Trouble at the Post Office

Hootsmon

Not being able to state the exact date I was in the PO is problematic to say the least but I  put a possible solution to the Manager.....

It was the Manager the young girl phoned when I was in the PO for advice regarding the faulty machines....so why not check your call log I suggested to the Manager to look for that particular call ( I have a ballpark figure date for when I was in the PO) the we can all agree on an exact date of transaction ?

She replied that as a new start the youngster phoned for help all the time but I think a phone call of 5 minutes duration would be easy to find and certain days could easily be discounted but she just waved that request off just like the CCTV

TheBigDipper

Is it a Post Office owned and operated by the Post Office? Most are now franchises operated by private companies who get paid a fee or commission for doing Post Office activities. And, of course, the Post Office is a private company these days, anyway, not a government body, so their duty is to their shareholders, not the public. 

The reason I'm asking is that a business that does Post Office work but isn't owned by the Post Office won't fall under their gaze or their responsibility. The manager you spoke to may actually be the owner of the local business and be at the top of that food chain.

Sorry to be so negative. It's horrible when people rip other people off and look likely to get away with it. 

Funkfingers

P.O. branch manager sounds evasive. At least she is not claiming that the evidence (conveniently) no longer exists. Not yet.

In your position, I would gather neutral witnesses to the fact that you handed over the cash. This will support your case that the money *vanished* on their side of the security window when you contact a P.O. representative at a higher level. 

It is up to you to decide whether to mention this to the local branch staff. 

Essentially, you are asserting that somebody in the branch has acted dishonestly. If there are sufficient impartial witnesses to corroborate this, the branch stands to suffer a loss of reputation and, hence, future business.

ICBM

I had a similar experience in a Cash Generator, although it was deliberate dishonesty rather than a possible mistake. I *know* that the person behind the counter swiped a £10 note I had put there to pay for something, when I turned away briefly, but I can't prove it. The police weren't interested, and the shop manager wouldn't let me see the CCTV without the police present.

It's going to be very difficult or impossible to get anywhere, and the most annoying thing is that whoever has pocketed it knows that and knows they've got away with it.

DefaultM

I'd be surprised if it turns out the manager didn't take it.

Phil_aka_Pip

skunkwerx said:

Phil_aka_Pip said:

never leave without a receipt. take your money back if you have to

Dont do that!!

I meant if they won't give you a receipt, say "I want my money back and you can cancel the transaction"

breakstuff

The manager doth protest too much,methinks hoots.

57Deluxe

CCTV and if they don't have any then it's a brick through the window and goods to the value...

Hootsmon

What about insisting on the Managers phone call log history to see if I can pinpoint the 5 minute phone call from the youngster?

I could maybees get the exact day of transactions....she keeps throwing this in my face about not being absolutely sure of the day in question

underdog

hootsmon said:

What about insisting on the Managers phone call log history to see if I can pinpoint the 5 minute phone call from the youngster?

I could maybees get the exact day of transactions....she keeps throwing this in my face about not being absolutely sure of the day in question

Dude she already said that you probably did pay the money, at that point the money is their property to look after, she can pay your bill and STFU, you have more patience than me, I'd have rung the police from the post office and been very loud about reporting theft from you, which is what has happened.

prowla

I always pay for things by credit card - you automatically have a receipt.

Kilgore

TheBigDipper said:

Is it a Post Office owned and operated by the Post Office? Most are now franchises operated by private companies who get paid a fee or commission for doing Post Office activities. And, of course, the Post Office is a private company these days, anyway, not a government body, so their duty is to their shareholders, not the public. 

The reason I'm asking is that a business that does Post Office work but isn't owned by the Post Office won't fall under their gaze or their responsibility. The manager you spoke to may actually be the owner of the local business and be at the top of that food chain.

Sorry to be so negative. It's horrible when people rip other people off and look likely to get away with it. 

You're confusing the Royal Mail with the Post Office. Most PO's are run by self employed Sub Post Masters, but they are fully accountable to  Post Office Holdings which is 100% owned by HM Govt. 

Legionreturns

You paid £80 in cash. Presumably you withdrew that cash from somewhere before you went in to the PO? That transaction will narrow down the date and add at least a little credibility to your claim, if not to them, to the police  

bbill335

Can you check call logs to see what day  you spoke to the utilities companies on the phone?

Wazmeister

Forget the CCTV.

Speak to, and hound, the Post Office Head Office.

That’ll shake it up a bit.

Teetonetal

You paid for something, but cannot prove you paid. You have no hope and it's your error as you left without proof.

Maybe the girl took it.
Maybe the manager took it.
Maybe you are lying and are trying to get £80 of free service.

Cctv might show you there, but unlikely to show the value of the transaction.

This is why cash can be bad.

TheBigDipper

Kilgore said:

TheBigDipper said:

Is it a Post Office owned and operated by the Post Office? Most are now franchises operated by private companies who get paid a fee or commission for doing Post Office activities. And, of course, the Post Office is a private company these days, anyway, not a government body, so their duty is to their shareholders, not the public. 

The reason I'm asking is that a business that does Post Office work but isn't owned by the Post Office won't fall under their gaze or their responsibility. The manager you spoke to may actually be the owner of the local business and be at the top of that food chain.

Sorry to be so negative. It's horrible when people rip other people off and look likely to get away with it. 

You're confusing the Royal Mail with the Post Office. Most PO's are run by self employed Sub Post Masters, but they are fully accountable to  Post Office Holdings which is 100% owned by HM Govt. 

I don't believe so, @Kilgore. The local post office in my village is operated by the owners of the local grocery shop -they have their counter inside. My local town of Christchurch has a Post Office right in the centre that is owned and run as a family business.

If you google "post office franchise opportunities" it appears it's not as clear cut as it used to be. The Post Office wants franchisees to be the customer-facing part of their business so they don't have to operate an expensive set of properties and staff, just licence the work out to independents. 

They don't work for the Post Office. They work for their own business, supplying a service to another business and licenced to sell Post Office services. My point to the OP being that, sadly, there is no chain of command to complain to. The Post Office will just shrug their shoulders. 

I'd still complain, though, as it may not just be the OP who's had problems. Multiple complaints may add up at franchise renewal or expansion time. Or not...

DiscoStu

hootsmon said:

What about insisting on the Managers phone call log history to see if I can pinpoint the 5 minute phone call from the youngster?

I could maybees get the exact day of transactions....she keeps throwing this in my face about not being absolutely sure of the day in question

Do you know what time of day this happened? She could check her call log for that time and from there you could get determine the date.

Freebird

Phone GHCQ, they'll have the entire phone conversation with the manager on tape, and the CCTV footage, plus you will have been identified as being present at the scene by the image recognition software. They will have also tracked you walking/driving to the Post Office via GPS, so they will know the time and date. It's also possible they will have your conversation with the cashier recorded through the mic on your smartphone. If you have a smart meter,  they will be able to tell you whether or not you had a cup of tea before you made the journey, which may jog your memory.

PS I hope you get it sorted and they return your cash!

Kilgore

TheBigDipper said:

Kilgore said:

TheBigDipper said:

Is it a Post Office owned and operated by the Post Office? Most are now franchises operated by private companies who get paid a fee or commission for doing Post Office activities. And, of course, the Post Office is a private company these days, anyway, not a government body, so their duty is to their shareholders, not the public. 

The reason I'm asking is that a business that does Post Office work but isn't owned by the Post Office won't fall under their gaze or their responsibility. The manager you spoke to may actually be the owner of the local business and be at the top of that food chain.

Sorry to be so negative. It's horrible when people rip other people off and look likely to get away with it. 

You're confusing the Royal Mail with the Post Office. Most PO's are run by self employed Sub Post Masters, but they are fully accountable to  Post Office Holdings which is 100% owned by HM Govt. 

I don't believe so, @Kilgore. The local post office in my village is operated by the owners of the local grocery shop -they have their counter inside. My local town of Christchurch has a Post Office right in the centre that is owned and run as a family business.

If you google "post office franchise opportunities" it appears it's not as clear cut as it used to be. The Post Office wants franchisees to be the customer-facing part of their business so they don't have to operate an expensive set of properties and staff, just licence the work out to independents. 

They don't work for the Post Office. They work for their own business, supplying a service to another business and licenced to sell Post Office services. My point to the OP being that, sadly, there is no chain of command to complain to. The Post Office will just shrug their shoulders. 

I'd still complain, though, as it may not just be the OP who's had problems. Multiple complaints may add up at franchise renewal or expansion time. Or not...

I think you're missing my point. Historically there have been two types of PO. Crown (owned by the PO) and sub PO (essentially a franchise). The majority have always been Sub PO's. As with any franchise, there are stringent rules on operation and a franchise can be withdrawn for mismanagement.

The PO still provides a high degree of oversight and has an active internal fraud dept. I agree that an occassional conplaint is unlikely to get much result, but a pattern of complaints will be investigated.