Businessman fed up with lost mail (From Ealing Times)

Businessman fed up with lost mail

8:59am Monday 11th October 2004 in News By Ushma Mistry

ROYAL Mail has refused to accept claims that its service is "poor" despite numerous complaints from a customer about missing mail.

Businessman Richard Trestain, 25, of Queens Drive, Acton, has complained to the postal service on numerous occasions about items of post going missing or arriving more than a week late.

He told the Times: "I have been having problems with my mail for the past four months. Things that are being dispatched to me from only a mile away takes weeks to get me. Even special delivery stuff is going missing.

"When I enquire about my missing mail I find it has been at the delivery office all along. I have had Inland Revenue documents never turning up and then I am threatened with fines from them. I still haven't got some important mail."

Mr Trestain has lodged at least three complaints with Royal Mail about the level of service he is receiving, but these have still not been resolved.

He added: "I never have any problems when my regular postman is delivering my mail. The problem escalates when he is away and temporary staff are brought in."

Royal Mail confirmed they had received one complaint from Mr Trestain but were not aware of any delivery problems in his area.

A Royal Mail spokesman said: "We take all customer complaints extremely seriously and will always investigate fully.

"We have strict security procedures in place and are on record as having a zero tolerance policy on any instances of theft.

"However, there is no evidence of any theft or missing items on this round and certainly no evidence to suggest that temporary staff in general used in the office by Royal Mail are in any way dishonest.

"The customer did make a complaint on September 28 about a parcel which we could not deliver immediately as it required a significant customs payment.

"There is often a delay on items like this where customs charges have been levied. However, the customer now has the item of mail and we have also sent him a goodwill payment for any inconvenience caused by the delay."

However, Mr Trestain is not satisfied with Royal Mail's response and has vowed to take the issue further if it is not resolved as soon as possible.