The number of complaints received in the postal sector increased by 37% in 2020, according to information from the Public Utilities Commission (PUC).
In 2020, PUC received 33 complaints and conducted 200 telephone consultations with various consumers.
“Last year, consumers complained the most about delays in postal deliveries. The cause of complaints has not diminished and has always been objective, but during the pandemic this problem culminated. Delays in the delivery of mail are often caused by limited international passenger traffic in Europe and the rest of the world. Although the situation has worsened during the pandemic, the Universal Postal Union has abolished all postal delivery conditions and quality standards in the international arena, says Bruno Friedenberg-Ansberg, head of PUC’s post office.
Due to the complaints received, in 49% of cases the delivery of mail was delayed, and in 9% of the delivered mail and parcels damaged or lost.
In 6% of complaints, this was related to the time parcels were stored at the terminals and there was no possibility to send mail to another address or station. “Consumers often check packaging for damage only after returning home. Such cases occur regularly. Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of parcel requests has increased by 150%. Consumers are more likely to use postal services, but they often do not research operators’ advice on how best to pack parcels so that their contents survive in flight. Residents are encouraged to exercise caution by following instructions to minimize potential problems for both parties, explains Friedenberg-Ansberg.
PUC points out that the damage must be remedied immediately upon receipt of the package with the delivery factor in hand.
Every year, Latvijas pasts provides PUC with information on the number of complaints received. Last year, Latvijas pasts received 922 consumer complaints. 250 of these complaints were substantiated.
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