Parcelforce...

Hi all,

Finally sent our evidence off yesterday morning (around 09:45). Sent via Post Office so it went on guaranteed pre-9am next-day with ParcelForce. Cost about £35.

Watching the tracking this morning. 9am came and went and the tracking system still shows it at the "National Depot".

Gave them a call, and they basically said, "it'll be there tomorrow, as it got missed by seconds". I told them the situation, and asked if there was any way I could still get it delivered today. They said no.

Not happy. Not happy at all. I will obviously be raising a claim with them, but right now I am more concerned that they've actually lost the parcel... which, quite frankly, doesn't bear thinking about.

Anyone experienced any similar shoddy service with ParcelForce?

What really are my options if they've lost it? Anyone know if an investigation can be kicked off, or will it just turn up in a year or so? Really, really worried.

Thanks.

i used royal mail guaranteed delivery by 1 pm next day. about £8. it worked. weight was about half a kilo.

Me too.

I would not worry, just be patient.. you are going to have to be very very patient...

I doubt that your package will get lost.
The bank holiday probably affected the delivery.
I prefer to use DPD but that is another story.

I figured that the Bank Holiday would affect things a little, but still... I did pay for pre-9.

I really hope you're right and that it arrives tomorrow. I can deal with waiting for the visa decision, as it's something we've been prepared for. What I didn't expect is for a problem getting my actual evidence to UKVI in the first place!

I was driving an artic for DPD (although I do not work for them directly) on Bank holiday and everything was at full pelt. I have also similarly driven for Royal Mail/Parcelforce and DPD is much more customer-focussed IMO.

They will not even open it for a few weeks so don't worry

We used Post Office 'next day by 1pm' but the online tracking system wasn't updated until late PM next day - showing it had been delivered and signed for around 10am that morning... tracking is not 'minute-by-minute' despite our digital world!

I have contacted them via Twitter this afternoon, just to see if I could get someone to look into it from another angle. They replied just pretty much repeating what the tracking page says. So not really helpful.

I have just noticed this on their website though, so that's a *little* bit positive, knowing that there's an acknowledged reason for delays this morning:

Just chased ParcelForce this morning.

They said they don't deliver to PO box addresses, so when it comes back into the depot (why did they send it out in the first place?), they will redirect it to the correct address. They said they've already contacted the Home Office to get the correct address. Apparently, it will now be delivered tomorrow, before end-of-day. So much for paying for my pre-9...

Arrrgh. I just want it delivered. Now it has to go back into ParcelForce's "system" and I have to hope and pray they send it to the correct address (which they were not willing to advise me of).

I called them back, asking if the address they're redirecting to is: International Operations and Visas, 6 Millsands, Vulcan House, Sheffield, United Kingdom, S3 8NU

They advised 'yes'.

Then, within minutes of finishing the call, ParcelForce called me back, saying the parcel will be delivered tomorrow to 257 Ecclesall Road, Sheffield. Googling this just shows it as office to let. The woman assured me it's the Home Office and she's been working at ParcelForce 22 years and knows what she's doing(!)

I explained that I had just confirmed moments earlier that it was being redirected to Vulcan House, but she said, 'no'. 257 Ecclesall Road is the correct address.

Really worried and confused!

https://www.immigrationboards.com/i...ffice-have-updated-their-website-t214147.html

Second class mail would beat this shambles.

And you wouldn't be wasting every hour of your life watching the online tracking status, and coordinating alternative delivery addresses with the nice lady at Parcelforce.

The problem is knowinng when the parcel arrived so that you can get really annoyed as soon as possible that they are doing nothing with it.

Not sure I follow.
Royal Mail won't deliver a parcel over 2KGs, so how would posting it via 2nd class be an option?

So as an update...

It was due for delivery again this morning, to the address which ParcelForce claim is the PO box alternative (despite no official UKVI/VFS/government page confirming it). When I spoke, at length, with them yesterday, they said that due to the area it would be delivered between 16:00 and 17:30 today (31st).

I checked the tracking online anyway about 9:00, to find a new update. "Delivery failed". Apparently because it had tried to be delivered at 8:56 and no-one was there to receive, so it would be redirected back to the depot(!).

I called ParcelForce, and luckily got to speak to the same lady I spoke with yesterday (who personally guaranteed me it would be delivered today). She put me on hold for a few minutes and returned saying she'd tried to contact the driver but it just went through to voicemail, but she'd also spoke to the driver's manager and explained the situation, so she'd call me back as soon as possible.

About 15 mins later, her colleague called to say they'd got in touch with the driver, and he would return to the building to re-attempt delivery within the next 15 mins.

Finally, I checked the tracking about 30 mins later, and it's now classified as delivered and I have a proof-of-delivery and name!

Awful system, but I have to commend the effort by the customer service staff.

Just hoping it was the correct address now...!

Good luck, now the adventure with governmental passive agreesion begins!

I honestly hope you have a good experience

Thank you

https://www.postoffice.co.uk/mail/uk-standard

Glad to hear that your parcel finally arrived.

Wow, just when I thought my local Post Office couldn't be any more incompetent! Not only did they say that anything in excess of 2KG could *only* go via Parcelforce, they also said Parcelforce would deliver to PO boxes... such poor service.