Sounds like you have a bad local delivery person - I would have a word with their customer service.
R M it is then.
In contrast my local experience with R M is they take stuff back to the sorting office 8 miles away if I am not in or I don't get to the door fast enough - then I have to arrange for re delivery (min 2 days later) or pay 70p for it to be left at the local Post Office. Perhaps its one of those Post code lottery things