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BASINGSTOKE residents are reporting problems with a courier service after dozens were left without their parcels – some of which were Christmas presents.
Various parcels due to be delivered by Hermes on Monday didn’t arrive, according to residents. This was despite the fact many received notification that their packages had been delivered.
The Gazette has contacted Hermes for comment.
Frustrated residents have taken to community groups online to try to get to the bottom of where their parcels are.
One woman said she had been at home all day when she received confirmation from the company that her parcel had been delivered.
But she said there was no knock at the door and her parcel was nowhere to be seen.
She wrote: “Has anyone taken a parcel addressed to me? Hermes said it delivered at 7.02pm but I’ve been in the house the whole time so I’m guessing it was delivered to the wrong house.”
While another resident, Linda Cendi-Askew, wrote: “Anyone got my parcel? Hermes said it delivered at 7.30pm in my outhouse but I don’t have one. It’s a child’s pair of pyjamas with the name Louis on them.”
On the same day, Chris Albery-Jones wrote: “I don’t suppose anyone on Peggs Way or streets nearby has had two parcels delivered to them by mistake? Hermes claim they delivered two parcels to an ‘outbuilding’ but we don’t have one.”
And a fourth resident, Lindsay Mahoney, wrote: “Hermes have just sent me an email saying they have delivered my parcel to my outbuilding at 7.40pm this evening .. funny because I don’t have an outbuilding. So on the off chance that someone has a parcel for me in their outbuilding or on their door step, could you let me know please?”
One resident took matters into their own hands by tracking down a Hermes driver to get their attention, writing: “I just saw the van and ran up to him to ask if I could have my package.
“He said it wasn’t him yesterday and he didn’t know what I was talking about but hopefully we will get them today?”
One resident came to Hermes’ defence, following the string of complaints from the public.
Lisa Elizabeth praised the company, writing: “After reading some negative comments about delivery drivers, can I just shout out to the very nice young man who has delivered my parcel from Hermes today? Perfect service. I know how busy you are. Thank you.”
As well as the current issue with Hermes, there are a number of reports on social media about residents in other parts of Basingstoke including problems including Popley, Rooksdown and South Ham.
One woman said she has been having issues with Hermes for over a month, writing: “I’m in South Ham and just got the same message saying there was an issue getting to my address which is a load of rubbish [Hermes has] damaged 3 parcels and lost one already in the last month now this one seems to have gone walkies.”
Hermes is not the only delivery company who has been criticised online this year. Amazon, DPD and Royal Mail have also come under fire.
A new report by Which? found that nearly seven in 10 shoppers had problems with Christmas deliveries last year, with tens of thousands of items going missing in the post.
Parcels lobbed over fences and allegations of fake signatures were among the issues highlighted by consumer watchdog.
Some 69 per cent of people surveyed said they had at least one problem – while a quarter said their deliveries failed to arrive.
Almost one fifth told the consumer group their delivery arrived late last year, while more than one in 10 did not receive their delivery in time for Christmas.
Other problems reported to Which? included parcels being damaged after being thrown over fences, a clothes delivery ending up in a food waste bin and a parcel left out in rain, where it was chewed by foxes.
- Have you been affected by this issue? Email megan.hinton@newsquest.co.uk
