Ex employer asking for money a year after left

Lucyejones

Hi all, just after a bit of advice please.

I left an employer last April and arranged for all of my belongings to be sent back via courier, as advised by the office manager as I worked remotely. They were delivered on 16th April 2018 and on the 2nd May 2018 I was made aware that the laptop screen was cracked. The laptop had been in their possession for 2 weeks before I was told there was any damage.

The laptop was wrapped properly and was not damaged when it left my property. I tried to claim on the insurance but because all the goods appeared to be fine when they arrived, the boxes were thrown away by the employer.
The insurance claim was rejected.

I have heard nothing from my employer since until May 9th 2019, where I received an email saying I hadn’t paid the invoice for repair (£250.) I had never been made aware of the invoice, which was dated October 2018. I had not received this previously and the email I received on 9th May 2019 was the first I had heard on the matter.

Where do I stand? Thank you in advance.

Comms69

Lucyejones wrote: »

Hi all, just after a bit of advice please.

I left an employer last April and arranged for all of my belongings to be sent back via courier, as advised by the office manager as I worked remotely. They were delivered on 16th April 2018 and on the 2nd May 2018 I was made aware that the laptop screen was cracked. The laptop had been in their possession for 2 weeks before I was told there was any damage. - Not 100% required, but did you take pictures before you sent it back?

The laptop was wrapped properly and was not damaged when it left my property. I tried to claim on the insurance but because all the goods appeared to be fine when they arrived, the boxes were thrown away by the employer.
The insurance claim was rejected. - That's fine.

I have heard nothing from my employer since until May 9th 2019, where I received an email saying I hadn’t paid the invoice for repair (£250.) - What did you reply? I had never been made aware of the invoice, which was dated October 2018. I had not received this previously and the email I received on 9th May 2019 was the first I had heard on the matter.

Where do I stand? Thank you in advance.

Same as any other claim. They have 6 years to claim it, you aren't obliged to pay unless a court says otherwise.


I'd await court papers.


I might consider:


"Dear X,


Thank you for your email. As previously discussed I deny any liability for damage to said item. It was sent securely and safely to yourselves. Your claim first came to light two weeks after you received it and I cannot be held liable for any damage that happened in your possession.


Kind regards


etc."

Paul_DNAP

Even if you did damage it, it's their property and it's their bill to repair it, do they invoice every individual employee for every bit of damage to office equipment, plant and infrastructure?


But as above, go for the "everything was in perfect condition when it left me" and put the onus on them to prove otherwise.

Manxman_in_exile

You say you "tried to claim on the insurance" but it was rejected. If your ex-employer arranged the courier pick-up, why didn't they claim on their insurance or take it up with the courier? (I can think of a couple of reasons, but not sure they're valid ones.)


Otherwise I think I agree with the letter suggested by Comms69.


I presume the company has no evidence that it was cracked when they received it, and I likewise presume they have no evidence that you broke it

Lucyejones

They asked me to arrange the courier and I paid for it on the work credit card, thanks for your advice.

Comms69

Lucyejones wrote: »

They asked me to arrange the courier and I paid for it on the work credit card, thanks for your advice.

So it's still their courier. They paid for it.


You were carrying out the instructions of management in the course of your employment.

TELLIT01

As others have said, simply deny any liability. As they didn't discover any damage until 2 weeks after the computer was returned to them they will have a hard time proving either that it was damaged when they received it, or that you were responsible for the damage.

wild666

They should have inspected any equipment as soon as it arrived with them. That doesn't mean it was broken when you handed it over to the courier, they could have tossed it into the van, dropped it or played a game kicking round parcels it is basically your word against theirs. It could even have been damaged by the person receiving the delivery dropping it.

Dox

'I acknowledge receipt of your e-mail received on 9 May. As previously advised to you, the laptop was in perfect condition when I returned it and was securely packed. Two weeks after receiving it, you advised me the screen was cracked - but because you had disposed of the packaging, the courier's insurer was not prepared to pay any claim. This is the first I have heard that you expect me to pay for damage which occurred after the laptop was returned to you using the courier you instructed me to use, booked using a company credit card. I was not responsible for the damage, nor was I responsible for disposing of the evidence needed to pursue a claim against the courier.

Regards'

TBagpuss

as others have said. respond briefly to say that the goods were returned to them in good codition and undamged, and that you deny any liability for the alleged damage.

Mention that the goods were sent via a couriier as requested and paid fo by them and that if the good were damaged after they left your posession, whether in transit or in the 2 weeksafter the items were returned to them, and before they noticed the damage, that is nothing to do with you and they will ned to address it with the courier or the staff who recieved the items.

Lucyejones

This is all sorted now. Thank you for your advice. Lucy