Gah! Post office staff & posting air pistols

[Rapidnick]

Why did you bother to tell the clerk details of the contents? My understanding is that all you have to do -and then only if specifically asked- is to certify that what you want to send isn't against regulations. The best thing to do in the real world is to call the item in the box is 'engineering parts' or 'sporting goods' whatever you choose to say.

[lew07]

Why did you bother to tell the clerk details of the contents? My understanding is that all you have to do -and then only if specifically asked- is to certify that what you want to send isn't against regulations. The best thing to do in the real world is to call the item in the box is 'engineering parts' or 'sporting goods' whatever you choose to say.

This exactly.They are to make You aware some goods are prohibited. They should have a list.You then answer Yes or No. The exact contents of Your parcel are none of their business.

[angrybear]

Why did you bother to tell the clerk details of the contents? My understanding is that all you have to do -and then only if specifically asked- is to certify that what you want to send isn't against regulations. The best thing to do in the real world is to call the item in the box is 'engineering parts' or 'sporting goods' whatever you choose to say.

This exactly.They are to make You aware some goods are prohibited. They should have a list.You then answer Yes or No. The exact contents of Your parcel are none of their business.

They are a private company taking responsibility for transporting & delivering your item, so they are 100% entitled to know what they are carrying,
If you don't like their terms...don't use their service.

Apart from that it's pointless to lie or misrepresent your item, it's legal to send a low power airgun, or parts of one & if you need to claim the compensation you're still going to have to prove what it was & what it was worth, at which point the rules for a gun will apply.

[Geezer]

The odd thing is that RM and PF have really complicated regulations, that their staff don't seem to know and get twitchy about. But then you have other couriers, like My Hermes, who doubtless ban all shooty things, but just turn up and take a parcel, no questions asked, and deliver it. So RM/PF quibble over air pistols, but their competition would apparently deliver a bazooka, no questions asked.

(NB - I do not own, and have not owned, and nor have I had someone courier on my behalf, a bazooka.)

[Rossi2k]

I can sort of understand why RM and PF have some concerns / issues carrying a PCP or bottle due to the pressurised cylinder. If one was sent that was faulty, cracked etc. and the way that some of the parcels are treated in transit, it's a potential accident waiting to happen.

But when I comes to spring powered rifles and pistols, I can't see an issue. As long as what is inside the parcel is not written brazenly on the outside and packages sufficiently, how would anyone know what was in there during transit? The only people likely to know are the person sending it, the receipient and (possibly if told) the person taking the parcel from the sender at the post office. And what damage could they possibly cause?

I understand the insurance side of things, but this is the post office not wanting to pay out loads more on th parcels they loose / damage. And I have had a few of these instances in the past.

ATB

Ross

[Dodger21]

Contact Post Office complaints and explain the situation, as long asyou were posting an item they should carry they should sort it out with the individual.

[distantcamera]

Contact RM complaints and explain the situation, as long asyou were posting an item they should carry they should sort it out with the individual.

I've done that

In fairness to the Post Office staff, they did phone the helpline that is supposed to give them the information that they need. My major concern is that helpline directly contradicting the information on RMs website. One or other, or both, is wrong.

[angrybear]

I can sort of understand why RM and PF have some concerns / issues carrying a PCP or bottle due to the pressurised cylinder. If one was sent that was faulty, cracked etc. and the way that some of the parcels are treated in transit, it's a potential accident waiting to happen.

But when I comes to spring powered rifles and pistols, I can't see an issue. As long as what is inside the parcel is not written brazenly on the outside and packages sufficiently, how would anyone know what was in there during transit? The only people likely to know are the person sending it, the receipient and (possibly if told) the person taking the parcel from the sender at the post office. And what damage could they possibly cause?

I understand the insurance side of things, but this is the post office not wanting to pay out loads more on th parcels they loose / damage. And I have had a few of these instances in the past.

ATB

Ross

Well firstly the insurance would be paid by RM or PF the PO is just the "shop" that sell's the service the 3 are all different companies & have been for 30 odd years(?)

There's more to it than meets the eye, one thing is the often mentioned Xray of air freight, as most mail now flies, an air pistol on xray looks much like a "real pistol" so is going to be stopped which costs RM money both in possible delay's & in then sending the item to be inspected, I'm not sure if they would also be fined by either the CAA or flight company.

the other thing is that all airguns are legally classed as "firearms" are subject to firearms laws & firearms shipping licences.

[Shed tuner]

(NB - I do not own, and have not owned, and nor have I had someone courier on my behalf, a bazooka.)

Nah, but that RPG you sent me last month made it through no probs, heh

[Jerry Cornelius]

If your local branch has the self service machines all you have to do is click "no" when the screen asks if your parcel contains a prohibited item. Which saves time, and suggests Rapidnick is, strictly, right in his approach to counter staff

However personally I haven't got time or energy to argue with staff with a little authority who think that things they don't approve of should be banned (see also, idiots who think Swiss Army knives are illegal cough Bristol post office cough). So now I would use the machine

[distantcamera]

I escalated the complaint with the Post Office and they refuse to admit they are incorrect, even though I send them the response from Royal Mail.

Thank you for your email.



I have looked into this further for you, to make sure the information we are giving to customers is accurate and current. I can confirm that Low Powered air weapons, are only accepted by Parcelforce Worldwide and must be sent using express48 via the Post Office.



This information is found on the Royal Mail website, and was updated in January 2017. The link to find this updated information is: http://www.royalmail.com/sites/defau...an-30-2017.pdf






I apologise that you have had conflicting advice, and I hope the information will clarify which service you need to use to send your item.




I would recommend that you contact Royal Mail and raise your concerns with them, as the information you have received is incorrect. You can contact Royal Mail directly:


By telephone on: 03457 740 740
Or you can use their online “Contact Us” form: https://personal.help.royalmail.com/app/contact


If you need further help please feel free to get back in touch.

If you need any further help with Post Office® products and services you can access information at www.postoffice.co.uk.

Kind Regards,

Nichola Barber

Customer Service Advisor

Textphone: 03457 22 33 55 (For the Deaf and Hard of Hearing)
Email: customercare@postoffice.co.uk
www.facebook.com/postoffice
www.twitter.com/postoffice

I have sent all the correspondence to BASC who have now raised it again with the Post Office.

[Aimstraight]

I escalated the complaint with the Post Office and they refuse to admit they are incorrect, even though I send them the response from Royal Mail.

I have sent all the correspondence to BASC who have now raised it again with the Post Office.

Thanks, the link to the latest RMDG17 was useful, but it appears to be the same as the last version. It is a joint RM and PF leaflet, it states that only Low Power Airguns will be 'accepted' by PF (as opposed to any other gun). It does NOT state that PF is the only service, nor does it state that RM will not accept airguns for sporting use.

[distantcamera]

They are a private company taking responsibility for transporting & delivering your item, so they are 100% entitled to know what they are carrying,
If you don't like their terms...don't use their service.

Royal Mail and the Post Office are not the same company. The Post Office were stating different rules for the Royal Mail than what Royal Mail publish on their website.

Apart from that it's pointless to lie or misrepresent your item, it's legal to send a low power airgun, or parts of one & if you need to claim the compensation you're still going to have to prove what it was & what it was worth, at which point the rules for a gun will apply.

Agreed. And you shouldn't have to lie or withhold facts in order to use a service in the way that it is advertised by the service provider.