What do you think to this compost delivery Ive just had? 17 May 2021 at 1:54PM in Greenfingered MoneySaving 23 replies 4.6K views

dllive

Hi
I bought 1400 litres of Fruit & Vegetable Compost 30 days ago. Despite promising delivery within 10 days, 30 days later its finally been delivered. (The company has never answered the phone and takes 5 days to reply to emails, if at all).

I came out this morning and found this on my driveway:


 This is what I was expecting: https://www.beavercompost.co.uk/collections/professional-soil-compost-manure/products/fruit-veggie-compost
Ive read people on TrustPilot saying theyd received similar sub standard compost. Most people are describing it as mulch.

Reading the companies T&Cs (part 2): https://www.beavercompost.co.uk/pages/terms-of-sale it looks like theyre going to try and make me pay £50 to return the goods. But I would argue that this is not the item that was described. Would you agree?

I have tried phoning them this morning (as always, noone picks up). And Ive emailed them an official complaint.

Are they within their rights to withhold a refund or try and charge me £50 to come and pick it up? They are going to try and do this. I presume my complaint email will go unanswered for 5+ days. What would my next step be? Contact the Ombudsman?

Any advice would be great.
Thanks

quirkydeptless

It stinks!

Bradden

I suspect they are what is known in the industry as a "brass plater". I don't actually have a yard... lorries or stock. They take your order and then find someone to deliver it. 
I hope I'm wrong but considering they don't list an address on thier website it's an educated guess.

https://www.beavercompost.co.uk/pages/contact
... ooh.. and an 0208 number for a company in Runcorn looks odd?
I think you may struggle with this based on reviews on Trustpilot. 

Good luck and please let us know how you get on.

-taff

Looks like you've got more spent mushroom compost than compost.

Fosterdog

It does look like a halfway decent mulch compost and it's not the worst planting compost I've ever seen but not the best either. How does it look deeper down? The nice fine stuff can sink to the bottom leaving the bigger material on top so worth checking a few inches down, my raised bed has that as it rains the finer material has moved down leaving a more mulch like compost on top

twopenny

Here's the address and company information.

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/12831866

Company started August, business activities is interesting. One officer who is the Transport Manager and the Director  of Beaver Industries Ltd which registered in October last year.

Only one there doing it all that's why it takes so long to reply.

This is the list of things he is registered to trade in https://www.siccode.co.uk/sic2007/code-81300 Doesn't seem to include sales and deliveries. Looks like he has access to stuff and sells it as a sideline.

The offices are just let on an industrial estate.

You could try tracing him through his name and FaceBook if you wanted to know more. If he's genuine he might come and pick it up.

Mojisola

Next time you need compost, check with your council about composted municipal waste.

We've had several lorry-loads over recent years and the quality is brilliant and much cheaper than the firm you've bought from.

MysteryMe

Part of the description says "Fruit & Vegetable Soil can be mixed with your native soil as a nutrient rich amendment to grow vegetables and flowers, or can be used as an organic mulch to help retain water."  So not sure why people would complain that it's a mulch when that's in the description to be fair.

dllive

MysteryMe said:

Part of the description says "Fruit & Vegetable Soil can be mixed with your native soil as a nutrient rich amendment to grow vegetables and flowers, or can be used as an organic mulch to help retain water."  So not sure why people would complain that it's a mulch when that's in the description to be fair.

Yes it does. It also says:
 "Our Vegetable soil has been developed for root and top growing crops, contains a beautiful mixture of Organic Compost, virgin as dug soil from farmers fields and greenfield sites as well as rotted organic manure. Easy to use for filling vegetable beds or for topping up existing beds."

"Let’s call it the crème de la crème for your fruit and vegetable plants"

"we have perfected this blended to be great for roots crops as it is a light friable soil "

In what universe is this "light", "friable" or "soil"?

A better description would be "semi-rotten manure and straw".

Apodemus

Yes, it looks like horse manure, straight from the pile - which most liveries are happy to give away for free. 

dllive

Apodemus said:

Yes, it looks like horse manure, straight from the pile - which most liveries are happy to give away for free. 

Exactly. Its no different than what I get from my local stables!! For free!! (In fact the lady phones me and asks me to take it off her hands!)