Correos

[redsoxbrit]

Does anybody know what happens to undelivered mail? A few friends have inadvertently sent cards and a package to my old address in the same town but when I went to enquire at the Post Office if they had any mail for that address (which is now vacant), the man behind the counter just said no! When I asked how he knew (he hadn't so much as turned his head let alone got up to check) he said they don't keep any undelivered mail. I tried to find out, in my best Spanish, what they actually do with it then but there was a large queue behnd me and he called the next person forward.
Is there anything else I can do to try and locate it?

[costapacket]

Do you think the postman may have delivered the parcel and cards?? Could they be in the vacant property?

[katy]

There is an official form to fill out for lost post. Tell them you want to make a reclamación. Typical action from the Spanish when dealing with foreigners.

Undelivered mail goes to the local main correos. In our case as it's just a small office it goes to Marbella central

[Beachcomber]

If there is a return address undelivered mail should get sent back.

I have a box in the local post office but since about eighteen months ago they will not put any mail in my box that is addressed to my residential address. This has caused a particular problem with DGT because they will not accept a post office box for registration of a vehicle or driving licence.

This means that I do not receive reminders for ITV tests or driving licence renewals and, presumably, not for any speeding fines I may get. I went to Tráfico the other day and they showed me all of the documentation which had been returned to them. They said that I must provide an address to which mail can be delivered and that I must sort it out with the post office and the post office says I must sort it out with DGT.

I have filled in a complaint form with Correos and written a letter to DGT in Madrid. I have also complained to OMIC and whilst they say that Correos does not come under their remit they have had so many complaints that they are going to follow them up.

If you get no joy from your local post office ask for a complaints form, (hoja de reclamación). If necessary take it away and get someone who can write Spanish to fill it in for you.

[redsoxbrit]

Thank you for your replies. The items were not delivered to the property as we had no buzon. They always rang the bell and left avisos shoved through the rejas if we were out and there is nothing there. I shall go back to the Post Office tomorrow and enquire again. If I still get no joy I shall ask for a hoja de reclamación as Beachcomber suggested - you never know, if they think a foreigner knows the procedure it might spur them into action!

I really believe these people are trained to be unhelpful as possible (or maybe it's the sort of job that attracts that type of person)

[peteroldracer]

Maybe I am being excessively cynical, but we find that the only mail that "goes astray" is anything looking like a greetings card (possible monetary note inside?) or a DVD/CD...

[fearfulfred]

We had a similar situation last year when we had our mail forwarded from Canada . We did have a buzon in an urbanisation near us. The forwarded post had the wrong box number on it. It took us several weeks to realize that mail was missing as we presumed it was taking time to come through the system. Once we found out what had happened , and we had advised the post office in Canada about the mistake, mail came trhough fine. Unfortunately everything that arrived addressed wrongly was sent back to "sender". This caused us many problems , even to having my healthcare card cancelled temporarily here in Canada. But they had returned everything that was not addressed properly, nothing was lost

[pigs-might-fly]

I will never, never, have a parcel sent to us by ordinary mail.
As you all know, parcels are not delivered to the recipient's address; an "Aviso" is, (or should be), left to tell you that a parcel awaits your collection.
The problem really arises if the delivery of ordinary mail, including your Aviso, is so erratic and unreliable that it (a) never arrives or (b) arrives several days after the seven day period for collection of your parcel has expired. In both these cases the item is just returned to the sender.
I always use the services of our local business centre in Puerto Duquesa for things I REALLY want to receive! A PO Box at Gatwick Airport is used as the prime delivery address; from there the post is flown to Malaga and distributed along the coast to subscribing outlets.
Yes - to receive a standard letter costs 2 euros: parcels are charged pro-rata to their size, but the savings in your supplier's delivery charges to the U.K. rather than to Spain, will often offset this.