Royal Mail won't pay me for broken phone

techspec

shaun_from_Africa wrote: »

This isn't correct. Either the sender or the recipeint can claim providing that whoever submits the claim has all of the required paperwork and information.

There is a box on the claim form where you have to state if you are the sender or recipient.

How would the buyer have this? Not a good idea posting it to him - it might get lost in the post

pmduk

davidfrench728 wrote: »

the fact I paid extra for special delivery to make sure it arrived in good condition.

Special delivery refers to when when it will arrive, it makes no difference to the way in which it is handled.

swingaloo

To be honest, if the screen was smashed when it arrived with the buyer then it cant have been wrapped well enough. Parcels get thrown about both by hand, machine and in the postal sacks. If you cant drop it and kick it, its not well enough wrapped.

dalesrider

custardy wrote: »

LOL @ the FSA
what does FSA stand for?

Food Standards Agency

Given all the recent horse issues :rotfl:

Valli

I assumed he meant the Financial Services Authority.;)

Either way neither agency is relevant/appropriate in this case.

And yes, either the sender or recipient of a parcel can claim from RM but, given that this was an e bay claim the buyer (recipient) will get all his money back should he file an e bay claim- which is what I would be doing were I the recipient.

Then the sender could then battle it out with the PO and, of course, the sender would be much more motivated to pursue a claim, now all he has to show for his efforts is a broken phone!

ThumbRemote

swingaloo wrote: »

To be honest, if the screen was smashed when it arrived with the buyer then it cant have been wrapped well enough.

The problem is this statement is a complete get-out for any courier company. No matter how well packaged something is, there is always something that can still damage it. You could wrap it in mountains of bubble wrap and it then falls under the wheel of a forklift.

swingaloo wrote: »

Parcels get thrown about both by hand, machine and in the postal sacks. If you cant drop it and kick it, its not well enough wrapped.

But we don't know that the OPs parcel wasn't that well wrapped. It was boxed and also in bubble wrap - we don't know how much.

So what does Royal Mail consider sufficient packaging for a phone?

dalesrider

This forum is slipping.....

17 posts and NOT one has asked if its the origonal phone that was returned.......
Did the OP keep the imei and has checked it against the phone returned....

munchings-n-crunchings

Royal Mail has guidelines for packaging, and where these are not adhered to can affect a compensation claim. See page 26

http://www.royalmail.com/sites/default/files/docs/pdf/Mail_made_easy.pdf

Also, the Post Office has guidelines, note here the Electronic's section which covers mobile phones, recommends 10cm of bubble wrap, then in a rigid container.
http://www.postoffice.co.uk/how-to-pack-items#find_your_item

Munchie

Fire_Fox

davidfrench728 wrote: »

I sold an iPhone on ebay and sent it special delivery, in its original packaging covered in bubble wrap. When it reached the buyer the screen was completely shattered, however Royal Mail are saying that they won't compensate the buyer for the damage.

They are saying that it wasn't wrapped correctly, even though it was all the original packaging which it came to me in the post and the fact I paid extra for special delivery to make sure it arrived in good condition.

Also, when the buyer sent the phone and packaging to Royal Mail for them to make their decision they have sent the phone back to me, even though it no longer belongs to me anymore! Their letter mentions nothing about this, as if they haven't even read my letter of complaint.

Is there anyone who can help me with this and possibly tell me who to complain to now? The FSA? I'm not sure who they are regulated by? Surely I have some rights?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

The handset does belong to you right up to the point you safely deliver the item to the buyer in the condition it was advertised and paid for. Effectively the buyer has rejected the item because it's broken and they bought a working iPhone, although they have gone about it totally the wrong way. You have not discharged your legal responsibilities as a seller by simply posting, this is absolutely basic knowledge you should have when selling on eBay.

You need to refund the buyer ASAP because their contract is with you, and dispute this with Royal Mail since you also have a contract with them. The buyer has no contract with RM, they should not be claiming compensation you should. As others have said use RM's complaints procedure if you believe you have a case. TBH tho I've always received mobile phones by mail in their manufacturers packaging inside a much larger box filled with protective material, not simply a layer of bubble wrap. Did you use lots of 'fragile' tape?