'Whose signature is it?': Man left with $2500 legal bill after Australia Post bungle

A Victorian man says he has spent months coping with an Australia Post “nightmare” that started with a thriller signature and ended with him being pressured to foot a $2500 authorized invoice.

At stake was an vital doc misplaced within the mail – the deed to the Geelong dwelling of Colin Chapman and his spouse.

When the couple paid off their mortgage in November final yr, Chapman mentioned he requested workers on the Commonwealth Bank if he may come and personally acquire the certificates of title for the property when it was prepared.

Colin Chapman says he suffered months of stress and was left out of pocket $2500 after the deed to his home was lost by Australia Post. — Colin Chapman says he suffered months of stress and was not noted of pocket $2500 after the deed to his dwelling was misplaced by Australia Post. (Nine)

“I was told, ‘No, we have to send it to you by registered post,'” Chapman mentioned.

Chapman instructed 9news.com.au he was following the monitoring info carefully on the day the deed was as a result of arrive at their dwelling.

After attending to work within the morning, Chapman mentioned he checked the monitoring quantity and noticed it had already been marked as delivered.

“I called my wife, who was at home, and asked her if she had received it. She told me nothing had come,” he mentioned.

Puzzled, Chapman mentioned he instantly went all the way down to the native put up workplace to ask what had occurred.

That’s when issues grew much more unusual.

Chapman mentioned he was proven a replica of the supply signature supposedly signed by his spouse at 8.30am that morning.

“I looked at it and said, ‘That’s not my wife’s signature’,” Chapman mentioned.

The 'proof of delivery' Colin Chapman was shown by Australia Post, which included a signature he said did not belong to his wife. — The ‘proof of supply’ Colin Chapman was proven by Australia Post, which included a signature he mentioned didn’t belong to his spouse. (Supplied: Colin Chapman)

Chapman mentioned each he and his spouse had been at dwelling on the time the supply was supposedly made – however neither heard a knock on the door.

The gate on the entrance of their property was additionally locked, making it not possible for the supply driver to enter, he mentioned.

“We weren’t expecting it (the delivery) to come that early and the gate was still locked at 8.30am.”

What adopted, Chapman mentioned, was 5 irritating and worrying weeks coping with Australia Post’s customer support division.

“What I had to go through with Australia Post was just a complete nightmare,” he mentioned.

“It took them three-and-a-half weeks just to get them to admit it was lost in transit.

“They saved making an attempt to say that it was delivered, that my spouse had signed for it, and that the driving force had dropped a ‘pin’ outdoors our home.

“Well, my wife didn’t sign for it – but the question is, who did?”

An Australia Post parcel delivery centre in Melbourne's Sunshine West. — An Australia Post parcel supply centre in Melbourne’s Sunshine West. (Jason South)

“I lost sleep, it was so stressful. I reckon I sent about 60 to 70 emails, and spent 100 hours of my time to get an answer out of them.”

Australia Post finally acknowledged Chapman’s supply had been misplaced, however there was nonetheless the issue of the lacking deed.

Chapman mentioned his solicitor suggested him a brand new deed would must be utilized for, together with a supporting affidavit from Australia Post to verify the primary certificates of title was misplaced in transit.

All up, Chapman estimated he spent about $2500 on authorized charges to get a digital certificates of title issued, which he lastly acquired in January. The deed misplaced within the mail was a paper model.

Australia Post had refused to provide any compensation after the ordeal, Colin Chapman said. — Australia Post had refused to supply any compensation after the ordeal, Colin Chapman mentioned. (iStock)

Chapman mentioned Australia Post had provided simply $100 in compensation after his ordeal – however added his dissatisfaction was not simply in regards to the cash he had misplaced.

“Australia Post need to be held accountable for all of the stress they have caused us. They have pushed us pillar to post and it seems like all they are concerned with is protecting their brand.”

An Australia Post spokesperson mentioned the service was sorry for Chapman’s expertise.

“Australia Post sincerely apologises to the customer for this issue,” the spokesperson mentioned in an announcement to 9news.com.au.

“Our processing and delivery teams work hard to deliver every item with care, and the vast majority of items make it to their destination safely. In this instance, unfortunately the item has been lost. We have reached out to the customer to offer compensation.”

Chapman’s expertise with Australia Post comes simply weeks after the Federal Government introduced it was conducting a sweeping overview of Australia Post and the providers it gives.

At query is whether or not Australia Post’s unprofitable letter supply service ought to be scaled again to permit extra give attention to its fast-growing parcel service as an alternative.

While Australia Post is totally government-owned, additionally it is self funded. It is below obligation to ship letters to Australian properties 5 days per week and function put up places of work near properties.

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Source: www.9news.com.au