Correos and the laws

[peteroldracer]

Our local postal service has changed over the last year or so, from delivering into post boxes at or near each house (and leaving parcels with a neighbour if we were out) to having banks of postboxes at a few points, ans if there is anything too big for the box slot, leaving an "aviso" telling us to go and collect from the office, 6kms up a mountain track or 15 kms by road, each way. The office is only open for an hour each morning.
Recently they have started telling us (by a note in each box) that we must advise anyone who is going to write to us (!) that our address must also include the Buzón (box) number, or mail will not be delivered and we must collect stuff from the office. The stupidity of the fact that they know who the mail is for, as they put the aviso telling you to go to the office in the appropriate box, is beyond them...
As all our mail is fully addressed, with street, house number, district and postcode, are they obliged by law to deliver it, or can they insist on all of us changing our addresses with every possible contact?

[Beachcomber]

Same with my post office. I have never had a home delivery service but they at least used to put letters addressed to my finca in my apartado but they now insist on all mail showing the Apartado de Correos and say that 'it is the law'.

DGT insists on vehicles and driving licences being registered with a proper address and will not accept an apartado. Consequently I receive no ITV notifications, no driving licence renewal notifications and, presumably. I would receive no notification of traffic fines.

I have been sent five registered letters and packages properly addressed with the Apartado of which I had no notification and all of which have been returned to the sender stating that they were unable to be delivered.

I have completed a complaints form each time but it probably just ends up in the waste paper basket as I have never received any follow up correspondence.

AEAT, at least, recognises the incompetence and bloody-mindedness of Correos and now allow you to give an apartado as a correspondence address.

[Campo Steve]

I fully sympathise POR. We have the same problem (same post office as you). It might be the reason why I got no IBI bill this year, although the money was taken by direct debit from my bank. Previous owners had no problem with mail being delivered to the buzon without the number as the postman knew who they were. I have been told it is a temporary postman at the moment in Comares but haven't been here long enough to know if it was just while the normal guy is on holiday or if he has packed it in.

Now all I have to do is find out who sends out the IBI bills and give them our Buzon number and location. Any idea who sends them out for the Comares area?

[wildside]

Ouch!

Me too, 75 Euros a year for a box at the post office.... Registered letters are kept for 7 days and then returned to sender... Not one parcel company will deliver and the last one that tried with 500 Euros worth of nature guides for Western Andalucia had them sent back to the Netherlands.... Nice carbon footprint... Sigh!

Still, at least the funny man who used to work there is gone now after he had his nervous breakdown... I am sure it was nothing to do with me or the complaints book (?)... Now we have someone who opens up at 8.15 and goes for breakfast at 8.30 till 9 ish.... They do stay open till 1pm though.....

[pigs-might-fly]

Correos are without doubt the biggest load of retards, running a third world postal "service", in Western Europe.
Absolutely incredible in their sheer bloody-mindedness and inefficiency, combined with a sneering contempt for the users of the so-called "service", who pay their wages.
Personally I wouldn't give any of the management of this incompetent bunch of toss-pots a drink if they were dying of thirst in a desert.

[peteroldracer]

I reckon there is a position waiting in PR for Correos for pigs-might...

[Beachcomber]

Pigs, I couldn't have put it better myself.

Please complain. The more people who do so the better but don't bother with the local office it will just end up in the waste bin.

Complain here:

http://www.correos.es/ENG/08-AtencionCl ... ionesQ.asp

[katy]

The local office sent me to Marbella main PO. where I had to complete a complaints form. I received a reply by recorded delivery, I think they have to reply by law.

[BENIDORM]

I've always found the Spanish Postal Service good, but I've never lived in the campo and this is where the system does fall down badly.
Unlike most other countries it does not seem to have a charter of service which includes isolated addresses ie. campo dwellers , and for this reason when I chose my present house, near the top of my list of priorities was a 'good' address and a close proximity post office.
Certainly anyone contemplating buying a house in Spain now, should consider accessability to postal services, telephone etc., but of course when moving from another country, which provides good services, one wouldn't have expected to receive such poor service.
For people who are badly affected, I would in my opinion, consider complaining as loudly as possible, as suggested previously.
Perhaps someone should form a 'group' of like minded people and challenge the postal services with a 'mass' protest in the form of signed complaints etc..

People power can and does often have the desired effect.

Bonne Chance...
Regards,
Gordon..

[USINSPAIN]

Sounds to me as though the Postal service is run by Telefonica.

[katy]

and for this reason when I chose my present house, near the top of my list of priorities was a 'good' address and a close proximity post office.
Certainly anyone contemplating buying a house in Spain now, should consider accessability to postal services, telephone etc.,
Bonne Chance...
Regards,
Gordon..

Sound advice Beni Seen a few on here wailing about the broadband they need for their business and that should have been one of their first priorites. I would also add Hospitals, Doctors, school, fire services as appropriate.

[Beachcomber]

Same with my post office. I have never had a home delivery service but they at least used to put letters addressed to my finca in my apartado but they now insist on all mail showing the Apartado de Correos and say that 'it is the law'.

DGT insists on vehicles and driving licences being registered with a proper address and will not accept an apartado. Consequently I receive no ITV notifications, no driving licence renewal notifications and, presumably. I would receive no notification of traffic fines.....

When I went to pay my €53 for the annual renewal of my post office box this morning there was a form to complete in which I was able to give a list of addresses which I wanted to be associated with my post office box, i.e. I could give my rural residential address and anything with that address on it would be put in my box. I was also able to give a telephone number to which a call would be made or a text sent every time there was a notification for a registered letter.

If this actually works it would appear to be a step in the right direction and that the multitude of complaints made by people in the locality will have had some kind of effect. One of my vehicles is due for an ITV at the end of next month so it will be interesting to see if I get the notification from DGT.