Right Address, Wrong Company, Parcel Lost ?

[chippyw]

Hello,

I'd appreciate advice/comments.

I sent a package containing a kettle by first class mail to the address of the manufacturer as supplied by the retailer. The product was to be exchanged.

Six weeks passed and I heard nothing.

Futher enquiries were made and I discovered the manufacturer had left that address some 2-3 years ago and had relocated some 40 miles away.

The company say they have not received my parcel at their new address and I have no reason not to believe them. The old premises is empty and 'for let'

I applied for compensation as I felt it could not have been delivered and should have been returned to me.

PO have refused this claim as as they say they have fulfilled their obligation to deliver the parcel to the address.

What can I do next, any advice welcome ?

[Lounge Lizard]

Did you write your return address on the back of the parcel, and did you send it Recorded Delivery or at least get a Certificate Of Posting ?

[chippyw]

Did you write your return address on the back of the parcel, and did you send it Recorded Delivery or at least get a Certificate Of Posting ?

Return address......Yes.

Recorded delivery.....No...(wish I had now)

Certificate of Posting ......Yes.

[Stormproof]

It should be returned to you eventually if you've put your return address on it. It won't obviously if someone at the building accepted it. But looking at what you say the postman would have labeled it up 'gone away' and I would've thought it would've been returned to you by now.

[chippyw]

It should be returned to you eventually if you've put your return address on it. It won't obviously if the people who are now at the building accepted it.

Hopefully it will come back to me. What infuriated me was the response from Customer Services that said (something along the lines of) 'We've fulfilled our legal obligation by delivering it to the address, so can't compensate you'. I have no idea how they know they have delivered it and it isn't floating about in 'the system' somewhere.

I had a look on google maps and the street view at the property in question. I appreciate I don't have the date the street view was captured but it is certainly after the company concerned moved out as it is 'For Let'. It appears obviously unoccupied and I'm not sure how the parcel would have been delivered as it is way too big to go through any normal domestic or business letterbox. I'm making some enquiries with the property company concerned.

[Stormproof]

The fault looks like it lays with the retailer as they gave you the incorrect information. As customer services stated they have fulfilled their contract to deliver to the address on the item. I still don't understand why you have'nt received the item back if your return address is on it.

[chippyw]

The fault looks like it lays with the retailer as they gave you the incorrect information. As customer services stated they have fulfilled their contract to deliver to the address on the item. I still don't understand why you have'nt received the item back if your return address is on it.

Ironically the manufacturer is part of the retailers's parent group, which I think is why they suggested returning it to the manufacturer rather than the retailer.

I appreciate that the 'legal' obligation to deliver the parcel has been fulfilled (If the parcel was delivered), but I'd hope that common sense and local knowledge would come into play when delivering a parcel to a company that has left the building (not part of a building, but the whole building) and the property is unoccupied.

Was I being naive sending an electrical product through the post and expecting it to get there ?

[Stormproof]

Was I being naive sending an electrical product through the post and expecting it to get there ?

No, obviously RM deliver 1000's of parcels containing all sorts of items everyday. You need to find out if the company had a mail redirection in place, if they have I'm sure you could claim as RM would've failed in providing that service. But ultimately as I said before the fault does lay with the person/firm who gave you the wrong address information. I know they've only moved 40 miles away but I doubt they would be in the same Delivery Office area.

[NewPostieUK]

If I'm given an item to post, I post it to the address on the item. It's not for me to find who is at that address, or if the property is occupied or vacant or whatever.
You can hardly blame Royal Mail for delivering it to the correct address, although I'm wondering how a kettle could be posted through a letterbox. Maybe there is a P739 (sorry you were out) card waiting inside the empty premises.

It's the fault of the person who gave the incorrect address, surely?

[chippyw]

If I'm given an item to post, I post it to the address on the item. It's not for me to find who is at that address, or if the property is occupied or vacant or whatever.
You can hardly blame Royal Mail for delivering it to the correct address, although I'm wondering how a kettle could be posted through a letterbox. Maybe there is a P739 (sorry you were out) card waiting inside the empty premises.

It's the fault of the person who gave the incorrect address, surely?

In those circumstances where would it go ? As a customer I don't know how the system works. Back to the Post Office ? I'm guessing it would go somewhere else after a period of time ? Apologies for my lack of knowledge, this is first time I've had a parcel go missing. The kettle was expensive (to me) at £35 so I'm loathed to write it off without trying to find out where it might be.

[P13]

If I'm given an item to post, I post it to the address on the item. It's not for me to find who is at that address, or if the property is occupied or vacant or whatever.
You can hardly blame Royal Mail for delivering it to the correct address, although I'm wondering how a kettle could be posted through a letterbox. Maybe there is a P739 (sorry you were out) card waiting inside the empty premises.

It's the fault of the person who gave the incorrect address, surely?

In those circumstances where would it go ? As a customer I don't know how the system works. Back to the Post Office ? I'm guessing it would go somewhere else after a period of time ? Apologies for my lack of knowledge, this is first time I've had a parcel go missing. The kettle was expensive (to me) at £35 so I'm loathed to write it off without trying to find out where it might be.

If you put your return address on it you should have got it back, maybe you should get in touch with customer services and ask why it has not been returned to you

[Stormproof]

If a 'we have something for you' card was left at the empty unit it may be still sitting on the shelf at the local Callers office. Sometimes if the staff behind the counter are constantly busy there is a delay in returning stuff. Items should be returned to sender after 3 weeks but as I say things can be missed. May be worth you contacting the Delivery Office for that area.

[Lounge Lizard]

If a 'we have something for you' card was left at the empty unit it may be still sitting on the shelf at the local Callers office. Sometimes if the staff behind the counter are constantly busy there is a delay in returning stuff. Items should be returned to sender after 3 weeks but as I say things can be missed. May be worth you contacting the Delivery Office for that area.

18 calendar days, not 3 weeks.

[Stormproof]

If a 'we have something for you' card was left at the empty unit it may be still sitting on the shelf at the local Callers office. Sometimes if the staff behind the counter are constantly busy there is a delay in returning stuff. Items should be returned to sender after 3 weeks but as I say things can be missed. May be worth you contacting the Delivery Office for that area.

18 calendar days, not 3 weeks.

thats what it is meant to be. I done a day in our callers office back in March and i gave out a parcel that had been on the shelf since before xmas

[chippyw]

Update - RM have refused compensation claim stating it was delivered.

How can they possibly know that it was delivered, it wasn't sent recorded/special delivery ?