Money Moral Dilemma: Should I ask my neighbour to pay for the meat they spoiled?

sheramber

ireallycantyodel said:

I am not blaming the neighbour but for everyone saying "the neighbour did him a favour and it wasn't his responsibility and he should be grateful" is way off base. The neighbour seriously lacked common sense - but that in itself isn't punishable and not worth falling out over. "Perishable" without context ALWAYS means it needs to go in the fridge. There is no other context. I don't want to assume but I bet everyone who said they wouldn't know what perishable means must be a guy! It's like saying "the box says fragile..I didn't know I shouldn't throw it in the corner". 

If you do other people a favour and then say "not my responsibility" for anything that happens to the object afterwards then please do everyone else a favour and don't accept to do anyone a favour. 

In any case, it's the courier who is truly at fault and you need to take it up with the company.

I have had fa box of flowers delivered that were marled as perishable so not relevant for putting in fridge.
My fridge is normally full so I would not have room to put it in my fridge

sheramber

74jax said:

CapeTown said:

Given recent pandemic suggest you support local business and shop small and local. Why anyone orders meat online is beyond me.

Why anyone would post this and not read the OP clearly stated it was a home delivery from their LOCAL butcher, is beyond me.

not qujte. It was a 'local' butcher.

 It's a very specific meat cut for BBQ, so there are no local butchers in a 30 mile radius that can provide it for me (I've asked!). 

clutterydrawer

ireallycantyodel said:

 "Perishable" without context ALWAYS means it needs to go in the fridge. 

That's not what perishable means - it means it has to potential to perish. ie it can go off over time. (By your own logic this means you're 'a guy' as you don't know what the word means...but I digress)

As an example...I buy a lot of predatory insects by mail order, to control pests on glasshouse crops. They arrive in a package marked 'perishable goods' because they'll  die if they're in the packaging for too long. But they're tropical insects so I absolutely don't want them put in the fridge!

Ditzy_Mitzy

clutterydrawer said:

ireallycantyodel said:

 "Perishable" without context ALWAYS means it needs to go in the fridge. 

That's not what perishable means - it means it has to potential to perish. ie it can go off over time. (By your own logic this means you're 'a guy' as you don't know what the word means...but I digress)

As an example...I buy a lot of predatory insects by mail order, to control pests on glasshouse crops. They arrive in a package marked 'perishable goods' because they'll  die if they're in the packaging for too long. But they're tropical insects so I absolutely don't want them put in the fridge!

Remind me never to take in one of your parcels!
On a serious note, I keep my fridge clean and there's no way I'd be putting someone else's manky cardboard box in there.  There's no guarantee it hasn't been anywhere unhygienic so unless the intended recipient was happy with me opening the parcel it's not going to happen.  

tain

Pollycat said:

tain said:

Pollycat said:

tain said:
And even though it's clarified in the post - the delivery driver didn't knock at my door using either the knocker or the bell. They either didn't knock at all, or they tapped on the window, which I can't hear from my kitchen where I work - that's why we have a huge knocker and a bell.  

With respect, it isn't clarified in your post.

You said (via MSE):

MSE_Kelvin said:

I recently ordered around £40 worth of meat online. I was at home when it was due to be delivered, but received a text saying it had been left with my neighbour. I went over 10 minutes later, and they told me via their video doorbell that they'd gone out and wouldn't be back until late. I picked up the parcel the next day, and it turned out they'd left it on a radiator, despite it saying 'perishable goods' on it and containing ice packs, so I had to throw all the meat away. Should I ask my neighbour to cover some or all of the cost?

Nothing at all about not using the knocker or bell.

My bad - my original email to MSE was trimmed down and had this info removed. 

And that's why MMDs have such limited information.
Why didn't you just post the full information under your user name in the first place?

Because you get a shiny badge for weekly email content! Or at least I hoped I would...

tain

Pollycat said:

tain said:

Can people who think the neighbours are all lovely and full of favours answer me this: 

If a neighbour *chooses* to take a delivery in, and signs for it so they are responsible for it, and then smashes the package to pieces through accident or intent, is that just fine and dandy? 

When you signed for the delivery, and accepted legal responsibility for it, at what stage did you explain to the delivery driver that they were still responsible if anything untoward happened while it was in your home? 

Why don't you answer why the courier didn't leave it on your doorstep as you requested instead of delivering to your neighbour?

Because that's a debate I'm having with the supplier and delivery company - there's no 'moral' element to it. So, with this being a money moral dilemma, and the supplying company refusing to give me a refund, it made sense to discuss the moral aspect of the issue. 

tain

sheramber said:

74jax said:

CapeTown said:

Given recent pandemic suggest you support local business and shop small and local. Why anyone orders meat online is beyond me.

Why anyone would post this and not read the OP clearly stated it was a home delivery from their LOCAL butcher, is beyond me.

not qujte. It was a 'local' butcher.

 It's a very specific meat cut for BBQ, so there are no local butchers in a 30 mile radius that can provide it for me (I've asked!). 

He's someones local butcher! It's not some big faceless conglomerate operating out of a warehouse - he has a shop front down a town high street, but also has a huge BBQ smoking following as his side hustle. 

tain

Where can I recommend a poll asking everyone if they take in deliveries for their neighbours, and never ever say 'no' even if it's to the detriment of their neighbour? 

I really feel that people are just chasing the good feelings they get from being 'such a great neighbour' without any consideration to if what they're doing is actually a good thing. 

Pollycat

tain said:

Where can I recommend a poll asking everyone if they take in deliveries for their neighbours, and never ever say 'no' even if it's to the detriment of their neighbour? 

I really feel that people are just chasing the good feelings they get from being 'such a great neighbour' without any consideration to if what they're doing is actually a good thing. 

There's a specific board for MSE polls - further up the boards under 'Essential money'.

If you do a poll, please consider what options you want to offer.

I've seen some pretty poor polls.

As for people "just chasing the good feelings they get from being 'such a great neighbour' without any consideration to if what they're doing is actually a good thing", the bottom line is that your courier did not act on the specific instructions you gave.

If it had, there would not be a MMD. You would have picked up the parcel from your doorstep and be in possession of the meat you ordered.

I would be appalled if one of my neighbours asked me to cover the costs of a parcel I'd taken in because the courier who was contracted to deliver it had ignored the neighbour's delivery instructions.

Apportion blame where it belongs. And that is not with the neighbour. IMHO

meknowalot-51

I suggest that you look at the delivery companies T&C's of what they do in regards to no one answering the door,some may leave a card and others will follow instructions that may have been given by you.Did they explain to the neighbour about the perishable goods.............who's responsible?As they arrived before the agreed time are they in breach of contract?Are the neighbour's neglect for the parcel worth all the potential fallout over £40?How well do you know them?Start with the delivery company T&C and push for refund assuming that you gave no instructions on the delivery email about leaving with neighbours.It does seem that the drivers duty of care could be questioned.