Courier delivering to Neighbor

chocski

I recently ordered an item online which was delivered to my house but as i was out my neighbor (who i don't really know) signed for the item. When i went to pick up the item my neighbor says he knocked on my house (there was no answer) and left the parcel outside. Amazingly the parcel has gone.
I feel a bit stuck in knowing what to do next, the supplier says i have to make a claim against my neighbor but i would rather not strain relations with him. Has anyone else experienced anything similar and could perhaps offer some advice.

Sorry if this is in the wrong forum, this is my first post.

Neil_S_3

chocski wrote:

I recently ordered an item online which was delivered to my house but as i was out my neighbor (who i don't really know) signed for the item. When i went to pick up the item my neighbor says he knocked on my house (there was no answer) and left the parcel outside. Amazingly the parcel has gone.
I feel a bit stuck in knowing what to do next, the supplier says i have to make a claim against my neighbor but i would rather not strain relations with him. Has anyone else experienced anything similar and could perhaps offer some advice.

Sorry if this is in the wrong forum, this is my first post.

The courier is contracted to deliver the product to you, not to your neighbour.

The courier is at fault for leaving the parcel with anybody other than you who is the intended recipient.

Go back to the supplier and demand they address this with the courier. It is the suppliers responsibility to ensure you receive the product, if you do not they are at fault.

If they fail I would write the supplier a letter outlining your issue. If they fail to respond satisfactorily I would raise a claim against them in the small claims court.

westy23

you ordered and paid for delivery to your address
(hope you did,nt put a note on your order form to try next door as some online forms ask for)
let the company chase up the courier and your
neighbour and tell them to send the goods out again or give you a full refund.
ITS THEIR PROBLEM NOT YOURS.

WestonDave

Chances are if you ordered it for delivery you did so via credit card - if so you might also be able to claim it back from the CC company.

Basically the supplier can't prove it was delivered to you because its not your signature on the form (and won't match the credit card one!) so if you go back to your CC company and ask them to credit back the amount taken for the goods they can then get on to the supplier, who in turn will have to deal with the courier/neighbour.

needaspirin

What's with the neighbour? Why didn't he hang on to it until you got in? Personally I suspect that he has pinched it.

Nile

Hello chockski and Neil_S

Welcome to the MSE site.:wave:

This thread will be better placed in 'The (Consumer) Vent' board, so I'll move it across.

Hi, Martin’s asked me to post this in these circumstances: I’ve asked Board Guides to move threads if they’ll receive a better response elsewhere(please see this rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board, where it should get more replies. If you have any questions about this policy please email [EMAIL="abuse@moneysavingexpert.com"]abuse@moneysavingexpert.com[/EMAIL].

Regards

Nile

chocski

Thanks for moving the thread, i couldn't really find a suitable one and hoped a mod would kindly move it

I bought it on a debit card unfortunately so i can't go down the CC claim route. I'll write to the supplier and ask them to take it up with the courier as advised and see what happens.
I feel a bit better about it now, i was worried that i'd lost my money without even seeing the item.
I don't have a clue why the neighbor just left it outside, seems a really daft thing to do, but i'm assuming it's just an honest mistake.

misgrace

Like the Op says, he is contracted to deliver it to you at your address.

I had a similar problem a week or so before Xmas, I was working in a clients house (decorating) and they were at work, and a courier came to the door and asked me to take in a delivery for the neighbour across the road.
I explained I was only working at this address, but he seemed very flustered, I asked how many parcels it was, he said about 6, I said no way can I take all 6 parcels into my customers house, if it had of been one I might have done it.

he was getting himself in a right state as he was behind with his deliveries, and wanted rid, as didnt want the hassle of coming back.
I said no, as I didnt want the responsibility of the parcels.

So I expect your driver didnt want the hassle of coming back thats why he gave them to the neighbour.

I do think its very suspect though, as what was the point of the neighbour signing for it, if he was going to leave it outside anyway.:rolleyes:

Forris

Neil_S wrote:

The courier is contracted to deliver the product to you, not to your neighbour.

The courier is at fault for leaving the parcel with anybody other than you who is the intended recipient.

Go back to the supplier and demand they address this with the courier. It is the suppliers responsibility to ensure you receive the product, if you do not they are at fault.

If they fail I would write the supplier a letter outlining your issue. If they fail to respond satisfactorily I would raise a claim against them in the small claims court.

This is not entirely correct, it depends on the Ts & Cs of the specific carrier. Below is an extract from the Parcelforce terms:

Originally Posted by http://www.parcelforce.com/portal/pw/content1?catId=7500082&keyname=neo_condit
2. Delivery to an address

2.1
Parcelforce Worldwide undertakes to deliver to an address specified in the despatch documentation, not to a specific person.

2.2
If there is no-one present at the address then:

2.2.1
the Customer acknowledges and agrees that Parcelforce Worldwide may at its discretion attempt to deliver the Consignment to a neighbouring address within a reasonable distance of the delivery address; and

2.2.2
if this occurs, a Customer Contact Card shall be left at the specified address; and

2.2.3
the Customer agrees that such delivery shall constitute delivery to the address specified as the delivery address in the despatch documentation.

In my experience it is very rare for this issue to arise, where a neighbour is at fault for leaving the parcel, or just denying receipt. Unfortunately, however, if the courier's Ts & Cs are similar to above then your only recourse is with legal action against your neighbour, although both the courier and the sender should do all they can to assist you.

Note: some senders specify that the parcel is to be signed by the addressee only. This overrules the couriers standard terms.

digp

That condition falls foul of UCTA. In other words it is an unlawful condition so Parcel Crap can go %("*)£& themslves.

chocski

I spoke to someone at consumer direct and they also told me that it's really the neighbors responsibility as he signed for it. It appears that the only way to get my money is to make a claim against him. I really don't feel like having a fall out with a neighbor so i'm a bit stuck.