Reply With QuoteHad something very similar.
Went back to the post office. Luckily the parcel had not been collected.
Transaction was cancelled. Label removed. New label generated. Paid the shortfall.
Note to self.
Check receipt before leaving the counter.
You may all be aware of this but I thinks its worth mentioning again. If you're sending anything via RMSD make sure 100% that if you've requested the package be insured to the full value of £2500 they actually action that at their end. My son recently sent off a watch on here and i gave him instructions what to ask for at the PO. When he came back there was no additional parcel value added to the receipt. He said that the chap behind the counter assured him it was valued from £250 to £2500, this wasn't the case. Luckily the PO was still open and i went down and chatted with them. He also assured me it was covered but when i showed him ( on the app )that the cover up to £2500 was optional and it incurred more cost you could see he knew he was wrong. He showed me the screen and he'd missed the bit where it asks the parcel value, bypassing this puts it to the basic insurance. He sorted it out by not cancelling the original details but by adding another label for the extra value and cover. This also caused issues as both tracking numbers conflicted through the journey. Luckily there were no issues and it was delivered this morning but it was a huge worry until it landed. As i said is probably been talked about before so apologies if so.
FFF
Last edited by Franky Four Fingers; 6th May 2023 at 10:04.
Had something very similar.
Went back to the post office. Luckily the parcel had not been collected.
Transaction was cancelled. Label removed. New label generated. Paid the shortfall.
Note to self.
Check receipt before leaving the counter.
As I don't send expensive items through the post that often, I wasn't aware of this. So thanks for the info.
I had a similar problem a few years ago when one of the post offices I use changed hands. The new lady was adamant that the insurance was up to £2500 without specifying, sure enough the item was insured for the default minimum £500 when I checked. I went in again and debated this, in the end she had to accept she was mistaken and she'd skipped over the step where the value has to be entered. A combination of inexperience and bloody minded-ness, I don't use that post office any more!
The folks running sub post offices vary.....that's putting it mildly!
Thanks for the warning!
Thanks. It'd be a ball ache trying to prove someone didn't know their job and getting the situation corrected.
He was absolutely certain of his position and simply didn't know the system he was using…quite worrying when you consider the possibilities of what can and does go on.Originally Posted by Tony-GB
Despite apparent PO error, it's not complicated - you know beforehand the price you should be paying, and you'll check the receipt before leaving.
Top tip OP and worth reminding us.
Very true but if it’s your first time or not on the ball mistakes happen
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My local PO is staffed by individuals who simply don’t have a clue and even trying to engage with them in conversation is painful.
I walk past that one to another, three times the distance away, to get things done right.
No!
Unless you’ve weighed the package you don’t know exactly what you’ll be paying. I use the service frequently and I can’t be sure what the price will be. Checking the receipt is fine but if its wrong the mistake has already been made......and has to be un-made.
I use post offices locally where the staff have got to know me and always ask the value. As I stated earlier the problems arise where ill- trained staff are serving.
What I find surprising is the way people don’t put clear return details on the packages they send me, its as if folks are reluctant to put their name and full address on the outside of the package. Often there’s no details enclosed with the watch, I end up having to contact them and ask for their full name and address........how the hell do they think I’m going to return the watch if I haven’t got their bame and address? An illegibly scribbled postcode on the package isn’t enough!
I’ve had the same where I was assured it was insured to £2500 when it wasn’t on the receipt.
Use a main PO.
I wasn't aware of this.
Thanks for sharing =)
so weigh the package. Most people have a set of scales, kitchen or otherwise that can weigh up to 1kg within 50 grams or so. That's all you need. I use the Post Office frequently and know exactly how much I'll be charged for every parcel I send, both UK and overseas. I get on well with the local staff and they even joke that I should work there.
what most people don't understand is that the Post Office now handles so much of our day to day - post, banking, parcel returns for various companies, passports, driving licences, car tax - the list goes on and yet the staff in most post offices are paid no more than people stacking shelves. If you want skilled workers you have to pay skilled wages. My local post office staff are very good but even they sometimes make mistakes like the rest of us.
I totally agree about your last point. People will happily send expensive items through the courier or post and not give a second thought to return addresses or even a small note inside the box to say who they're from. The post office should make sure that the post code and house number on the back of the parcel are perfectly legible but by the same token, so should the person sending the parcel - unless they're all doctors of course! :-)
What, the PO can make mistakes?
Am I imagining it, but hasn't the RMSD insurance limit recently been increased from £2500?
It may be worth knowing that you can buy your postage service at Royalmail.com, pay for it and print your own label. You also have the option of having it collected and them bringing a postage label.
That way you can sort out the correct postage from the comfort of your home and only have yourself to blame if something isn’t right.
The max on his screen yesterday showed only up to £2500 so not sure
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They only insure to £2500 but can now post items worth up to £5000(?).
Previously anything worth >£2500 wouldn't be insured at all.
I wonder how that works in a practical sense then?
Anything between those figures is at your risk unless have 3rd party cover which could always do anyway.
I never knew that, strange it never showed on his screen as an option.
I took out Secursus anyway but I’ve read on here many times it’s always best to take the higher option plus Secursus
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Don't suppose it would show as max insurance is same as it always was.
Do you have a link to the info about posting items up to £5k?
I'll be surprised if it is the case, as the risk of a claim for £2,500 - increases when the total value is higher (and higher).
Not many underwriters have a business model based on that .
Check out Para 6.6 of the RM Parcel T&Cs:
https://www.royalmail.com/terms-and-conditions
https://www.royalmail.com/sites/roya...-version-7.pdf
You must not hand over any single Item whose contents have a total value of more than £5,000 (despite that, if an Item contains anything listed in sub-section (g) in the Valuables definition of the General Terms, the total value shall not exceed £2,500) when using Special Delivery Guaranteed, Special Delivery Guaranteed by 9am, Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm or Special Delivery Guaranteed Returns. These values may not correlate with the compensation available for each Item, please refer to Appendix C (Compensation Matrix) of the General Terms for more information on compensation payable.
Saw it posted on TZ few weeks(?) ago.
Will see if I can find it but best no-one treats it as gospel w/o RM link…
It’s not a change to the max cover, it’s a change to the exclusion term that previously made any item valued over £2,500 have £0 insurance cover by default. Now an item up to £5,000 can be posted, but max insurance remains £2,500. A positive change IMO.
Yes that is positive I agree.
Your OP was very helpful but iirc secursus stipulate in their Ts&Cs that the RMSD insured value (where secursus is used) MUST only be the minimum allowable in order for the secursus cover to be valid… is this no longer the case?
Yawn ... I always weigh my packages beforehand and know what I'll be paying. Odd that you don't.
Just on Secursus, something to note below:
Their terms state that they no longer provide cover for posting an item which has been sold by an individual using an online marketplace (which would arguably include SC).
However, you can email and ask for consent to continue using them in this scenario.
I did, and they happily gave consent. It helped that I have used them a few times before. The only condition was that, as the seller, I must check that the buyer has 100% positive feedback. Good job we have H&V.
HINT: When using RM - I use the self print option - then I know it is correct and pick the level of cover I want - plus entering receivers email details allows them to track package and make arrangements for delivery etc. Also for a small fee will pick up from home.
https://send.royalmail.com/send/serv...0&weightUnit=G
“ Ford... you're turning into a penguin. Stop it.” HHGTTG
I posted a watch to Northern Ireland a few weeks ago.
Did it all online and the Postman collected the next day adding the appropriate sticker.
Maybe look at using their online service,at least your inputting all the correct details,and not having to leave the house.
Ive checked their terms quite a few times just in case of updates and ive never seen that, just looked agin and still cant find anything.
Not saying you're wrong but can you copy and paste the bit about that if you get chance?
No prob - it’s the last bullet point in article 6.2:
https://www.secursus.com/en-gb/terms-and-conditions/
6.2 THE PARCEL INSURANCE DOES NOT COVER:
[…
…]
ITEMS SHIPPED THAT ARE SOLD/PURCHASED ON AN ONLINE MARKETPLACE BY INDIVIDUALS. ONLY OFFICIAL BUSINESSES WILL BE COVERED UNLESS APPROVED IN WRITING.
Thank you, i had totally missed that!
My post was intended just as a reminder but it has actually made me reassess how i send watches in the future.
SC would never be considered to be an online marketplace. It's an advertising medium and the transaction happens between two private individuals.
It’s arguable. However, when I checked with Secursus, they seemed to treat it as one. It’s not defined within their own terms, therefore open to interpretation, so I thought best to be cautious and get the consent. I wouldn’t want to have that argument with them after the event.
A definition in the context of competition law from the CMA is:
‘Online marketplaces connect [merchants] and potential customers with a view to enabling direct purchases and are generally providers of online intermediation services.’
Loosely, if you ignore the reference to merchants, there’s an argument there especially given Secursus’ reference to individuals selling on online marketplaces within the relevant clause.
Last edited by Berty234; 7th May 2023 at 11:09.
I always email Secursus before using them. I think they have put that in there as they feel one off people are using their service are the ones that try to make claims against them.
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Very much like my Brother In Law with his Buildings Survey business. If someone phones up and specifically asks about Professional Indemnity - he views it as a red flag and will turn down the work due to being 'too busy'. He and his colleagues in the locale have seen it too often.
It would be interesting to know how many have had succesful claims for a watch valued at the £2500.
And did RM try to wriggle out of the contract & reasons given.Ive never had any issues but it is a worry until you get the pm to say arrived ok.
I've never sent a watch but in my experience, RM are quite good with reimbursing claims at their value as long as you have the documentary evidence to back up the value. They do however take a long time to process a claim.
I'd say that the documentary evidence with medium value watches might be the problem. Most private customers won't issue an invoice or bill of sale and how many people have their watch officially appraised at that price point.
Useful to know, thanks.
I contacted them about insuring an item I sold via a forum I own for bass players with a very active classifieds section (which ironically we refer to as the marketplace). They said it didn't count as one in their eyes; they meant marketplaces where you pay via card through a system like eBay or Reverb. However I'd get it in writing because one person could say one thing and someone else say something different.
That’s good to know, I think that’s the right call. However, it seems like they’re not all that joined up internally. They need to define online marketplace in their terms. Until then, I agree it’s better to get the consent or get confirmation they don’t count SC as falling under it. Maybe we should ask them directly about SC and get a general confirmed response.
This was the main part of the response I got from them previously:
‘As you’re a regular customer, that’s ok, you can keep on insuring your watches sold on watch forums.
However, you must make sure that your buyers are 100% trustworthy by asking for their previous feedbacks as buyers for example.’
Last edited by Berty234; 8th May 2023 at 09:06.
Blimey that response sounds a bit vague doesn’t it! I don’t see “but I’m a regular customer” washing if something goes wrong…
That's what I'd expect the response to be and while I understand why anyone would be cautious when insuring and expensive item, public forums are not online marketplaces. While someone might have made contact through a forum, chances are that any terms agree will have been made privately and certainly the transaction will have been. An online marketplace requires that the transaction is made through an intermediary.
It's just a bit of advice as opposed to a legal statement. As per my previous post, you're not actually selling your watch on a forum, you're selling it to another person who has seen it on a forum. As an example, if you have a watch for sale and you tell a few friends, then one of those friends knows someone who might buy the watch, you have a little bit of to and fro conversation through your friend but then finally the buyer comes to see you and buys the watch. Your friend isn't part of the transaction.
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