The curious case of the missing microwave...
Discussion
So here we go, read on if you wish....
Ordering a new bedside table for our bedroom, which was part of our house being refurbed, I was disappointed that on the day of delivery we opened up the box and found that the unit was damaged. I was straight on to the company we purchased from who to be fair where responsive, apologised and said that they would send out a new unit on next day delivery.
So the saga begins....
The delivery driver arrives, gives us our new one and picks up the old one but guess what, we open up the new one and it is more damaged than the previous one ! Now obviously getting frustrated I phoned the company again for them to apologise, arrange to send me another replacement but this time they told me to just dispose of the current unit.
So, here it gets good.
The next day the delivery driver knocks on the door and hands me a box which clearly isn't the bedside unit, because it is half the size and has a picture of a red Russell Hobbs microwave on it !!! I explain to the driver that I didn't order this but he says he cant take it back, it is better I keep it and speak to the company and off he goes.
So, back on the phone with the company and they apologise and agree to send out a new bedside unit the next day which this time duly arrives and is ok !!
However, no mention of the microwave and what we should do with it, no request to return it or dispose of it but you can guess what is going to happen here. 5 months later an email arrives from the company noting that they realised that they have sent us a microwave by mistake and asking me to return it.
Now, here is the thing. I cant find it and I don't know what we have done with it. We were doing a lot of refurb work and had lots of boxes / packages that were in the garage, loft, disposed of etc. I have searched high and low and cannot find it anywhere - very frustrating and I accept my mistake.
I have explained this to the company, stating that I cant find it, not even sure if I have sent it back or disposed of it but they have started to demand payment for it and have said that I need to pay them £100 or they will take further action. In pushing back on this I have asked them to confirm what the make and model was, as obviously I could be being asked to pay for a microwave that is worth £30 but they have said that they don't know the make and model, they only know that it was a Russell Hobbs microwave and that they have looked at their website, taken an average of the costs of these and came up with £100 !!
I said I think that this is absurd, they cant just make up a price but they are insiting and not backing down, althought they have dropped their request to £80.
I am going to have one more look this weekend, pull the loft and garage out and check, but what is the feeling here. If I cannot find it should I just accept it is my mistake and pay the £80 ? If I dont then what steps could they take ? I dont want to take this further and see it ending up in the Daily Mail, man loses house over £80 microwave, but in the same way I dont want to pay this amount of money when, whilst accepting my mistake, I dont know what the actual value of the microwave was.
So, really long story, hopefully it makes sense. Welcome any thoughts !
Ordering a new bedside table for our bedroom, which was part of our house being refurbed, I was disappointed that on the day of delivery we opened up the box and found that the unit was damaged. I was straight on to the company we purchased from who to be fair where responsive, apologised and said that they would send out a new unit on next day delivery.
So the saga begins....
The delivery driver arrives, gives us our new one and picks up the old one but guess what, we open up the new one and it is more damaged than the previous one ! Now obviously getting frustrated I phoned the company again for them to apologise, arrange to send me another replacement but this time they told me to just dispose of the current unit.
So, here it gets good.
The next day the delivery driver knocks on the door and hands me a box which clearly isn't the bedside unit, because it is half the size and has a picture of a red Russell Hobbs microwave on it !!! I explain to the driver that I didn't order this but he says he cant take it back, it is better I keep it and speak to the company and off he goes.
So, back on the phone with the company and they apologise and agree to send out a new bedside unit the next day which this time duly arrives and is ok !!
However, no mention of the microwave and what we should do with it, no request to return it or dispose of it but you can guess what is going to happen here. 5 months later an email arrives from the company noting that they realised that they have sent us a microwave by mistake and asking me to return it.
Now, here is the thing. I cant find it and I don't know what we have done with it. We were doing a lot of refurb work and had lots of boxes / packages that were in the garage, loft, disposed of etc. I have searched high and low and cannot find it anywhere - very frustrating and I accept my mistake.
I have explained this to the company, stating that I cant find it, not even sure if I have sent it back or disposed of it but they have started to demand payment for it and have said that I need to pay them £100 or they will take further action. In pushing back on this I have asked them to confirm what the make and model was, as obviously I could be being asked to pay for a microwave that is worth £30 but they have said that they don't know the make and model, they only know that it was a Russell Hobbs microwave and that they have looked at their website, taken an average of the costs of these and came up with £100 !!
I said I think that this is absurd, they cant just make up a price but they are insiting and not backing down, althought they have dropped their request to £80.
I am going to have one more look this weekend, pull the loft and garage out and check, but what is the feeling here. If I cannot find it should I just accept it is my mistake and pay the £80 ? If I dont then what steps could they take ? I dont want to take this further and see it ending up in the Daily Mail, man loses house over £80 microwave, but in the same way I dont want to pay this amount of money when, whilst accepting my mistake, I dont know what the actual value of the microwave was.
So, really long story, hopefully it makes sense. Welcome any thoughts !
Delivery bloke lied. Of course he could have popped it back on his van.
Did you tell them in your phone calls that they had managed to deliver some random microwave? If Yes, what did they tell you to do with it? Refer them back to those calls.
If not, then rather than relying on obscure stuff about unsolicited goods, might be worth doing a quick google for Russell Hobbs microwaves, sorting by price, and sending the cheapest one you can find to the account office, or whoever is being an arse about this
Make sure you get delivery tracking...
Did you tell them in your phone calls that they had managed to deliver some random microwave? If Yes, what did they tell you to do with it? Refer them back to those calls.
If not, then rather than relying on obscure stuff about unsolicited goods, might be worth doing a quick google for Russell Hobbs microwaves, sorting by price, and sending the cheapest one you can find to the account office, or whoever is being an arse about this
Make sure you get delivery tracking...Have they got proof that it was delivered? Did you sign for it?
I'm not suggesting you do anything underhand here, but the first thing any court will ask for is proof of delivery. And I doubt they'd bother going to court for £100 with no proof you'd actually received it.
So, despite you being in conversation about the microwave, ask to see proof of delivery so you can check it's your signature, etc.
I'm not suggesting you do anything underhand here, but the first thing any court will ask for is proof of delivery. And I doubt they'd bother going to court for £100 with no proof you'd actually received it.
So, despite you being in conversation about the microwave, ask to see proof of delivery so you can check it's your signature, etc.
Send an invoice for storage of microwave at £20 per month - £100 total. Once paid you’ll return it.
In real life I’d go into their corporate website/companies house and find details of owner/ceo/directors - email them directly explaining what’s happened and watch the problem disappear.
In real life I’d go into their corporate website/companies house and find details of owner/ceo/directors - email them directly explaining what’s happened and watch the problem disappear.
Mr Pointy said:
SpeckledJim said:
Enormous Fluke!
I charge £20 a month for storage of other people's stuff, so you owe me the same £100 that you say I owe you!
Do you think that will work retrospectively if the OP hadn't advised them of this eight months ago? I charge £20 a month for storage of other people's stuff, so you owe me the same £100 that you say I owe you!
"For £100 I can't be arsed to tackle this nutter. Let it go. It was our f
k-up in the first place."Gassing Station | The Lounge | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff