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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Today I was leaving the house as the postmas posted 3 'sorry you were out' cards through the door

93 replies

VirginMaryWearsPrimark · 11/12/2009 21:36

Not only did he not press our doorbell but he didn't even have the parcels.

Is it some cost cutting thing so they make us collect them from the depot?

OP posts:

Alarmbellsring · 11/12/2009 22:07

Don't blame the postman, blame the managers for making the workload so much the postman and drivers literally do not have time to stand and wait fot you to open the door, hence having the cards ready.

ClaireDeLoon · 11/12/2009 22:09

My postie is fab - once I turned up at the depot (small one) early morning to collect a parceland she was manning the desk and said 'oh there is a parcel for you on today's round I'll go get it'. We were actually heading out for the day so would have missed it so it was massively helpful. Lovely lady.

KirstyJC · 11/12/2009 22:12

Our postie is really great, he even signs for our parcels if they're recorded, puts them in the outside bin cupboard and puts a note through the door to tell us they're there. Since we both work full time this is great, otherwise we would be going to the post office all the time!

He never used to do this, but I think I scared him once, just after DS2 was born, he knocked when I was in the bathroom. I opened the window and called 'who's there' and when he said he had a parcel to sign for, I said I was naked and could he wait a mo for me to get my dressing gown on......he VERY quickly said he would sign for me and by the time I had found my dressing gown he was long gone.....

MrsKitty · 11/12/2009 22:13

Our postman's lovely - he saw me driving back through the village a few weeks ago, flagged me down and said "I've dropped a card through as you were out but I'll drive back up now and bring your parcels for you" There's a tiny little cynical part of me that wonders if he's thinking about the possibility of a Christmas tip, but he is generally lovely...Me & DS were locked out last year and he offered to try and squeeze through any open windows to let us in - unfortunately we didn't have and open windows, but the thought was there

ProfYaffle · 11/12/2009 22:16

Our postlady is just fabulous. I was out picking blackberries with dd2 down a footpath near our house, she spotted us and came cycling down the footpath to place our parcels in my hand to save us the trip to the depot.

Another time someone sent us a parcel but managed to get our surname, house number and post code wrong , different post lady recognised dd1's unusual name and brought it to our house on her way home from work.

BackUpYourPhotosNow · 11/12/2009 22:21

I too have a lovely postman, It does warm your heart when someone goes out of their way to be helpfull instead of being a jobsworth twat! I am very at the you were out cards when you were all in - I think i'd write to the local paper ( if I had the time....)

moondog · 11/12/2009 22:22

Telegraph have a campaign going about this bizarre state of affairs.

Linnet · 11/12/2009 22:44

This happened to me a couple of years ago as well. We were all in the house getting ready to leave for school when we noticed a card lying there dated fro 5 minutes before. The postie hadn't rang the bell or knocked just put the card through.

I complained when I went to pick it up and it's never happened since.

shonaspurtle · 11/12/2009 22:51

I get everything delivered to work now because this happens to us all the time.

We often get mail a few days late with a scrawl on it saying "no answer" and a date because the postman hasn't been able to get through the security door (flats). Except it happens on days when we're in too. Can't be arsed climbing the stairs more like it.

Missing parcels problem also reduced dramatically when I started getting things delivered to work.

AvrilH · 11/12/2009 22:53

Same thing happened to me last week - solved my "how much to tip the postman" dilemma

spinspinsugar · 11/12/2009 22:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SazzlesOnASled · 11/12/2009 22:55

Our postman always brings our parcels, but i did complain to him this week that he only ever brings parcels addressed to MrSazzles. I asked him next time to make sure he had one for me

SparklyGothKat · 11/12/2009 22:59

My postie is lovely, he stops me when he sees me driving off the estate and gives me my mail and parcels. He pops them into the back garden over the fence if I am out.

BitOfFun · 11/12/2009 23:02

I've always suspected this- grrrrrrrrrrrrr

edam · 11/12/2009 23:05

Our postlady (as ds calls her) is lovely. I reckon all this 'don't bother taking the parcle, just shove the card through the letterbox even if they are in' comes from management. Ultimately from that nice Mr Crozier who is paid more than any other state employee - far more than the PM.

He needs tarring and feathering, IMO.

edam · 11/12/2009 23:05

parcel even, I can spell, honest!

Original poster

VirginMaryWearsPrimark · 11/12/2009 23:06

Oh yes I've had parcels with 'no clear buzzer'
on them before. we are in a converted house and have had fecking ceramic buzzer labels made to stop this problem.

OP posts:

pinkteddy · 11/12/2009 23:06

God I must be so lucky, if I'm out postman puts the parcel in our recycling bin, then writes me a note which he pops thro the door telling me where it is. I always know when he's on holiday as its the only time I ever have to go and collect one!

norfolkBRONZEturkey · 11/12/2009 23:09

Thank goodness for knowing the local postie. If he spots me outside school he tells me I have a parcel and do I want it now or is anyone home or if not will I get there before him (I often do)
The previous postlady was similar and she used to buy goody bags for the playgroup children at Christmas

Kaloki · 11/12/2009 23:09

I used to work from home, and the postie there was an idiot. He wouldn't ring the bell/knock he'd either stick a card through the door. Or, more impressively, hang parcels on the door handle!! And a few times put them in the recycling box, without letting us know, we just got lucky that the lid got knocked off and we got them before the recycling lorry did!

Whereas my parents have the loveliest postman, who, rather than leave a card for my mum one time, held onto the parcel till the end of his shift then dropped it off on his way home.

Scorpette · 11/12/2009 23:34

I live in an apartment, the mailboxes are right by the building. Each flat has a deafeningly loud buzzer in the hall to communicate through and allow entry. The postman never rings the buzzer for any of the flats (all clearly marked on a massive panel) and always just posts you cards instead - and has the cheek to always use 'didn't answer buzzer' as the reason for not delivering! Once I had gone to check the mail as I had seen the van draw up and was waiting for a v important package; the postie walked up to me and said 'Are you the lady from no. XXX? Here you go'... and it was a fucking 'sorry we missed you' card! I then asked him what he was playing at and he went red and mumbled something about it being too heavy to carry - it was a small square box with a necklace inside, bubbled-wrapped FFS. I then had to argue with him to make him walk the few feet back to his van and get it for me. He actually still wanted to talk it back to the depot for me to collect the next day !

I have to walk miles to go to a collection point that is only open for a short period of time every day which clashes with my p-t work hours. I can have things taken from there to the PO round the corner but they charge 50p. When I say I'm not going to pay because I was in and the postie didn't attempt delivery they get really irate and say it's coming out of their pocket - when I ask why it should come out of my pocket when I was in, I get a mouthful of abuse - but at least they then take it round to the PO and I'm not charged. They won't redeliver at all!

Not as bad as my parents' old post woman who used to leave packages out on the front lawn if people were out! Luckily, they live in a v small village and nothing was ever stolen but several things were ruined in wet weather.

duchesse · 11/12/2009 23:39

That's not on at all. I've suspected for a long time that they do this.

TigerDrivesAgain · 11/12/2009 23:47

I've had a great one with Parcelforce: huge sign taped to letterbox saying "Parcelforce: please leave package in green house". NB, - this isn't a signed for job, they can leave it and as we are miles from anywhere they are hardly risking criminals nicking my whatever it was order.

Only to find that PF have ripped the sign off, and stuck a "noone in so bugger you" note in its place.

edam · 12/12/2009 10:02

Wow, Tiger, that's one cheeky fucker!

Have to report a postman this morning rang my doorbell and handed over a parcel. Well done that man. (Must be postlady's day off but she is equally good.) Other times posties leave parcels in the cupboard outside the front door.

But when I lived in London we always got 'sorry you were out' cards even when we were in. They never bothered to ring the bloody bell.

abra1d · 12/12/2009 10:08

Sorry, I don't believe it's all 'management' encouragement. The fact that different posties on the SAME rounds exhibit differing degrees of idleness or brilliant service rather proves that.

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