Should I pay re-handling fee for returned goods?

chrishanes

Hi, I'm a new MSE Forum member.
I recently (2months ago) purchased a few handles for my new kitchen and a couple of pull handles for my front door from an online ironmongery business, totalling £267. All of them were not right for the intended use, so my wife called them to ask if we could return them. They agreed and we paid for the delivery cost but now they have emailed stating they charge a 40% re-handling fee. This isn't stated on their website, emails, invoices or even to my wife when she talked to them.
Should I have to pay?

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

The timing is important, how long after buying did you advise them you wanted to return?

Was they faulty/not as described or just not right for what you wanted?

Where they customised for you in any way?

What website did you buy from?

chrishanes

It was 2 months (almost exactly) for the kitchen handles and an extra 2 weeks for the door handles.
They were not faulty just not right for what we wanted.
Not customised.
Bought from sbironmongery.co.uk

Paul_DNAP

If they are not faulty then you have no "rights" to return them, and so anything they can do to swap them or restock them is purely down to their discretion, and so to answer your question they can request a restocking fee, even if it sounds a bit steep.

DoaM

Paul_DNAP wrote: »

If they are not faulty then you have no "rights" to return them, and so anything they can do to swap them or restock them is purely down to their discretion, and so to answer your question they can request a restocking fee, even if it sounds a bit steep.

Sorry but this is complete rubbish ... this was an online transaction therefore the company cannot charge a restocking fee (even if they call it a "re-handling" fee). They simply cannot - it is law.

They CAN however reduce the amount of refund (by an amount up to 100%) to account for the reduction in value caused by the consumer's handling of the goods.

OP - When did you order? When did you receive? When did you notify the company that you wanted to return?
Did you remove the items from any packaging? (apart from any outer box that you would have had to open to inspect the goods anyway).

bris

They say it was 2 months ago, the consumer rights stop at 14 days, (for returns) they can do what they want.

chrishanes

DoaM - ordered the door pull handles on the 29/04/19 and the kitchen handles 14/05/19 but can remember the exact date I received but think it was 5-7 working days. Notified the company I wanted to return on the 15/07/19. I removed the handles from the outer cardboard box and plastic wrapping to inspect the handles and see them against the kitchen units and then returned in the same packaging.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

OP what information did you get from them either by email or on paper with the goods regarding the right to cancel?

chrishanes

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head wrote: »

OP what information did you get from them either by email or on paper with the goods regarding the right to cancel?

Absolutely nothing. They have no policies advertised anywhere.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

chrishanes wrote: »

Absolutely nothing.

If they didn't provide you with anything at all then you are entitled to a refund in full.

Advise you are excising your right to cancel the contract and require a full refund as they failed to provide the required information via durable means:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/3134/regulation/13/made

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/3134/schedule/2/made

Just to add, details on extended cancellation rights:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/3134/regulation/31/made

shaun_from_Africa

bris wrote: »

They say it was 2 months ago, the consumer rights stop at 14 days, (for returns) they can do what they want.

The consumers right of return stops at 14 days after the goods were received providing that they were informed of their rights or 14 days after the consumer receives the information regarding their right to return the goods if this is later.