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Lost mail
I am very suspicious that my neighbors are stealing my mail (packages mostly) - when I'm not at home, the mailman will ring all doorbells until someone answers and give them my package and I just have to hope to get it later. (He also mixes up all the boxes - we have four mailboxes and all have names on it..) Is there a chance to check from the post office, who has signed my packages?
Right now there are five packets lost - all posted around two weeks ago and from Europe, UK and USA (first one on 19.04) - is it too soon to start searching for them? I've received few packets from Europe before and it took less than a week.
The responsibility is with the person who sent the package. They are responsible for it, and they can trace who signed for it.
The responsibility for tracing lost mail indeed lies with the person who sent the package. However, unless it was sent within a tracking system, they will simply be told that it cannot be traced and that applies to the vast majority of mail that is sent.
If that is the case there is nothing to stop you approaching the local post office for advice. If mail cannot be put into the correct mail box, the postman should leave a note so that you can collect the item from the local post office. It seems that your postman doesn't do that so it is reasonable to ask for an explanation.
Sometimes they get stuck in customs. I had a package stuck in customs for over a month. If the person that sent it has the confirmation number you can easily track it online and they tell you exactly where it is is at any given moment. This is concerning packets from the US, I am not sure about those coming from Europe.
Anything posted in the past two weeks from the UK will have been caught up in:
two bank holidays here and one in the UK .
Average mail from the UK can take between 3 days to two weeks without any bank holiday issues.
Other European countries have had these bank holidays too.
As for mail from outside Europe- I have had things take a few weeks to months and months- customs tend to keep hold of things for an extremely long time without informing you.
I think you need to be patient a bit longer. It is too early to assume anything is wrong,
The only way of tracking is to find out if the sender has registered the mail and they then can track it.
As the above posters have mentioned, depending on the nature of the goods, sometimes customs will hold on to the package whilst they decide how much more to charge for the goods. This has happened to me with a parcel of chillis from Florida for example.
However, after a reasonable wait, go back to the sender. Unless they have categorically stated that you live in a place which needs 'special' postage, including tracking, insurance etc., then they should refund or send again. If in doubt, check the Terms and Conditions carefully.
Why don't you take a Post Office Box, I do not know where you live but I noticed when I lived in Tervuren they were very popular.
I'd go and speak to your local post office any way say you have a lot of parcels that didn't arrive, ask if they have any record o them being signed for as you have an ID card they might be able to check for you. Worth an ask depends on post office as much as anything, some are more friendly than others. Also have you knocked and asked your neighbours if they have any of your mail that they took in on your behalf? If they are taking stuff it will make them aware you know stuff should be coming and hasn't and might make them less likely to take stuff.
