Not receiving our post due to insane An Post rezoning

waterfaerie

I hope this is the right forum. Can anybody help me with who I need to contact in An Post about this situation and how I go about doing it?

Our house is in a rural area on a small loop road. The postman used to always drive around the loop and we're about half way down it. For a few weeks every year, a small part of the road is flooded and the postman would have to go down each side of the loop separately. Although inconvenient for him I'm sure, it's never caused any problems with anyone getting their post.

In the last few weeks, they have rezoned the delivery routes here so now there are two postmen working out of our small post office. Postman A drives down one side of the loop and the last house on his route is our neighbour, almost directly across the road from us. Postman B drives down the other side of the loop and we are the last house on his route. His next to last house is about 250 metres further back up the loop and it's the bit of the road between us and that house that floods. So we are the only house affected by the flooding.

Now the road is in flood and Postman B can't get to our house. Apparently, he's not allowed come down the other way as that is Postman A's route. He's also not allowed pass our post to Postman A to deliver, even though Postman A delivers to the house almost directly opposite us and that route would never be affected by flooding. Even apart from the flooding issue, we are so much closer to the neighbours on route A it seems bizarre to put us on route B. It's obviously all been done by Eircode by someone who doesn't know the area.

So far, their solution is that we should have to go to the post office to collect our post. Clearly, that's insane when our house is perfectly accessible. We have just been to the post office to collect two parcels that we knew about as they were tracked, only to also be handed a card someone had sent to my daughter that we didn't even know would be there. So are we supposed to ring the post office every day to check if there's post for us? I could probably put up with it if it was a freak incident but as a long term plan, it's not acceptable.

We've been told we need to contact the head office in Galway to complain about it because our local postmen are just told the rules by them and can't do anything about it. We've also been told they have no idea who in head office we should contact or how. All I could get from them is that it's the depot on the Tuam road who we need to deal with. I've just spent the last few hours trying to communicate with someone and am hitting walls everywhere. I can't even find an email address. I'd really appreciate if anyone here can help.

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058337969/not-receiving-our-post-due-to-insane-an-post-rezoning

Ironic username given the circumstances

Smee_Again

Did you follow An Post's complaint process? You shouldn't have to know who to contact, just read their complaints process, make a complaint and then ensure they follow their own process through to resolution.

If they don't or you're not happy then escalate to ComReg or their Customer Advocate service.

waterfaerie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121820005#Comment_121820005

I was hoping there would be a way to speak to an individual human with some common sense who is actually in Galway rather than jump through the bureaucracy hoops which will take who knows how long and probably not get me anywhere anyway. I also don't actually want to put in a complaint. I mean, I'd rather keep a friendly relationship with the local postmen, not report them as a problem. I just want someone to see that it makes sense to put us on the more sensible route. Ideally I could just send an email or something to the right people who actually make the route decisions locally and attach a map so they can see what I mean.

artanevilla

Bit of cop by the two postmen should be able to sort it.

"Hey Gerry the road is flooded today, is there anything for the Murphy's I can drop in on my route".

They must not get on.

JVince

Go to the delivery service unit that serves the area, ask to speak with the manager and explain as above.

Best time is mid afternoon.

Smee_Again

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121820124#Comment_121820124

JVince made a good suggestion so you can try that but if that doesn't work then just make the complaint.

You're not reporting the postmen as the problem, you're reporting the route as the problem. The postmen will follow the route they're told to so you need An Post to change the routes. You don't even have to mention them in the complaint. If you come to a local agreement between the postmen anytime one is on leave or off sick you run the risk of the replacement not knowing about the agreement.

In large scale organisations like An Post what's sensible will often be overlooked in favour of what's expedient. By making a complaint you put the onus onto An Post and often an individual within An Post to resolve the issue to your satisfaction.

ArrBee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121820005#Comment_121820005

While I agree this should the the way to address it, I have experience where AnPost simply do not engage in their complaint process at all.

the process is well documented, but I dont think they actually have staff trained or available to deal with complaints. This includes the "customer advocate".

I hope your experience is different!

Boardnashea

If An Post don't engage with their complaints process then treat it as a small step before going to ComReg. And before you go "down that route" (sorry) you can talk to the two posties and tell them what you are doing to ensure you keep them onside.

As above, you are not complaining about the posties, but about the route design.

Smee_Again

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121822770#Comment_121822770

Then it goes to ComReg who will deal with it. Its long and can be time consuming but following an Organisation's complaints process and then escalating as necessary is by far the least stressful way of dealing with an issue.

If you're clear in your complaint about the issue it'll usually get a more desirable outcome as well.

Calahonda52

I would post something in Linked In

https://www.linkedin.com/search/results/all/?fetchDeterministicClustersOnly=true&heroEntityKey=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_profile%3AACoAAB5FHGcB9prqJx4g8IUVK29ATBvAtNJq74w&keywords=david%20mcredmond&origin=RICH_QUERY_SUGGESTION&position=0&searchId=21bf2a72-a4f9-43ec-aa4f-dce1f4cd7916&sid=*kF&spellCorrectionEnabled=false

Furze99

Surprising situation as An Post staff are usually locally flexible on these situations.

I've had similar with the Bus Eireann school transport - they are the definition of inflexible. Maybe the disease is contagious.

RetroEncabulator

Have a chat with the postman and see if they'll sort it locally. They're usually very flexible and proactive about that kind of thing.

If you don't get anywhere with them, I'd suggest giving the local delivery office a ring and asking to speak to someone involved in planning the routes.

It shouldn't be that hard to sort out.

JVince

Everyone is making a mountain out of a molehill.

The manager of the delivery unit can make the changes.

Once he/she sees it makes sense, they will do it.

It doesn't need a complaint or any official form. Just a visit and a chat.

waterfaerie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121820168#Comment_121820168

I wonder if you're right. It does seem bizarre that they can't sort it between them.

waterfaerie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121821348#Comment_121821348

Thanks for that tip. It's a bit of a drive but it seems like that's the best way to go.

waterfaerie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121822770#Comment_121822770

That's what I've been reading a lot. And I actually have experienced that too a few years ago, although it was an Addresspal issue so a bit different. They literally just never responded.

waterfaerie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121826217#Comment_121826217

That's exactly how I feel about it. Long drawn out complaints processes with faceless bureaucracy is not what I want in my life. I'm surprised so many people put up with that as the way to do things. Simple things should be simple to sort if you can just get speaking to the right person.

It's a pity I can't just ring them for a chat. I was hoping someone here would know some secret way to get through to the delivery unit directly. I will have to find the time to just go in.

ArrBee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121822919#Comment_121822919

I did go to commreg to specifically complaint about the lack of working complaint resolution process. I felt it was in their interests to pursue that, but they didn't see it that way. They asked me to pay a fee to have it looked at.

I don't think Ireland does "regulation" very well TBH

LastFridayNight

Would you not get the flooding sorted? I'd imagine that's causing more issues for all the residents apart with the OP not getting his post.

listermint

2 things.

1 not the postman can't 'just sort this amongst themselves' that's not how routing works or can work

2 I've never had a bad experience with an posts responses to issues. Tbh outside of the passport office they're about the only thing that works well in this country.

Use their complaints process.

whiterebel

I don't know so much about the planning being done locally any more. My postie was telling me that the order came down to change the routes, and they had to point out that there wasn't sufficient mileage in the electric vans to cover it. They were then told to get a diesel.....

listermint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121828367#Comment_121828367

Their old kangoos must be coming to end of life now. Range would be severely diminished on those especially in the winter.

whiterebel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121828607#Comment_121828607

It's the new ones they have here, on lease from Holden Engineering. I think they are Opel vans?

listermint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121828865#Comment_121828865

No idea only seen the kangoos around.

Are they running vivaro EVs ?

blackbox

Have you contacted the county council about getting the road fixed - this is the core issue.

listermint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121829102#Comment_121829102

Tbf some roads are naturally flooded and a sign is the extent you'll get.

waterfaerie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121829102#Comment_121829102

listermint is right, it's a natural flood. The road is right on a turlough and the council are well aware of it. So much so that they automatically bring the sign at the start of the season even before it floods and it just stays there until the end of the spring.

It doesn't affect any residents (until this new weird issue which only affects our house). There are only a couple of other houses at the end of the loop and we just have to drive up the west side of the loop instead of the east side. It only takes about a minute longer to get to the village that way. When there's no flood, you can drive around a complete circuit in about 6 or 7 minutes. Farmers sometimes go through the water in their tractors to save them going around but otherwise, nobody actually needs to drive through the flood, which is why this An Post situation is so insane.

waterfaerie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121827218#Comment_121827218

No other issues that I'm aware of. It's a beautiful piece of scenery, actually. The road shouldn't even really be there.

JVince

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121828367#Comment_121828367

Correct, order came from the top to change routes to make things more efficient. But it will be the local management team that make the changes (golfing buddy is a postie)