I took a large letter into a branch of the Post Office to post to make sure I had the right postage on it before posting it.
The Post Office assistant said how much it'll be, then I promptly paid. As he handed me the receipt, I remembered that when I looked up how much the postage would be, it wasn't as much as he'd just charged me. So, I asked the Post Office assistant whether I'd been charged the large letter rate or the small parcel rate. He said large letter, then took my large letter again, put it through the plastic gauge thing the Post Office have and confirmed it was the size of a large letter.
I showed him the receipt, which showed that I'd been charged for a small parcel. The Post Office assistant said the computer automatically chose small parcel and not a large letter and that there wasn't anything he could have done and that he didn't do anything wrong. He then repeatedly said "I told you it was x amount before you paid." I agreed that he had, but that it shouldn't matter, as it's now come to light that I'd been charged the incorrect amount. He made it seem like it was my responsibility to know I'd been charged correctly before paying. I think I should be able to trust that a Post Office assistant charges me the correct amount.
The Post Office assistant kept saying he couldn't choose 'large letter' or 'small parcel' and that the computer chooses automatically. I said I'll take it up with the Post Office. He then kept telling me he'll lose his job if I made a complaint and that a colleague of his had lost his job for this reason. He offered to pay me the difference out of his own pocket, which I declined initially. However, he kept going on about how he'd lose his job if I made a complaint, so I felt I had no choice but to take his money just so that I could leave. The Post Office assistant looked in his wallet, didn't have the right money, so gave me the money from the takings. I felt so uncomfortable having this played out while other customers were waiting.
This Post Office is local to me and has recently come under new management. I'd never had any issues with them, or any other Post Office, in the past.
My questions are:
- Is it true that the Post Office assistant couldn't choose between a large letter and a small parcel? It seems unlikely to me, as how can the computer tell what size the parcel is based on the weight?
- Shouldn't I be able to trust that a Post Office assistant charges me the correct amount for postage and not rely on me to know whether I've been charged the correct amount before paying?