Royal Mail advertises its Keepsafe service as the best way of ensuring your property is secure, yet it has failed us on every occasion we have tried to use it. Since we moved to West Sussex a year ago we have had four short trips away; each time we returned to a pile of post on our doormat, in full view of passersby (we have a glass panel next to the front door).

The first time we thought it was a one-off mistake. We complained and Royal Mail refunded our money (£14). The second time we complained, and again obtained a refund and an apology. When it happened a third time, we complained to Royal Mail’s chief executive, Moya Greene, and received a small compensation payment of £20 along with a promise of improvements.

So we applied to use Keepsafe one more time. However, when we returned from holiday, exactly the same thing had happened again – our mail was piled up on the doormat.

What can we do? What is the point of the service if it is ignored? Help! DW and RW, Bognor Regis, West Sussex

Keepsafe is supposed to do just that: hold on to your mail until you are home to help protect against identity fraud. Royal Mail’s blurb, ironically, urges prospective users not to advertise their absence “with a pile of mail building up on the doormat”.

Four successive failures clearly can’t be a one-off and we can understand your trepidation about using it again. Royal Mail tells us it has apologised to you “and sincerely apologises again for the poor service they have received”.

It goes on: “The secure delivery of every item in our network is of paramount importance to Royal Mail. They have been compensated and we have reviewed the procedures in the local delivery office to ensure our Keepsafe high service standards are delivered. We will continue to offer DW and RW ongoing support to ensure that when they use Keepsafe again it works successfully.”

You have received a goodwill payment of £50 but what you really need is a service that doesn’t go wrong. We hope it works.

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