Royal Mail to roll out leave with neighbour scheme

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Subject to consultation with Ofcom, which you can comment on if you like here

http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/royal-mail-delivery-neighbour/?a=0

Royal Mail are planning to roll out the scheme where they leave parcels with neighbours rather than a card allowing you to go to the sorting office and collect the parcel later.

If you don't want to participate you have to opt out, rather than opt in.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19293772

Wondering what people think of this? I am not a fan as there are some people in the street who we don't know, a couple of houses are rented to students and we have had trouble getting parcels which were brought by other couriers. This is not a horrible area full of nutters, its an average street but I don't really want to play hunt the parcel up and down it.

I think if it is rolled out to everyone it should at least be opt in not opt out by default. There is no way to seek to opt out at present but apparently it will involve ordering a sticker to put on your letter box. It seems like an excuse to randomly leave parcels anywhere to me.

 

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So RM say it should be opt-out and you say it should be opt-in?

Getting past the marketing speak they say yes and you say no. Nothing opt-in has ever been widely adopted. Saying you don't mind but it should be opt-in is like saying you don't mind the death penalty but it should be up to the criminal to decide.

I don't agree with the initiative in principle, I don't think they should do it at all.

I think however there is little doubt it will be rolled out (even if everyone writes to Ofcom I imagine they will go on the evidence that loads of people in the trial apparently liked it though no one really knew how to get out of it) I think it should be opt in..I realise it won't be hugely taken up if it is opt in but then I don't agree with it so that would probably suit me fine

You can't choose who they leave the mail with.

 

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It'd be more honest to just say you don't want it to happen than to say it should be opt-in then?

I said

I think if it is rolled out to everyone it should at least be opt in not opt out by default.

And I said I wasn't a fan, which I am not.

I don't think its 'dishonest' to say that.

I am however realistic, I think it will get rolled out. So the very least it might be, as mentioned, is not something you have to have.

 

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How will the postmen know you have opted out?

Few details but according to a couple of articles, you have to order a sticker and stick it on the letterbox.

 

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not really, think of the amount of petrol they are wasting driving to your house for you to not be in, then think of the thousands of other people that happens with every day then they use even more petrol to come back another time.

so much waste when it could just be left with a trusted neighbour.

Reducing the option for redelivery (so if you miss it you go tot he sorting office) would save money if that is an issue.

You can't apparently choose the neighbour they leave it with.

Our deliveries are not in a van anyway so there are no petrol costs in terms of driving to our street.

 

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Hmm, I will participate. However, this is only because I am not short sighted enough to arrange a delivery for a day when there may, potentially, be nobody at home....so it would rarely affect me.

Lots of people have jobs that mean they are not at home on any day of the week to have deliveries. Fortunate you if you have independent means and don't have to work. Most people are not in your position. It's slightly odd to view having a job as short sighted, but there you go.

 

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So without having read all of this thread or scouring the links in the OP, where can we opt out of this scheme (if it's even possible to do so currently)? Although we have a very nice immediate neighbour, there are a couple of less-than-friendly neighbours in our area so wouldn't want to trust them with valuable parcels in case they felt compelled to spite us for the parking issues we've been having with them over the last month or so.

According to the articles, there will be a leaflet coming out if Ofcom give the go ahead for it to roll nationally (they have said they are minded to approve it) and that will have a link for the website to order a sticker to opt out or it may simply say you can opt out and leave you to find the link, its not very clear.

 

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Love all the hate for RM on these forums.

As far as I know I was told last week for those living in areas it will be getting rolled out in there will be a leaflet going to every house with information on it and you can opt out if you wish.
Also they will leave cards if you do opt in to say it has been left with the neighbour and what number, the new cards are already in our office and it is being rolled out soon.
And this was trialled else where before being put in place around the rest of the country so it obviously worked. It is already quite common practice.

I don't hate RM. I just don't want my post left with someone else and I don't think I should have to accept it by default either. I think it should be opt in for anyone who wants it and it shouldn't have been pushed so far in the first place.