Am I legally allowed to keep “unsolicited” goods
mr58wry
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Hi all I placed an online order with a large retail chain for 3 items. The order turned up and I received 19 of the same. Can the company make me give them back? Or am I legally allowed to keep them under the unsolicited goods act?
Thank you 😊
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You can only keep hold of an item if it is addressed to you, there has been no previous contact with the company, and it arrives out of the blue. This is a genuine unsolicited item and is usually used as a marketing tactic, explains Citizens Advice.
Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37048351
Been sent a pair of footwear I didn't order - by Amazon. Think it's probably a mix-up of "Oh that's why I never got my own footwear I ordered/had to have a refund/order a different pair instead" - and maybe some other person wondered why they got my shoes. I'm certainly wondering why I got their shoes - addressed to me by my name.
I just know that to get them back to Amazon seller - I'd be put through hassle contacting Amazon/Amazon would tell me they'd send me a label to print off/I'd tell them that's not possible (because I don't have a printer - as I indeed don't).....and then we'd go round and round in circles ad infinitum, as I kept asking them for a realistic way to get those shoes back to them (ie that didn't involve me having that non-existent printer or me having to wait to get reimbursed postage money I'd spent for their sake).
There is a law allowing people to keep unsolicited goods after 3 months has expired.
So I'm rather thinking "Keep them for 3 months and then at 3 months 1 day - give them to charity" as the quickest/easiest way to resolve the situation - without them causing me all sorts of hassle.
Many years ago a prankster had me sent unsolicited goods - and I found that "3 months law" thing and it was all easier back in that day and I was able to tell the firm the order wasn't really from me, but they never did arrange to collect their goods. So, at 3 months 1 day I gave them to charity.
Should we have a Google race? #joke
I too think you are wrong and cannot find anything authoritative to support your view. I have found quite authoritative sources that suggest you are wrong e.g. see the link from the bbc above.
Unsolicited would only apply if you received items having had zero contact or expectation to receive ANY item from someone
In theory, the statute of limitations is likely to give Amazon 6 years to try and claim back anything they feel you owe them, which presumably would be any difference between the amount you paid for the shoes you ordered and value of the shoes they actually sent you (assuming the pair you received were higher value than the ones ordered). Knowing Amazon they’re more likely to charge you the difference which you’d have to fight and/or just close your account.