Yodel took parcel they shouldn't have - any recourse?

rjohns16

Hello, I am looking for some advice. A courier delivered a parcel containing a new pair of jeans to my home last month, on the same day that Yodel were due to collect a big box of empty beer kegs for return to retailer Beerhawk. Unfortunately, the courier left the jeans on top of the keg box and this item was taken by Yodel when they collected the keg box. 

I have contacted Yodel to try and retrieve the package, but they only respond saying they are waiting to hear back from the driver about the package, and have not provided any updates in response to my last two emails. The jeans were worth £74, so I am keen to get them back or receive compensation. I was wondering if I should look at a possible claim through the small claims court, or if there are any other approach I could take to either recover the item or get compensation  Any help would be appreciated.

DullGreyGuy

So you had left them all unattended for Yodel to work out what they should/shouldnt be delivering/taking?

Assuming it was an unattended delivery then its the retailer of the jeans problem to solve as they are liable to get it to you not to just your property.

Flight3287462

DullGreyGuy said:

So you had left them all unattended for Yodel to work out what they should/shouldnt be delivering/taking?

Assuming it was an unattended delivery then its the retailer of the jeans problem to solve as they are liable to get it to you not to just your property.

Well that's the road to ruin isn't it.

rjohns16

DullGreyGuy said:

So you had left them all unattended for Yodel to work out what they should/shouldnt be delivering/taking?

Assuming it was an unattended delivery then its the retailer of the jeans problem to solve as they are liable to get it to you not to just your property.

Yes, the item was left in front porch. The Yodel driver surely had instructions about what they were collecting, it was a booked return for one item, not two, but I take your point.

Thanks for the advice, I will contact the retailer regarding the delivery.

HillStreetBlues

Couple of points,  How do you know that jeans were delivered  and the Yodel driver took them?

DullGreyGuy

rjohns16 said:

DullGreyGuy said:

So you had left them all unattended for Yodel to work out what they should/shouldnt be delivering/taking?

Assuming it was an unattended delivery then its the retailer of the jeans problem to solve as they are liable to get it to you not to just your property.

The Yodel driver surely had instructions about what they were collecting

They will have known how many items they were supposed to collect but thats it... an obvious moral risk if drivers are told about many other characteristics of what they collect. I've sent a few large parcels recently and somewhat got to know the FedEx guy so he was surprised/confused the other day when he turned on with his gloves on ready for heavy lifting but It was just an A5 packet. 

People do take boxes together to make them into "1 parcel". I suspect its changed these days but back when a company I worked for had a self employed courier network like Yodel the people only got paid a small amount per successful delivery/collection and the only way they could make a realistic living was by doing volume hence they dump parcels in the bin cupboard or such rather than wait for you to come to the door or dont spend time trying to work out why there are two boxes with Yodel stickers when they were only expecting one to collect. 

In their haste they regularly make mistakes, was confused with my last collection (cant remember the courier) because as he scanned the parcel to take it I got a notice it'd been delivered... turned out he'd used his delivery rather than collection scanner which then messed up all the future notifications (thankfully it arrived at its destination without issue. 

Manxman_in_exile

HillStreetBlues said:

Couple of points,  How do you know that jeans were delivered  and the Yodel driver took them?

Good question.  I presume CCTV from doorbell?

Manxman_in_exile

rjohns16 said:

Thanks for the advice, I will contact the retailer regarding the delivery.

Point out s29(2)(a) to them:  Consumer Rights Act 2015 (legislation.gov.uk)

rjohns16

HillStreetBlues said:

Couple of points,  How do you know that jeans were delivered  and the Yodel driver took them?

Thanks for the reply. I know it was delivered as the courier (DPD) sent a picture and it was on top of of the beer keg box. It was delivered at 11.57am, and then I got a Yodel collection notification at 12.12pm. I guess I don't know for certain that the Yodel driver took it, we don't have a video doorbell, but it seems likely to me in that short time frame.

HillStreetBlues

rjohns16 said:

Thanks for the reply. I know it was delivered as the courier (DPD) sent a picture and it was on top of of the beer keg box. It was delivered at 11.57am, and then I got a Yodel collection notification at 12.12pm. I guess I don't know for certain that the Yodel driver took it, we don't have a video doorbell, but it seems likely to me in that short time frame.

When you bought jeans did you leave any delivery instructions? EG if not at home leave in porch.

TELLIT01

rjohns16 said:

HillStreetBlues said:

Couple of points,  How do you know that jeans were delivered  and the Yodel driver took them?

Thanks for the reply. I know it was delivered as the courier (DPD) sent a picture and it was on top of of the beer keg box. It was delivered at 11.57am, and then I got a Yodel collection notification at 12.12pm. I guess I don't know for certain that the Yodel driver took it, we don't have a video doorbell, but it seems likely to me in that short time frame.

I'm afraid 'seems likely to me' is not actual evidence.  Although not an unreasonable guess as to what happened, it's far from being proof or a basis to accuse a delivery driver of theft.