left parcel with neighbours who's never in

pete617

A book I ordered was left next door. I went there three times and noone is home. As far as I'm concerned the item was not delivered. I don't care if it was delivered to a neighbour because it was not delivered to me. I will make no further attempts to retrieve it. I don't know the people who live next door. Am I in the right?

I know it is not fair to the seller but I will demand a refund. If the seller finds it unjust then that seller should contact the delivery company and make them sort this out or make them pay for it. If such an option is not available with this particular delivery company then the seller assumes responsibility.

What is this absurd idea of leaving stuff next door anyway? My address is unique and next door is a different address. Why won't they do their job?

emmajones1976

I mean, in a way the parcel companies cant win here can they?

They deliver it next door when you are out , people moan
They dont deliver it next door when you are out, meaning they try again another day, people moan.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Passing of risk occurs when the goods come into the physical possession of—

(a)the consumer, or

(b)a person identified by the consumer to take possession of the goods.

Delivery next door doesn't meet that criteria.

Worth a note if the trader doesn't refund the value of the order may be too small to recover via small claims and you would generally need to show you have mitigated your losses, i.e made sufficient effort to obtain the parcel from the neighbour. 

There may be the option to see if your card provider will assist. 

Have you tried popping a note through the door with your phone number? This would seem to be an easier avenue

Aylesbury_Duck

pete617 said:

A book I ordered was left next door. I went there three times and noone is home. As far as I'm concerned the item was not delivered. I don't care if it was delivered to a neighbour because it was not delivered to me. I will make no further attempts to retrieve it. I don't know the people who live next door. Am I in the right?

I know it is not fair to the seller but I will demand a refund. If the seller finds it unjust then that seller should contact the delivery company and make them sort this out or make them pay for it. If such an option is not available with this particular delivery company then the seller assumes responsibility.

What is this absurd idea of leaving stuff next door anyway? My address is unique and next door is a different address. Why won't they do their job?

Technically, yes, but this seems a case of cutting your nose off to spite your face.  You'll arguably have to put more legwork in sorting it out than just finding a good opportunity to spot your neighbour being in.

Nothing absurd about it.  If you want a tracked service where a parcel is handed to you in person, or absolutely only delivered through your letterbox, pay for it instead of opting for free or the cheapest delivery offered.

Manxman_in_exile

Legally you have the right to a refund.  (See the post two before this one).  But if the seller refuses to refund, what will you do, as your only real resort is to threaten to sue them.  Is the value of the book worth suing them for?

If you paid by card you won't get a chargeback because the book has been delivered (don't laugh, but for the purposes of a chargeback, delivery to a wrong address is just as good as delivery to the correct address!) and if you paid under £100 you aren't eligible for a s75 claim.

Thrugelmir

emmajones1976 said:

I mean, in a way the parcel companies cant win here can they?

They deliver it next door when you are out , people moan
They dont deliver it next door when you are out, meaning they try again another day, people moan.

Not forgetting that as a last resort you have to drive miles to their depot to collect the item. 

Chris_English

pete617 said:

A book I ordered was left next door. I went there three times and noone is home. As far as I'm concerned the item was not delivered. I don't care if it was delivered to a neighbour because it was not delivered to me. I will make no further attempts to retrieve it. I don't know the people who live next door. Am I in the right?

I know it is not fair to the seller but I will demand a refund. If the seller finds it unjust then that seller should contact the delivery company and make them sort this out or make them pay for it. If such an option is not available with this particular delivery company then the seller assumes responsibility.

What is this absurd idea of leaving stuff next door anyway? My address is unique and next door is a different address. Why won't they do their job?

Why not put a note through their door and ask them to drop it round when they are next in?

born_again

Why not put a note through neighbours door asking them to pop round with the book when they are in.

>>My address is unique and next door is a different address. Why won't they do their job?<<

Isn't everyone's?

Sandtree

born_again said:

>>My address is unique and next door is a different address. Why won't they do their job?<<

Isn't everyone's?

You would hope so, and in the UK they will be once you get down to postcode, but it can be problematic as for example there are 3 Abbey Roads in London, one in NW10 and one in NW6 and so fairly close to each other... if someone wasnt using GPS it'd be easy to mess them up.

Agree with everyone else, you say you cannot be bothered to get it from your neighbour (and I assume you didnt list the neighbour as a "safe place" or such), the vendor will say they wont refund you (unless you commit fraud and say the neighbour refuses to give it to you/says they dont have it) and so you will end up writing letters and going to court to try and get the money rather than knock there door a few more times or stick a note in.

Personally I am very thankful when delivery companies take the initiative and leave it with neighbours as its much better than the 20 mile trek to the depot to collect it.

user1977

They can't be "never in" if the courier caught them in, surely?

Ergates

pete617 said:

What is this absurd idea of leaving stuff next door anyway? My address is unique and next door is a different address. Why won't they do their job?

The "idea" is that, on balance, it is much more convenient for most people most of the time when companies do this.

Otherwise - you'd have to either arrange to have items delivered only when you were 100% certain you were going to be in and able to answer the door  or you wouldn't get your item.  Online shopping would be a lot more of a drag, deliveries would be more expensive.

Obviously, occasionally, it goes wrong (such as here), but the vast majority of the time it works out better for everyone.  Better for the environment too - fewer wasted trips by delivery drivers.