royal Mail, not the recipient - the recipient cannot do anything.

Ok here is how the system works with ebay, as far as they are concerned the item has been delivered and that is the end of the matter, tracking will show delivered, any case open is more than likely going to end up in the sellers favour, and no refund will be issued. However, the following options should be open to to you

1. Write to to the seller advising them of the situation and asking for a full refund, Royal Mail very rarely leave parcels in full view, which is why I use them over UPS/DPD for certain areas. Your seller should be able to claim his money back under insurance but it is really the sellers problem not yours.
2. Once ebay has made a decision on the claim, and as is the norm, rejected it, open a claim with your purchasing provider, either your credit card/bank or paypal, it is the sellers responsibility in the eyes of the law to ensure the goods are delivered to you, your financial institution will then lodge a charge back and ebay will fight it on behalf of the seller.

I would not leave any bad feedback, it will only be removed.

Most delivery drivers are leaving parcels on doorsteps at this time of year. I am grateful for them to do that. Annoying it’s been taken, the company you bought it off will have to replace it. Assuming you didn’t sign to say leave it there, so they will have to replace it. But unfortunately it’s unlikely Royal Mail will deliver it in time for Christmas now

Unfortunately, without a crime number, royal mail will quite often only refund a fraction of the parcels worth in stamps. Its much easier for the seller to claim compensation from royal mail with the cooperation of the buyer

I had something similar the other day: parcel photograph was of it left on doorstep. No sign of a red note or anything. In reality they had photographed it on the doorstep THEN put it in a "safe" place. So worth considering that as well. The note had got stuck between my outer and inner letterbox and said where it was.

"If Royal Mail left something with a neighbour or in a certain place and you didn’t tell them to, it’s the seller’s responsibility if it gets lost. You should contact the seller to ask for a redelivery or a refund."
www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/somethings-gone-wrong-with-a-purchase/if-something-you-ordered-hasnt-been-delivered/

That is exactly what you do ...
; you go to eBay and tell them you did not receive the parcel - as you didn’t...
the seller will have to take it up with the mail service... they can’t just leave parcels in the street - which is what they did.