Im powerless and its so annoying!

[Kiwi]

Disclaimer: I mean no ill to postal workers on CS


Im going through the process of immigrating right now and as such I have to get certain documents from government agencies.

They have to come in the mail and so far they have all been ok.

Yesterday though I got a legal document with DO NOT BEND
marked on it

it was folded

it was folded right where it says DO NOT BEND

it was folded so that the DO NOT BEND was folded up so that's what you could see when you looked at it.....

now my mail box only had ONE other letter in it, it wasnt crammed full it was empty. It is also big enough for the envelope to go in without being folded. The letter was clearly marked from the government.

this document cost me $30.00 to have mailed from the provincial government (and no they don't allow insurance) I phoned my lawyer and he said that no... it could not be submitted with a fold in it.

I cant pick it up either, and having it couriered would cost $60

So now I have to get another one mailed at my cost.
I ring up Canada post and get no help. They wouldn't hold all of my mail at the post office without me paying a fee, they basically said "the mail employee has hundreds of letters a day blah blah"

the guy on the phone says he will inform the postal worker to "watch" for envelopes that say do not bend but that's all he can do. Gee thanks that really helps my problem

you know I understand that, but when something says DO NOT BEND then its because its not supposed to be bent.

you know what they suggested

I wait for my mail man by my mail box everyday until it comes in the post again

I guess I will have to pay for my mail to be held or for the courier because god forbid someone follow instructions.

[wagegoth]

If you send the provincial government a prepaid FedEx envelope, will they use it?

We do that quite a bit here.

[Kheldarson]

I've had that and similar happen to me several times down here. I've had a certificate of appreciation from work folded, my teaching certificate bent, a package wasn't delivered because we have a dog and there was no notification of arrival, and then they left a Christmas present next to the mailbox in the middle of a rainstorm. My mom's about to find a different way to have mail delivered.

[KrytenKoro]

To get around that, I don't have any important mail come to my house if I can help it. I've arranged it with my mother to take the mail at her work, since she gets boxes from Fed-Ex and UPS every single day, anyway.

[Merriweather]

I designed invitations for my granddaughter's birthday party and sent them to my daughter to send out, by priority mail (heavy cardboard envelope). Her carrier bent it to fit in her box rather than walk 10 feet to her door, in spite of a large red "please do not bend" sticker.

The person at our (US) post office said they could NOT guarantee that anything would not be bent, it was all up to the carrier.

I solved the problem by sending a second set, and putting them between two large children's books from the thrift shop (extra gift for granddaughter, and thin enough to fit in the one-cost priority envelope, but only bendable by a weight lifter).

When you're the recipient rather than the sender, though, and it's a business rather than a friend, it's difficult to get them to use something "unbendable".

BTW, a friend of mine once recieved an envelope of photographs from a friend. The friend had written on the outside "Photographs - do not bend". Someone had written in smaller letters underneath, "oh yes, they do".

Merriweather

[rerant]

I'd be all for the waiting for the mail carrier option, only I'd be armed with a few questions, starting with, "Why the FUCK did you bend my envelope my god can't you fucking READ? Do you even CARE about the shit people have sent to them, and the fact that some of it might be fucking IMPORTANT?!"

Ok that's a little much, I know, but the fact that this is costing Kiwi money makes me, someone who currently has to find every scrap of change she can find in order to be able to afford to go to the job that makes her next to no money, and who is tettering on serious financial trouble, VERY. FUCKING. ANGRY.

[Meganjo23]

My father is post officer, part time right now, and trust me, some of the people he works with... I think they need a harder hiring test. I think some of them just get lazy, and probably think that as long as they deliver it, who cares if it's bent? It's not thier problem, after all. And the faster all the mail is delivered, the faster they can go home!

[Reyneth]

I once had one of those envelopes for "things happen, sorry your mail got beat up, we try hard to give the best service/quality possible" pieces of mail. The mail inside was beat to all get out - amazing you could even still read my address.

It was a quarterly tax form from my city with DO NOT DESTROY prominent on it. I really thought about bringing that one into city council.

[PepperElf]

Hmmmm perhaps getting it sent insured....

therefore when the contents show up ruined, the post office has to pay you for the damages

[Kiwi]

Hmmmm perhaps getting it sent insured....

therefore when the contents show up ruined, the post office has to pay you for the damages

did you read where I said in my original post that they don't allow insurance?

anyway...update

I rang the customer service line and they created a case for me that they would investigate. They rang back and told me to ring the local postal depot. I rang them and explained again what happened. They then rang back and left a voice mail saying they had talked to the postman and he "cant remember" the letter.... no shit really...wow

I called them back and asked about compensation and was told to ring customer services again...

so I emailed them through their website, told them the entire story so far and basically said I want the right department to call me because Im getting sick of being told to call X and X calling me back and telling me to call Y, then calling Y and being told X department handles it.

we shall see what happens from here

[Geek King]

so I emailed them through their website, told them the entire story so far and basically said I want the right department to call me because Im getting sick of being told to call X and X calling me back and telling me to call Y, then calling Y and being told X department handles it.

I'm not sure how your post offices are arranged there, so modify advice as needed.

Here in the states, I'd go in person and ask to speak to the Postmaster of the city post office (may have to travel if smaller town PO). Camp out until they at least talk to you. The one time I had to resort to this (my mail wasn't being delivered, including bills), I found that leaning against a wall within sight of the front desk reading a thick book made them realize I wasn't going away after a few minutes. The Postmaster went from "not available right now" to "The Postmaster will see you now." As always, be calm, be direct with your issue, and don't yell unless extreme circumstances present.

Good Luck on the immigration. If you happen to be in the southern Ohio area, say hey. I'll pull out the grill or treat you to some food if its not grilling season.