Third Party Incorrect Courier Surcharge

RFW

Anyone contested one of these successfully?

I won't name the companies involved to save any hassle.
I use a lot of couriers and noticed an offer on one site so I used it to have a parcel sent to me from my warehouse in another city (I was sender and receiver at different addresses, so I know nothing went wrong either end). The parcel arrived fine.
I've since received a surcharge claim that the courier company have supposedly asked for. The weight and size of the parcel are so far out from what I sent that it can only be a mistake, it's showing a size weight of 90kg and that the parcel was 6 foot long, it wasn't, it was a 6kg parcel with no side measuring more than 40cm. I've currently got a surcharge for over £100 (largely £50 from the courier and £50 from the third party) from a £7 parcel that had a value of close to zero (it was personal papers).
I'm really not fussed about hanging on a phone for a few hours trying to sort out someone else's mistake. I've emailed and they've asked me for proof of my parcel via a photograph, showing both the weights and the measurements. I've asked them for proof that mine was incorrect, which, given it wasn't looks unlikely. To date they haven't replied.
I've had a couple of surcharges in the past on courier accounts and they were from my errors so I paid up, they also weren't asking for indefensible surcharges.

It almost feels like the third party are chancing their arm and seeing who coughs up. This seems to be a reprehensible business practice (also why I won;t name them as I'd like to hear from others first).

martindow

I don't think any parcel company (even those we think of as having dubious business practices) is going to send out random surcharge invoices.  It is an error on their part, so you really need to continue disputing the charge to see what they say. 

I had a parcel that I packed carefully to be just inside their maximum size and I was certain that my measurements were correct..  The company came back asking for a surcharge which I disputed and eventually they gave up.

I suppose another approach in your case is to gather up a pile of papers and photograph it in a box.  You can tell them that this is a second consignment that you will be sending soon ...

soolin

I've been looking and cannot find it but am sure it was on MSE somewhere where someone had successfully disputed the charge. I can't remember the official explanation as to why this keeps happening, but it was something to do with parcels rolling across scales rather than being weighed individually, so if the 'snapshot' weight was taken at the wrong time it included a previous or later parcel as well. I cannot recall where the thread was ...

martindow

soolin said:

I've been looking and cannot find it but am sure it was on MSE somewhere where someone had successfully disputed the charge. I can't remember the official explanation as to why this keeps happening, but it was something to do with parcels rolling across scales rather than being weighed individually, so if the 'snapshot' weight was taken at the wrong time it included a previous or later parcel as well. I cannot recall where the thread was ...

That rings a bell for me too.  I think someone mentioned sensors that measure parcel dimensions as they pass through the hub.

soolin

martindow said:

soolin said:

I've been looking and cannot find it but am sure it was on MSE somewhere where someone had successfully disputed the charge. I can't remember the official explanation as to why this keeps happening, but it was something to do with parcels rolling across scales rather than being weighed individually, so if the 'snapshot' weight was taken at the wrong time it included a previous or later parcel as well. I cannot recall where the thread was ...

That rings a bell for me too.  I think someone mentioned sensors that measure parcel dimensions as they pass through the hub.

That sounds like it, perhaps on the vent or warnings sub forum - not that I can see it 

RFW

Thanks for the replies.
Mine was on a consignment of 3 identical size boxes. Only one received a surcharge for being the wrong size. I'm wondering if they measured 3 as one. Either way they can't prove the size they're talking about.
I find it irritating that they're asking me to pay for something without any proof at all. Given that couriers take pictures of deliveries these days that seems extremely odd. They'd get laughed out of court if they were daft enough to go that far.

martindow

RFW said:

Thanks for the replies.
Mine was on a consignment of 3 identical size boxes. Only one received a surcharge for being the wrong size. I'm wondering if they measured 3 as one. Either way they can't prove the size they're talking about.
I find it irritating that they're asking me to pay for something without any proof at all. Given that couriers take pictures of deliveries these days that seems extremely odd. They'd get laughed out of court if they were daft enough to go that far.

I'm sure they would be laughed out of court and I doubt that they would go that far, but I suppose there is a potential risk that they could refuse to accept further orders from you which would be a pain.  The situation I described earlier had no repercussions and faded out after a couple of emails, the first of which I replied to.

RFW

martindow said:

I'm sure they would be laughed out of court and I doubt that they would go that far, but I suppose there is a potential risk that they could refuse to accept further orders from you which would be a pain.  The situation I described earlier had no repercussions and faded out after a couple of emails, the first of which I replied to.

I've no plans to use them again. I left it with them wanting a video of the parcel showing its dimensions and weight, they offer me no evidence that an 18" parcel was 6' long.