Post Office assistant charges me incorrectly and insists I don't make complaint

[PurpleStarrySocks]

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:

1. 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?
2. 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?

I know someone who lost their job and nearly got prosecuted for ‘stealing’ 40k at the post office. They were innocent. It came out after to be a problem with the system.

No, don’t trust the post office. Yes, don’t make a complaint against someone who can’t afford to loose their job for something that’s not their fault in this awful financial climate.

Really? Wow, that’s shocking. I hope it gets reported, maybe they should do some sort of enquiry into it….no, wait…

To all those saying it is a scam, how exactly do you think that the guy behind the counter is going to pocket the overpayment when the receipt states the amount that was paid into the till? Do you think he has a secret scammy receipt printer under the desk?

Easy was is to cancel and reissue at the lower rate when the customer has gone. But a long process to scam such a low amount.

Post offices usually have cameras over looking the till so staff can't really pocket things without eventually being caught
Most the overcharging and keeping scam happens in sweet shops/hair shops ect where the workers are family of the owner

So, this Post Office assistant says he can't choose between large letter and small parcel. That means every single person who goes to buy postage for their large letter gets charged for a small parcel of it's below the maximum weight for a large letter. Even if it's a genuine mistake, it's not OK for everyone to be overcharged.

Or, what happens next time I try and send a large letter of a similar weight? It has to go as a small parcel just because I have to visit the same Post Office, where the assistant says he can't choose the large letter rate because the computer system automatically chooses it? How many times would I have to be overcharged for it to become unacceptable? Or should I always overpay each and every time I send a large letter at this Post Office? Imagine if I sent one large letter a week that went incorrectly as a small parcel...that wouldn't be an insignificant amount to have been overcharged over the course of a year.

So, what should I say to the Post Office assistant when I next post a large letter of a similar weight?

Or should I have to drive to a Post Office further away (instead of walking to my nearest one) just so I get charged correctly?

Ffs how are so many saying get a life, it wasn't much money. The person is employed to correctly manage the provision of a accurate national and international service called the Royal Mail. He is not selling apples down the market. As the op says how many other people is he mischarging and not correcting the error as he should. This is yet another example of the deteriorating service we experience in the UK; he wi never learn if someone doesn't politely point out to his manager that further training is needed.

My local post office always defaults to the most expensive option rather than giving me options. I have to check the options and prices before I get there so I don’t fall for it. Definitely feels like a racket!

He can definitely choose between large letter and small parcel, sounds like a scam where at the end of the day he pockets the difference, which would add up to quite a bit I would imagine. I don't know why people are giving the OP such a hard time, a shop/service over charges you then lies, you would seriously go, oh ok no worries then?

He would know the prices off by heart, so even if he by mistake touched the wrong button on the screen, before you finalise the sale its easy to go back, large letter is 1.95 up to 100g and small parcel 4.19 , so he def knows he was overcharging.

I just read your update, completely bizarre that he is saying he can't choose between large letter and small parcel! That's like someone selling train tickets saying they can't choose between single or return!

If it was a genuine mistake he would just say oh sorry let me sort that, why bullshit about not being able to choose between two completely different services.uk-1st-and-2nd-class

This is suck a tedious and stupid thing to say. Get over yourself.

I think the OP is I'm the wrong. I really do.

But in what world does that suggest it's the only thing she has to worry about? Often people focus on small things when there is something big going on. Distraction I imagine. Don't be a tiresome cliched dick

I work at a main branch Post Office. Letters/parcels are weighed and the computer, depending on weight chooses the option. It can be over ridden unless the weight is more than the maximum allowed. For example, if a standard letter is over 100g, the computer will automatically default to large letter and we cannot choose a standard letter. We can then change it to small parcel if the item is too big dimensionally for a large letter.
There are also ways and means to change this, even when a stamp is printed and money has been paid. Although, if you've never done this before, it is not something you would know easily where to find it on the system and input the correct codes.
We're humans, not machines and sometimes, in all jobs, people will get things wrong. Hopefully this incident will make the man concentrate a bit more and be more aware.
It's a minimum paid job with a hell of a lot to learn and a lot of responsibility, don't be too harsh on him.

I got bored reading this post by the end of the first paragraph

Lots of people don’t use the Post Office v often and don’t realise when they’re being overcharged.

Over the last couple of years I’ve had to send a lot of tracked/signed for mail. I’ve found I am seldom offered the cheapest service. If I ask for ‘signed for’ I am quoted the first class price, second class is not mentioned. I know that most of the time second class arrives just as quickly. I have learnt to ALWAYS ask if that is the cheapest price possible. The difference might be 50p but that’s over 20% more than it should be.

It’s not a scam, it’s not going in their pockets but it’s not encouraging us to use Post Office Services.

Report this post office.

What is happening here is fraud.

The computer doesn't decide, that's absolute baloney. The scale only measures the weight. The post office employee has to press either large letter or small parcel on the screen.

Don't be afraid to report him, he's obviously making quite a bit of money if he does this with several people every day, every week.

Yes, he will lose his job, and quite frankly deserves too.

I had something similar where I live, the Petrol station employees weren't giving people their correct change. Not many people noticed it, but some did.....police were involved and they disappeared back to Sri Lanka.

Oh dear. Don't try reading a book then. 🙄

It was completely unnecessary for you to specify that the people in your story were Sri Lankan. Nasty racist undertones.

Exactly my thoughts.

That's exactly what I meant but you have expressed it better.
It's a kind of up-selling. In the hopes that you won't notice. But I think the Post Office lost any claim to be a reputable organisation quite some time ago.

Sorry, that was for @operationalaccident

Op you would actually complain about this man? How do you sleep at night??

So, OP, it seems the chap didn't know how to do his job. I would have suggested to him that he find out how to cancel the small packet, and re-enter a large letter. If he didn't know how to do that, you have the option of asking him if his boss can help, or going elsewhere.

He clearly needs more training. Maybe he was long-term unemployed and is petrified of losing his job? there could be any number of reasons (which seem normal to him) for the weird way he reacted.

That only works if he's putting one amount through the till and taking another amount off the customer though.

Something seems off here. Why does he say he can't choose a basic option? Why is he so terrified of you complaining? Anyone who's worked in a shop has made a small mistake like this and a supervisor just fixes it. They don't fear for their job for a one off. Either there is something seriously wrong in post office HR (and we all know the recent awful scandal over that), there's a scam (but I don't see how with a receipt) or the man has an issue with anxiety.

It's all a bit odd.

Don’t forget we only have OP’s account of what happened and she is quite possibly an unreliable narrator.