I have always been a fan of the Post Office until recently. I used to think they had a reliable, fast service but lately I have been decidedly let down.

It all started when I move to Sheffield (no disrespect to the Sheffield Postal Service) but I moved to a large old Victorian house divided into four flats: A, B, C & D,, each with their own front door.

After a few weeks of living there I began to notice that our postman was a little on the lazy side. Regardless of whether letters were addressed to A, B, C or D, they all seemed to arrive on my doormat. Even, when there wasn't any post for me at all. Now, I'm not the kind of person to let little things niggle me so even though a spent a little time scurrying around in the rain playing postie, I never complained.

Next came Mother's Day. Those of you who have read my Interflora.co.uk opinion will know I was in London for Mother's day and the preceding few days. Not to be naughty, I posted my Mum's card, correctly addressed (including the postcode) and with a first class stamp at 11:30 am on the Thursday in London. The box I used showed that the post would be collected at 12:15. It arrived with my mum in Hull the following Tuesday. This had upset her a little as my teenage brother had completely forgotten to buy her a card so she was feeling a little unloved.

However, I reasoned that it was a busy time for the PO, and decided not to complain. After all the card had arrived in the end.

A week later it was my best friends birthday, a fine old 26 years may I add! As you have probably guessed by now, I am a little on the organised side I had the card in the post on Saturday morning in Sheffield (correct address, postcode and a first class stamp). I fully expected the card to arrive on Monday and as my friend sets off for work early, she would have it on the evening of her birthday.

The said card arrived not the following Friday but the one after! I was
just a little annoyed by this so I decided to complain on the post office's website. Sure enough the next day I received an automated reply, shortly followed by this email:

"Thank you for your e-mail.

The details have been passed on to your local Royal Mail Customer Service Centre who are making enquiries for you and will be in touch again once their investigations are complete.

Should you wish to speak to someone regarding your enquiry, please telephone 08457 740 740. In the meantime, if you have any further queries, please contact us."

Do you see the words 'sorry' or 'apologise' in there because i must have missed them! That was a week last Thursday and I haven't heard a thing from them since.

Frankly, I am appalled by not only the postal service but also their customer service. I have since found out that the postal services watchdog forced the royal mail to retract the additional penny they had added to the price of first class stamps (did you notice them go from orange and white to cream and gold then back again?).

In my opinion they should stop selling them altogether until they elevate their service from that of second class! I'll keep you posted when, sorry if, they reply to me...;)

NB: It's hard to say whether I would recommend this service to a friend as there a relatively little alternatives. However in the context of value for money and promises kept, I have said no.