Royal Mail now disposing of prohibited items

pgregg

I bought a Zippo gas lighter from Amazon last month (this amazon id B000X8L3LY ) which arrived faulty.

I repackaged it in the same box/wrap and padded envelope it came in in order to send it back. Did the Amazon returns, printed label, etc - all as anyone normally would and posted it back to the seller (an Amazon marketplace seller). Royal mail charged £2.60 as a second class packet.

However, yesterday I received a letter from the Royal Mail along with a "helpful" leaflet telling me about prohibited items, and that they have "disposed" of the item.
A copy of the letter is available but MSE won't let me post a link to it yet...

Now I'm wondering several things:
1) Is the marketplace seller liable in any way? I suspect not since they didn't get their product back.
2) Am I just out of luck, never to receive a refund on the item (or the postage costs).
3) What lawful basis does the Royal Mail have in intercepting parcels and then disposing of property that is not their lawful property? Is that not the very definition of Theft (in law)?

Thanks,
Paul.

frugal_mike

You can post a 'broken' link, i.e www(dot)yourwebsite(dot)com or something like that.

The market place seller isn't liable for what royal mail have done since you contracted them.

If the seller is a business and you cancelled via the Distance Selling Regulations then technically they have to refund you even though you have lost the item. In reality you'll have a job getting any money out of them, and they could sue you to get the money back anyway.

neilmcl

I take it the lighter had been filled with lighter fluid when you sent it back?

I think you're going to have to chalk this one up to experience I'm afraid.

Slowhand

You sent an inflammable/explosive substance in the Post despite the regulatiions? Think about it. It's not rocket science.

hollydays

When you post parcels now they ask you what's in them.

pgregg

I didn't *add* any butane to the lighter, it came half full as new (also via the post). I returned it with less butane than it came with.

Munged copy of RM letter:
twitter(dot)com/PGregg/status/385841728143360000/photo/1/large

hollydays

Aren't filled lighters prohibited to send? The sellers liable
If he'd declared the contents they wouldn't have let him send it.
New regulations that have come in recently.
I get asked whats in all my eBay parcels and have been offered the leaflet several times.

Slowhand

pgregg wrote: »

I didn't *add* any butane to the lighter, it came half full as new (also via the post). I returned it with less butane than it came with.

Munged copy of RM letter:
twitter(dot)com/PGregg/status/385841728143360000/photo/1/large

I ordered some dodgy inflammables, split the order down a resent it to the disciples of flames...it's not my fault if it's destroyed?

lincroft1710

Slowhand wrote: »

You sent an inflammable/explosive substance in the Post despite the regulatiions? Think about it. It's not rocket science.

I think it is

pgregg

lincroft1710 wrote: »

I think it is

:T That made me laugh.

custardy

pgregg wrote: »

I bought a Zippo gas lighter from Amazon last month (this amazon id B000X8L3LY ) which arrived faulty.

I repackaged it in the same box/wrap and padded envelope it came in in order to send it back. Did the Amazon returns, printed label, etc - all as anyone normally would and posted it back to the seller (an Amazon marketplace seller). Royal mail charged £2.60 as a second class packet.

However, yesterday I received a letter from the Royal Mail along with a "helpful" leaflet telling me about prohibited items, and that they have "disposed" of the item.
A copy of the letter is available but MSE won't let me post a link to it yet...

Now I'm wondering several things:
1) Is the marketplace seller liable in any way? I suspect not since they didn't get their product back.
2) Am I just out of luck, never to receive a refund on the item (or the postage costs).
3) What lawful basis does the Royal Mail have in intercepting parcels and then disposing of property that is not their lawful property? Is that not the very definition of Theft (in law)?

Thanks,
Paul.

You seem interested in law now?
not so interested in postal regulations when you sent?