Yodel Nodel

C_G

I recently took up a new hobby as I am disabled and bought an Air Rifle. This rifle needs to be filled by an Air bottle SCUBA tank. I found one cheap on eBay and said to the seller that I would arrange delivery by courier. I unfortunately chose Yodel.

The collection was arranged for the 27th to be delivered on the 29th and the parcel was collected from the seller, I checked via tracking and all was well. I kept on checking the tracking and it went to the depot and stopped there. I thought nothing of it but after a few days I tried to enquire where my parcel was. I then found out just how difficult it was to contact this company. The only way you can contact them is either via a web based chat where the operatives cut and paste the same responses repeatedly, cut you off when they think they have finished chatting to you and are simply unwilling to help you with your problem. You can ring to speak to a human and pay for the privilege and then get cut off or get lost in a loop of messaging options for some time, I never got to speak to a human myself.

So anyway I hit them on Twitter where their conversations are not shown publically probably so that no one can see how crap their service really is.

Finally after describing the package as "it's a big tank wrapped in bright blue bin bags" I received a message eight days later saying..

Order reference: YOLxxxxx

Good Afternoon John.

I am contacting you with regards to the following shipment YOL-xxxxx.

Unfortunately John, your shipment cannot be delivered as your parcel contains dangerous goods.

yodeldirect-dot-com/prohibited-items

Due to the above the parcel will have to be collected from Yodel Depot based in Gateshead. Full collection address is below.

Yodel Delivery Network Ltd
349 Dukesway Court
Team Valley Trading Estate
GATESHEAD

---

This is an empty SCUBA tank so in effect a lump of metal. I checked their prohibited items before using their service and no mention of SCUBA tanks is there in fact the closest is a fire extinguisher. I argued this via email and got the following today.

---

Good Morning John,

Thank you for your response.

I am afraid the depot have categorised this as dangerous goods and will not carry the goods any further and as per our last e-mail the goods must be collected from the following address:

Yodel Delivery Network Ltd
349 Dukesway Court
Team Valley Trading Estate
GATESHEAD
NE11 0BH

I am afraid there is no way around this and the parcel is at risk of being disposed if it is not collected.

Should you require any further assistance John, please do not hesitate to contact me.


Kindest Regards
Katherine Black
YodelDirect

---

So I think my options are

Arrange for another courier to collect from Yodel's depot and bring it to me.

Leave it and they dispose of it without any compensation.

Find some precedent that proves that it is not considered hazardous as it is certainly not in my opinion, the driver was happy to take it away to the depot in the first place. Even if full it contains air for breathing not Oxygen so is not hazardous.

Can anyone help me decide my best course of action as I would still like to receive my item and they will not consider compensating me. If other companies including Royal Mail will carry SCUBA tanks how can they simply refuse outright to deliver my tank? Can I do anything legally to get compensated for the loss? If it's not specifically listed can they decide not to deliver it?

Thank you in advance for any help on this one.

John

custardy

They are a private company and as such (unlike RM) can pretty much set their own terms.
This is really a catch all term

he following items (or any item similar in description or content) can not be carried on any service.

I would assume the cost of the tank is more than the cost of a courier to collect it? If so I would do this and get your tank back.
The driver collecting an item doesn't deem it accepted for the full journey.
Eg. with RM they follow similar procedures for prohibited goods including destruction.

NBLondon

Hi John,


I've never used Yodel - but that clause would make me avoid them... You might have a case for taking Yodel to the Small Claims Court if they don't refund you. Did you specify what the contents were when you booked the pick-up? If so, Yodel accepted a contract when they picked up the item and are now changing the terms and conditions midway through.


That's assuming you can find another courier who will complete the delivery.


How did the eBay seller advertise delivery? Had it been them booking Yodel - then you would at least be able to get your money back from the seller.