UK Petition - STOP The Post Office From Invading Our Privacy!

[VBR]

The petition on change.org can be found here: https://www.change.org/p/paula-vennells-stop-the-post-office-from-invading-our-letter-parcel-privacy


At the moment, Post Office staff have been advised by head office to ask customers what's inside their letter/parcel before they will accept it. Some branches are applying common sense & discretion, & will accept it if you tell them there are no prohibited or restricted items in it. However, in some branches the staff are being pedantic "computer says no" jobsworths by demanding to know what's inside, & then threatening not to send it if you wish the contents to remain private!

I want the Post Office to ammend the direction they give to branches to include the following: 1) ask the customer what is inside their package; 2) If the customer doesn't want to divulge that information, simply ask them if there are any prohibited or rerstriced items in the package. When they confirm there are not any, accept the package.


Please consider signing the petition & sharing it on Facebook/Twitter if you're from the UK & don't want The Post Office to go all Big Brother on you!

 

[Danoff]

Interesting, here in the US it's just a question of whether certain controlled substances are in the package.

 

[JKgo]

...I almost reflexively said, use a courier service instead!!

In all seriousness, I wonder if this is a kneejerk reaction to possible terrorist activities. Y'know, like that antrax scare in the US back when.

Asking people to divulge what's inside the package every single time might not be the bestest idea - I mean, if you're planning to send contraband through mail, you wouldn't tell your post worker that you're doing so, right?

Can't think of an alternative right now, but hey, this is the world we're living in at the moment - assuming, of course, Brit PO is doing all this because of terrorism or something just as dastardly.

 

[ryzno]

Don't they X-ray them anyways?
We just had a bust down here not to long ago.
USPS notified local authorities after finding 3lbs of weed in a package. Police let the package go and set up a sting at delivery.

 

[PzR Slim]

Just tell them it's soiled underwear every time!

 

[VBR]

Interesting, here in the US it's just a question of whether certain controlled substances are in the package.

If you send it via the self service machines, that's all they ask, what's not in it; "Are there any prohibited or restriced items in your package?"

But, if you go to the counter in certain branches, they falsely claim that they "can't" send it unless you tell them what is in it.

I can buy a stamp & post something without telling them what's in it as well. Their whole policy is contradictory.

There is a monumental difference between being asked what is in your parcel, & what is not in it.

 

[Grayfox]

In australia they only want to know if there are dangerous goods like lithium batteries and if there are they will make it road only transport which makes the send time longer.

 

[VBR]

I only need one more vote in order to make this petition open to the public; anyone wanna help me out?

 

[MatskiMonk]

Nope.

I don't see why you think you should be able to dictate how they can enforce their policy when they are attempting to provide you with a service you are entirely free to not use. The system isn't perfect I agree, but this petition is in no way about seeking a better way to do it.

 

[VBR]

I don't see why you think you should be able to dictate how they can enforce their policy when they are attempting to provide you with a service you are entirely free to not use. The system isn't perfect I agree, but this petition is in no way about seeking a better way to do it.

I'm not dictating anything, I'm simply asking them to ammend their policy. Big difference.

I'm not free to not use their service as I have to send letters, & Royal Mail has a monopoly on letters in the UK.

After speaking to customer services via the phone, they agreed with me & are trying to get the problem & solution I suggested looked into.

What I am asking in the petition would solve all of the problems that the current policy creates, & I think having a poll is an excellent way to raise public awareness.

 

[Danoff]

I'm not free to not use their service as I have to send letters, & Royal Mail has a monopoly on letters in the UK.

...as an aside, the USPS has a monopoly on letters in the US as well.

 

[BobK]

In the US we have alternatives to the post office for packages, such as UPS and FedEx. Are there not similar services in the UK?

 

[VBR]

In the US we have alternatives to the post office for packages, such as UPS and FedEx. Are there not similar services in the UK?

Yes there are, but like I already said there aren't any for letters, & that's what I mainly have to send.

I still need one more vote for the petition to go public!

 

[ryzno]

I'd give you a signature just to, but I doubt it would help. I'm not from the UK.

 

[Samus]

I'm not free to not use their service as I have to send letters, & Royal Mail has a monopoly on letters in the UK.

Yes there are, but like I already said there aren't any for letters, & that's what I mainly have to send.

So buy stamps and put them on the letters, where is the issue? I've never been asked what is inside a letter, only parcels.

 

[VBR]

So buy stamps and put them on the letters, where is the issue? I've never been asked what is inside a letter, only parcels.

The issue lies in the fact that I can't get proof of posting that way, which is essential when selling things on ebay. Also, large letters cost different amounts depending on the weight. Being asked what's inside differs from branch to branch, which is something that I already pointed out in the petition, & is one of the main problems with their current policy. It relies too much on the discretion of individual staff members, some of whom are pedantic computer says no jobsworths!

All I'm asking for the Post Office to do is to instruct staff members to move to a secondary question when customers wish the contents of their package to remain private. Simples. And that minor ammendment would solve all the problems created by their current policy.

 

[BobK]

Yes there are, but like I already said there aren't any for letters, & that's what I mainly have to send.

I still need one more vote for the petition to go public!

You mean to say if you mail a letter they ask what's in it?!?

Me, I'd answer "A letter, doh!"

 

[daan]

You mean to say if you mail a letter they ask what's in it?!?

Me, I'd answer "A letter, doh!"

Paper, with some blotches of randomly arranged ink.

 

[VBR]

You mean to say if you mail a letter they ask what's in it?

Royal Mail's definition of a letter might be somewhat different from yours. As I've already stated, I'm refering to "Large Letters", which can include items weighing up to 750 grams & 35cm x 25cm x 2.5cm. For instance, the large letters I send are mainly Blu-rays.

I've got enough votes so that the poll has gone public. Now let's see where it goes from here.

 

[Sprite]

@VBR I'd personally consider a Bluray in a Jiffy bag a package. I know the Post Office say otherwise and maybe that's the issue. If they changed the definition then that might help elevate the problem.

However I'd still take umbridge at being asked what's in a parcel or letter.

 

[DG_Silva]

I have signed it because I also believe that it should be a case of you saying what isn't in the package rather than what is in the package.

One thing I will say, working in a customer support department; Emails and letters which go to the CEO never make it that far, and inevitably get answered by the Customer Support manager, or more likely one of the team managers.

 

[VBR]

I have signed it because I also believe that it should be a case of you saying what isn't in the package rather than what is in the package.

One thing I will say, working in a customer support department; Emails and letters which go to the CEO never make it that far, and inevitably get answered by the Customer Support manager, or more likely one of the team managers.

Thanks for your support. If you have the time, please share it on social media as well.

I have added the email address for the CEO in the petition itself, so as the petition reaches certain milestones it will be automatically mailed to her. I did ask for the name of the person who came up with this amazing idea, but was stonewalled by head of customer services, & had no choice but to contact the CEO.