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

Benthebadger

The whole thing is the courier's fault (even if your neighbour seems to be singularly lacking in common sense) for delivering it to the wrong house when you were waiting at home to receive it. Ultimately the person who you bought it from should be liable for replacement and you can certainly get photographic evidence of the spoiled food to send them.
Definitely, don't ask your neighbour to compensate you unless you want an almighty fallout. Your cordial relationship is worth so much more than a box of food.

Pollycat

Don't you think it's the courier's fault for leaving your parcel with a neighbour when you say you were in?

And who leaves a parcel on a radiator?

Really?

lemonreptile

NBLondon said:

Difficult - did you expect the neighbour to keep it in the fridge for you?  Assuming they had room.
If you didn't previously agree that the item could be left with a neighbour - report it to the supplier.as arrived damaged.  They should replace or refund and then claim from the courier.

But that’s dishonest. Actually, fraudulent. Poor advice.

JMoon_1

No of course not. They didn't ask to be involved and didn't know what it was. But even if they had its your responsibility not theirs. They were doing you a favour. The courier can't redeliver perishables and they'd have told your neighbour that.
Besides it's £40. You've got to live next to them.  Not worth souring a relationship with neighbours for £40! 

pollypenny

I wonder if the OP meant 'by a radiator'. 

Definitely do nit ask the neighbours to pay, just be grateful that they took the parcel in for you. And they were certainly entitled to go out. Did some posters expect them to stay and wait for you to collect said parcel?  

gobbo

Delivery company should pay as they couldn't be bothered to deliver to the correct address

aliberry

HannahNP said:

If you knew it was perishable you should have texted your neighbour and let them know to put it in the fridge.
If you didn't know their number tried knocking the door later and NEVER leave it to next day to avoid any accident.
It was YOUR responsibility to look after your meat, not the company or neighbour after it was safely delivered.

Wrong, sorry. It was the company's courier at fault. The OP was AT HOME - so the courier failed to complete the contracted delivery. It should not have been left with anyone else without specific instructions. And if I was that neighbour I would possibly be claiming for melted ice water damage from the goods! The OP needs to tell the company to refund the order costs and the company will claim from their (presumably sub-contracted) courier.

John_Gray

Ring the supplier and tell them that the delivery did not meat your expectations.

As soon as they've stopped laughing uncontrollably, tell them you want a refund.

ireallycantyodel

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.

ynysygwas

Absolutely not. I can't believe you're even considering it. Your neighbour was clearly interrupted on their way out, as you went over in 10 minutes and they'd already gone out.
Complain to the seller, it is their responsibility to get you what you paid for. They should compensate you and take action against the courier who should probably have returned the meat to the seller instead of dumping it on anyone they could.