# Registered Post - should it be signed by the recipient



## morningperson (19 Apr 2012)

I sent a letter by registered post yesterday.
I put the track and trace number into An Post's website today and requested a delivery report, which was emailed to me.
The recipients name on the delivery report is not the name on the registered letter, and the signature is not legible.
My question is, I would have thought a registered letter could only be delivered to and signed by the person named on the letter, is this correct?
Otherwise how can I confirm the correct person received the letter.
The letter contained a postal order for a significant sum so I am worried about this. I called into the local post office who said they don't know how it works, that I should contact Customer Services, which is now closed for today.
Thanks for any information.


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## Sandals (19 Apr 2012)

I know our local postman will allow anyone he knows connected to the receiver (farm tags) of the registered letter to sign for it. I used to correct mock papers and they were often left in shed for me, have no idea how postman got around having to sign for them but a signature was required as others teachers at work used to have them delivered to the school.


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## Jim2007 (19 Apr 2012)

All registration gives you is confirmation that it was delivered to the correct address.  Anyone at that address can sign for a registered letter or parcel.


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## morningperson (19 Apr 2012)

The surname on the delivery note doesn't belong to the person at the address. I will check with customer services tomorrow. I had the letter insured so I would hope of there is no sign of it at the destination I can use that. But who knows!!


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## seantheman (19 Apr 2012)

morningperson said:


> I sent a letter by registered post yesterday.
> I put the track and trace number into An Post's website today and requested a delivery report, which was emailed to me.
> The recipients name on the delivery report is not the name on the registered letter, and the signature is not legible.
> My question is, I would have thought a registered letter could only be delivered to and signed by the person named on the letter, is this correct?
> ...


Postal orders,registered letters, lost mail all sounds very last century.Wouldn't it be easier to send funds electronically?


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## allthedoyles (20 Apr 2012)

An Post deliver to the destination address on the envelope , not the persons name . They accept signatures from anyone at this address .

You should write on the envelope '' to be signed by addressee only ''


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## Eddie Go Go (24 Apr 2012)

I have a situation that has me somewhat annoyed and curious.
Registered post arrived a couple of weeks ago while I was at work. The postman got a nosy next door neighbour of mine - a 'busy-body' type with a big mouth - to sign for this. I think it was pure laziness on the part of the postman who should have taken the time to fill out a notice slip and put it through my letterbox. My problem was that the correspondence in question was of a sensitive medical nature and it was clearly identifiable where the correspondence was coming from. I think it could lead to idle gossip - pure speculation on my part I know - but this is my state of mind.
I know that some people may think I am being extra sensitve/paranoid about this, but it genuinely upset me that my neighbour knows who is sending me registered post.
While I note the contributions above which state that An Post can get anyone at the address to sign surely if the sender can be clearly identified extra care should be taken.
I cannot remember whether the correspondence was marked "to be signed by addressee only", I can go through recycling to check later. Surely sensitive information where the sender can be easily identified should include this? I feel that either An Post or the sender of the post have made a mistake here.
Does anyone have any ideas here?


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## extopia (24 Apr 2012)

You are saying An Post knowingly delivered sensitive mail to the wrong address, confirmed by the fact they let your neighbour accept and sign for it. That might set some bells ringing, no?


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## Eddie Go Go (24 Apr 2012)

Yes my neighbour signed for it and accepted it at a place which was not my address. It is my understanding that it was not at the neighbours address either. However from reading the contributions above it seems to me that unless it was marked "to be signed by addressee only", then An Post are within their rights? I need to go through my recycling to clarify the address on the envelope. If the envelope did not have this additional wording then I feel the sender has let me down.
To be honest the last thing I want is to cause any issues for one particular individual within An Post, but I am genuinely upset by the episode.


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## truthseeker (24 Apr 2012)

Eddie Go Go said:


> I think it was pure laziness on the part of the postman who should have taken the time to fill out a notice slip and put it through my letterbox.



I dont think the postman would be acting out of laziness here. They do it to save someone the hassle of having to go and collect the parcel at the depot. They think they are doing you a favour - the postman is not aware that the neighbour is a nosy type with a big mouth. They used to do it all the time in my area but now that I think about it they dont really do it anymore. Perhaps they have had similar complaints.

If you are unhappy with this you should certainly make a complaint. A friend of mine complained after a postman on her route opened her post. He had an amazon box to deliver to her, she wasnt in. He opened the box and individually posted each item in it through the letterbox. A neighbour saw him do it. Some of the books related to a sensitive medical condition and now they were on view through the glass door of the porch. She complained. His reason for doing it was that he was trying to save her the hassle of having to go to the depot to collect. She was treated very sensitively by An Post.


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## extopia (25 Apr 2012)

That postman was certainly lacking in the emotional intelligence department.


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## Leper (25 Apr 2012)

The postman should have left a notice indicating where the letter could and when be collected - sometimes postmen get flak for this "why didnt you drop it into the letter box" - "why didn't you give the letter to a neighbour" etc etc.

The postman should never give the letter to a person at another address even in the next house.  Endorsing an envelope "to be signed by addressee only" is useless as An Post has an obligation to deliver to a correct address only not to a person.


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## maybelline (25 Apr 2012)

I reckon An Post (and all postal services worldwide) are stuck between a rock and a hard place here. If they leave a notice then people will complain about the hassle of having to go to the depot to pick up it saying "sure it was only <something of little value>" and if they leave it with a neighbour then the complaints will be about privacy etc as shown above.
I seriously doubt postmen (people!) look at anything more than the address on the package and the size of the letterbox.
Maybe they could add a new registered post service that guarantees delivery to the person on the address, ID checked etc, but that would definitely cost more!
(And no I don't work for An Post!!)


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## Hans (25 Apr 2012)

I agree with Truthseeker. I would be annoyed if my postman didn't leave my letter with a neighbour and I had to go and retrieve it myself - oh what hassle - I would look on it as what a thoughtful postman you have it would probably be easier for him to put a slip in your door telling you that you have to collect your letter yourself.


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## Time (25 Apr 2012)

What if it is a letter I don't want? I don't want legal letters been given to neighbours.


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## Leo (25 Apr 2012)

Eddie Go Go said:


> My problem was that the correspondence in question was of a sensitive medical nature and it was clearly identifiable where the correspondence was coming from. I think it could lead to idle gossip


 
If that is your issue, then the only solution is to speak with the sender of the correspondence, and ask them to send any further communications in more discreet packaging.


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## rosey (25 Apr 2012)

I used to work in a company where we often sent letters and parcels by registered mail. You wouldn't believe the number of parcels which apparently were delivered- with illegible signatures but recipients never got...

At my parents house, my mother had to go to local post office centre and request that mail is not delivered to our house anymore-( they promised to do better job) as the postman frequently left letters with random neighbours. On one occasion, having ordered a passport through An Post and repeatedly told it had been delivered, the letter was discovered only after mother did a house to house search with neighbours- we didn't even really know the people in the housewhere it was left and despite it being obvious it was a passport, nobody bothered to deliver it to us....


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## Time (25 Apr 2012)

Can you opt for no delivery?


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