The Lemon Fool

JohnB wrote:Paper statements work best for me. Its far more work logging in, finding, saving and renaming than punching holes. And I can skim paper far faster than PDFs, and write notes on it.

Recently I switched off the paperless service from my broker because I was fed up with having to print contract notes.
Paper... infinitely easier.
Not that it will save RM. I wonder what will happen to the post boxes....

V8

Lootman wrote:But that is a separate issue from whether businesses can force people off paper totally

Not really an issue.

"Dear Customer, its online only now and if you don't like it the exit door is that way..."

Niksen wrote:

Lootman wrote:But that is a separate issue from whether businesses can force people off paper totally

Not really an issue.

"Dear Customer, its online only now and if you don't like it the exit door is that way..."

In theory perhaps but there is a problem in practice. It is the old customers who have the money and it is the oldies who want paper. That pesky golden rule.

By the way, you are AF62 and I claim my five pounds.

Lootman wrote:

Niksen wrote:Not really an issue.

"Dear Customer, its online only now and if you don't like it the exit door is that way..."

In theory perhaps but there is a problem in practice. It is the old customers who have the money and it is the oldies who want paper. That pesky golden rule.

But it is the youngsters who are more likely to pay fees and more attractive as customers.

Lootman wrote:By the way, you are AF62 and I claim my five pounds.

Who?

Niksen wrote:

Lootman wrote:By the way, you are AF62 and I claim my five pounds.

Who?

Ha, it's OK, there is no shame in it.

XFool wrote:Which, of course, the private carriers don't have...

If the stamp price wasn't covering it then it would be general taxation and arguably for a service that is gradually becoming less and less used. I could draw a parallel with the TV license both from a few use to a rather aggressive use of law they should really not have access too.

Moreover as an example of what Government empowered entities can get up to you need look no further than the post office fraud cases. Frankly they thought themselves above the law and with the Government behind them perverted the course of justice and knowingly jailed innocent people. I know of two personally and it ruined their lives.

Thus nationalisation (IMHO) = bad, as a general rule.

Niksen wrote:

Lootman wrote:In theory perhaps but there is a problem in practice. It is the old customers who have the money and it is the oldies who want paper. That pesky golden rule.

But it is the youngsters who are more likely to pay fees and more attractive as customers.

Lootman wrote:By the way, you are AF62 and I claim my five pounds.

Who?

Niksen: AF62 was a regular and prolific poster on these boards.

All: AF62's last post was on the 1st August last year, in the middle of a discussion, here:

viewtopic.php?p=606164#p606146

I fear that he may have been taken seriously ill, or passed, that day.

Watis

Watis wrote:Niksen: AF62 was a regular and prolific poster on these boards.

All: AF62's last post was on the 1st August last year, in the middle of a discussion, here:

viewtopic.php?p=606164#p606146

I fear that he may have been taken seriously ill, or passed, that day.

Agreed, it's odd, because AF62 did enjoy an argument and would often carry on relentlessly until his adversary got tired and gave up. Not unlike some other LFs I could name, in fact. A hyper-committed technophile, IIRC?

BJ

bungeejumper wrote:

Watis wrote:Niksen: AF62 was a regular and prolific poster on these boards.

All: AF62's last post was on the 1st August last year, in the middle of a discussion, here:

viewtopic.php?p=606164#p606146

I fear that he may have been taken seriously ill, or passed, that day.

Agreed, it's odd, because AF62 did enjoy an argument and would often carry on relentlessly until his adversary got tired and gave up. Not unlike some other LFs I could name, in fact. A hyper-committed technophile, IIRC?

There are a few similarities. Both are big fans of total dependence on technology (EVs, paying only with a phone, staunchly anti-paper). Both spend a fair amount of time in Spain. Both get defensive if their methods are challenged or criticised, and both like to have the last word.

So similar in style and substance. Plus Niksen was posting prolifically and combatively within a few days of signing up, which is unusual for someone who is genuinely new here.

I'd rather pay RM a small fee to deliver a letter anywhere in the UK than me have to drive there with it - especially if it is 500 miles away.
People will miss the Universal Service if it disappears.

FWIW, I subscribe to Investors Chronicle which should be delivered on Fridays.

Last weeks "Urgent 1st class mail. This is a time sensitive publication do not delay" turned up on Wednesday.
Today is Friday and I'm wondering when this weeks copy will turn up.

The REAL joke is every time that the IC comments about how the company running royal mail may not be too bad an investment.

Ps, yes I have a combined digital and paper subscription, so can actually read it in a timely manner should I chose. Arguably though the IC is wasting money posting those mags as they are getting such terrible service.

Anecdotally - I've sent two things by Special delivery in the last 6 months, guaranteed to be delivered, tracked, by 1pm the next day.
The first one took 5 days to arrive, after just disappearing, with no tracking updates for 3 days.
The second one, last weekend did precisely the same. It was an important document that we really needed to get there on Monday, and it arrived on Friday. By Wednesday we had to jump through hoops to obtain a replacement document. Next tine I am going to get in my car and drive 90 miles to deliver it by hand. I can't trust Royal Mail to do it

I can't remember the last time that something I was expecting didn't turn up.
I live out in the sticks and most people know the posties.

ukmtk wrote:I can't remember the last time that something I was expecting didn't turn up.
I live out in the sticks and most people know the posties.

Err, my mag did turn up..............late.

Over Christmas we got an envelope, with an apology. Contents missing and Royal Mail wished to apologize.

Of course we were not "expecting" that Christmas card, assuming that was what was in the envelope.

The issue is not that these things happen, but that they happen quite so frequently.

I'm sure that it might have happened in "the good old days", but "on average" it's at least once a month with the mag that it turns up days late.

I'll post again when the mag that should have turned up today does. After all currently I think that we have 6 day post, so why should it wait beyond tomorrow?

The thing I find is there is no service that really satisfies my requirement.

I'm not so fussed if a letter takes a few days, I'm more concerned that it is guaranteed to get there, and I get proof of delivery. With RM the focus is on compensation for the value of the letter or item. I don't post stuff to get compensation, if it doesn't get there I want it traced and found, and delivered. This has always irked me about RM letter post but there is no alternative AFAIK.

Mike4 wrote:The thing I find is there is no service that really satisfies my requirement.

I'm not so fussed if a letter takes a few days, I'm more concerned that it is guaranteed to get there, and I get proof of delivery. With RM the focus is on compensation for the value of the letter or item. I don't post stuff to get compensation, if it doesn't get there I want it traced and found, and delivered. This has always irked me about RM letter post but there is no alternative AFAIK.

The last letter I sent was a freepost one to Royal Mail to get them to send me the new stamps with the barcode as my old ones had expired. It all worked and they sent me the new ones in line with what I'd sent them.

Before that, other than sending away COVID tests during the pandemic, I honestly can't remember the last letter/package I posted (I'm excluding parcels here as occasionally you send stuff back you've ordered online).

No one now needs a 6 day a week service for letters. It's pointless. IF a company wants me to do something quickly they send it via email they don't send it via 1st class post. The sooner they're freed of their idiotic restrictions in terms of service provision the better.

the0ni0nking wrote:

Mike4 wrote:The thing I find is there is no service that really satisfies my requirement.

I'm not so fussed if a letter takes a few days, I'm more concerned that it is guaranteed to get there, and I get proof of delivery. With RM the focus is on compensation for the value of the letter or item. I don't post stuff to get compensation, if it doesn't get there I want it traced and found, and delivered. This has always irked me about RM letter post but there is no alternative AFAIK.

The last letter I sent was a freepost one to Royal Mail to get them to send me the new stamps with the barcode as my old ones had expired. It all worked and they sent me the new ones in line with what I'd sent them.

Before that, other than sending away COVID tests during the pandemic, I honestly can't remember the last letter/package I posted (I'm excluding parcels here as occasionally you send stuff back you've ordered online).

No one now needs a 6 day a week service for letters. It's pointless. IF a company wants me to do something quickly they send it via email they don't send it via 1st class post. The sooner they're freed of their idiotic restrictions in terms of service provision the better.

You must lead a simple life!

Granted its not very often but from time to time I need to send physical stuff by post. Birthday cards spring to mind, and also occasionally forms signed for official stuff like Land Registry transfer documents when selling or buying a house. I also am required to carry my Gas Safe Register ID card with me when working and that arrives by post, and I can't see any other way for them to send it save for in a taxi. Similarly for passports and credit/debit cards.

And as far as parcels are concerned, I repair fans for 70s/80s/90s warm air heating boilers which are discontinued. Customers post a failed fan to me and I fix it and post it back by Special Delivery. The value of each these fans actually runs into many £k as if one gets lost in transit, the customer's only option is then to spend perhaps £7+k on a new warm air boiler installation.

Midsmartin wrote:Anecdotally - I've sent two things by Special delivery in the last 6 months, guaranteed to be delivered, tracked, by 1pm the next day.
The first one took 5 days to arrive, after just disappearing, with no tracking updates for 3 days.
The second one, last weekend did precisely the same. It was an important document that we really needed to get there on Monday, and it arrived on Friday. By Wednesday we had to jump through hoops to obtain a replacement document. Next tine I am going to get in my car and drive 90 miles to deliver it by hand. I can't trust Royal Mail to do it

Don't say that! I sent something special delivery just today for (so far as I recollect) the first time ever, and they've promised Monday morning delivery.

Is there any recompense if they fail to deliver?

On the upside, my Private Eye subscription almost always arrives promptly on a Wednesday. Albeit late in the day!

Mike4 wrote:Granted its not very often but from time to time I need to send physical stuff by post. Birthday cards spring to mind, and also occasionally forms signed for official stuff like Land Registry transfer documents when selling or buying a house. I also am required to carry my Gas Safe Register ID card with me when working and that arrives by post, and I can't see any other way for them to send it save for in a taxi. Similarly for passports and credit/debit cards.

And as far as parcels are concerned, I repair fans for 70s/80s/90s warm air heating boilers which are discontinued. Customers post a failed fan to me and I fix it and post it back by Special Delivery. The value of each these fans actually runs into many £k as if one gets lost in transit, the customer's only option is then to spend perhaps £7+k on a new warm air boiler installation.

My last property purchase involved sending things by fax - not mail! Fax or email; mail itself is dead! I could have turned up at the office to provide them stuff as I was passing through but fax worked.

Parcels are different to letters and can be detached from the receipt of letters in terms of who provides them and when. Time they started getting rid of all these irritating red pillarboxes across the country!

My disabled railcard used to be sent by post - now it is available digitally as well as in hard copy if you chose to go for that option. Why can't GasSafe move with the times and provide it electronically?

the0ni0nking wrote:

Mike4 wrote:Granted its not very often but from time to time I need to send physical stuff by post. Birthday cards spring to mind, and also occasionally forms signed for official stuff like Land Registry transfer documents when selling or buying a house. I also am required to carry my Gas Safe Register ID card with me when working and that arrives by post, and I can't see any other way for them to send it save for in a taxi. Similarly for passports and credit/debit cards.

And as far as parcels are concerned, I repair fans for 70s/80s/90s warm air heating boilers which are discontinued. Customers post a failed fan to me and I fix it and post it back by Special Delivery. The value of each these fans actually runs into many £k as if one gets lost in transit, the customer's only option is then to spend perhaps £7+k on a new warm air boiler installation.

My last property purchase involved sending things by fax - not mail! Fax or email; mail itself is dead! I could have turned up at the office to provide them stuff as I was passing through but fax worked.

Parcels are different to letters and can be detached from the receipt of letters in terms of who provides them and when. Time they started getting rid of all these irritating red pillarboxes across the country!

My disabled railcard used to be sent by post - now it is available digitally as well as in hard copy if you chose to go for that option. Why can't GasSafe move with the times and provide it electronically?

Curious now. Do the Land Registry now accept faxes of Transfer Forms? I've always had to sign them physically and deliver or post them to my solicitor although I've not sold a house for about four years now.

I suspect the GSR card is subject to similar security issues as the Driving Licence. Or can you download and print your own Driving Licence now? How many copies can you run off?

(Edit to add a bit.)