Royal Mail’s plans to allow neighbours to take in undeliverable parcels and signed-for mail have been dealt a blow by new research which claims the public is “unconvinced and unimpressed” by the proposal.
The study, carried out by GfK NOP on behalf of Consumer Focus, follows the launch of a Postcomm consultation on a number of changes to Royal Mail’s licence. These include the scrapping of compensation payments for business customers using services such as Mailsort or Packetpost, as well as leaving undeliverable parcels with neighbours when the no-one is at home.
But, it seems, “neighbours from hell” is not just a TV series, with more than half of the 2,054 people questioned saying they did not want those next-door signing for mail on their behalf, while one in five were unhappy for any of their neighbours to receive any of their post. Some four out of five consumers would want to be able to opt out of the scheme entirely.
And more than half of those surveyed said they would not be happy sending parcels if they knew delivery could be to a neighbour’s door.
The study found that UK consumers have “serious concerns” about who mail carriers might leave their mail with, and whether they trust their neighbours, particularly with important items.
Consumer Focus said that the level of consumer concern was so high, that if Royal Mail trialed such an idea, it should be independently monitored for customer satisfaction.
And, the watchdog said if any scheme is subsequently adopted, people should be allowed to choose whether to participate.
Natasha Dare, a postal expert at Consumer Focus, said: “Many people don’t know their neighbours well, and wouldn’t want valuable or private mail to be left with them. We are calling on Royal Mail to give people a choice.”
Undelivered post is currently taken back to the delivery office if a recipient is not home, with a card put through the recipient’s letterbox detailing their options for a redelivery, collection from a delivery office or from a post office.
If an item is not collected or redelivered within a certain number of days, it is returned to the sender as undelivered.
Dare added: “People want a reliable post service, with mail delivered safely and in good time. If this most basic service is undermined, consumer confidence in Royal Mail may suffer. The success of any changes to mail delivery must be judged on consumer satisfaction and not simply a reduction in Royal Mail’s costs.”
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