Some postmen have been leaving parcels in sorting offices.

Consumers may want to use the services of alternative parcel delivery providers after a new investigation showed that some Royal Mail postmen are deliberately not delivering parcels.

A study by Consumer Focus found that 55 per cent of people have been misled by cards saying 'Sorry you were out' when they were at home all along.

Nearly a quarter of people questioned by the watchdog claimed they have received these cards on three separate occasions.

The study suggested that some postmen are leaving parcels in sorting offices to lighten their daily load and transfer the burden of collecting it to the customer, something which may encourage others to use alternative parcel delivery providers in the future.

Many of the findings will be presented on BBC One's Panorama show tonight and Robert Hammond, from the watchdog, will tell the programme that the practice is unacceptable.

"There's a growing body of evidence that the 'Sorry you were out' card issue is far from a series of isolated incidents, as Royal Mail has claimed. This issue has to be thoroughly investigated and the problem stamped out," he stated.

Bromley resident Jan Ferrari recently wrote to the Bexley Times after a postman admitted to her that he uses 'Sorry you were out' cards because he cannot carry all the parcels he is required to deliver.

Posted by Sarah Gower




Article Added: 14/12/2009 09:20:17