How long does a company have to collect before the item is yours

[BubbySoup]

Haha, this reminds me of my mum and her free washing machine

Years ago my mum ordered a washing machine off a well known catalogue. Sure enough, within a few days it turned up. She had it fitted and that was that.

2 days later another washing machine turns up. The guy had already unloaded it and was in a hurry so asked my mum if it was ok to come pick it back up later. She never signed for anything. The following day the washing machine is still sat in the hall so my mum phones up the catalogue. No problem, we will pick it up tomorrow.

Tomorrow arrives and my mum answers her door to be met by a different guy - with another washing machine! My mum calmly tells him she already has 2 and doesn't want a 3rd. He is very apologetic and my mum signs the paperwork saying refused delivery.

Following day my mum phones and asks would they please send someone to collect the washing machine in her hall. A few minutes on hold and the lady comes back sounding very confused saying my mum must be mistaken as they already picked it up yesterday! My mum explains that the one returned yesterday was a 3rd machine, not the 2nd one. Mum is told this wouldn't happen, but she will look into it.

20 years later my mum is still waiting!

(6 months after all of this, my nan happened to get a lovely new washing machine just like my mum's)

 

[darael]

Myself, I'd give them a month after informing them, during which I'd contact them again, two weeks after first contacting them. Any company should be capable of collecting expensive goods within a month.

 

[Energize]

All the law says is a reasonable amount of time, I guess 4 weeks?

Nice.

Everyone wants something for nothing, right?

Nothing wrong or dishonest with that. Totally unhelpful reply.

 

[Skull]

All the law says is a reasonable amount of time, I guess 4 weeks?



Nothing wrong or dishonest with that. Totally unhelpful reply.

Reasonable would depend on the circumstances. Keeping a fridge in your house for 4 weeks would not be reasonable. Keeping a small-medium sized cardboard box for that time certainly would be.

 

[Mynight]

I would assume the resonable refered to the worth of an item.

£10 item a company most likely wouldn't notice. £500+ it's going to leave a dent.

Its a rather vague rule

 

[Energize]

I see some consumer websites saying 30 days but can't find an official reference for it.

 

[opstrat]

i would imagine size has to factored in also. what if you ordered a king size bed and you end up with 2. to hell with trying to store a king size bed in your house for 30 days. because someone messed up.

EDIT. didn't notice skull typed the same thing.

 

[Ilikeitblackplease]

what about costs of storage and you time.

 

[esoteric]

My, Mum bought one of those X5 steam mops, a day passes and another 1 showed up. I have no idea if she tried returning it but I do know my sister got it for Xmas.

 

[Deleted member 66701]

I got an extra Pipo M9 Pro tablet when I ordered one and two arrived. Told the company the same day to pick the "spare" one up. Week goes by, still not picked up so sent an email reminding them. Two weeks go by so I send a recorded delivery saying item will be disposed of if not collected within a week. Another week goes by (so 4 weeks in total) so I sell the tablet on for £10 less than I paid - so I effectively got a brand new Pipo M9 pro tablet for £10

 

[LOAM]

This happened to me with my mail order bride, they kept turning up. I tried sending them back but they claimed this never happens. The upside is my house is spotless and I eat well.

 

[Rexxar]

Chase it up & advise them of 21 days to collect, if your intent on keeping them... Think of it like this...

You get disciplined / sacked because of an error where you've cost the company goods... How would you feel?

 

[Rofflay]

I would keep it until i thought about someone getting sacked due to the error. How does OP know the person has not already been sacked though? Maybe he wants OP to keep the item for the sake of vengeance.

Which is the justification he is looking for, God i LOVE these threads!

 

[dpbadger]

I bought a Tricorn from Mike the Hat online. After I received the first one another one arrived. I called him up to let him know and he asked me to return it and he would then reimburse me the postage cost. It makes me feel nice inside and is good Karma and what I would hope someone would do for me if I did that by accident.

The hat is excellent as well, which is a bonus.

 

[Reality Bites]

Chase it up & advise them of 21 days to collect, if your intent on keeping them... Think of it like this...

You get disciplined / sacked because of an error where you've cost the company goods... How would you feel?

It's not that I'm intent on anything, I'm asking if anyone knows of the time I'm expected to store items before I can do as I wish with them. I can't be expected to keep them forever and I don't feel it's my responsibility to chase the store to collect them. I've told them of the error, what else should I do!!?

 

[noj]

It's not that I'm intent on anything, I'm asking if anyone knows of the time I'm expected to store items before I can do as I wish with them. I can't be expected to keep them forever and I don't feel it's my responsibility to chase the store to collect them. I've told them of the error, what else should I do!!?

if these were unsolicited good then you would be obliged to keep them safe for 6 months under that piece of law.

As these aren't, technically, there isn't a definitive answer.

So it would turn to the reasonableness test - given the value of the goods and the fact the supplier made a genuine error what is a reasonable length for you to go to? Unfortunately the reasonableness test is subjective and so you can't really get a definitive.

Given that they're £300 it would be reasonable for you to spend some effort in telling the shop and keeping them safe. I would say at least 60 days, keep records of your actions so if you then do decide to dispose of them you have evidence that you tried your best to return them

 

[Participant]

So much fail in this thread from people responding to the thread they wanted it to be rather than the one it actually was, just as an excuse to get the pitchforks out. Read the exam question carefully people.

 

[Cosimo]

So much fail in this thread from people responding to the thread they wanted it to be rather than the one it actually was, just as an excuse to get the pitchforks out. Read the exam question carefully people.

Maybe you should put yours away.

 

[Mat]

Maybe you should put yours away.

Participant has a valid point and it happens all too often. I wonder how many of these doomsayers talk to people in the same way face to face? Not many I bet but the security of their monitor allows them to exercise their holier-than-thou attitudes with less risk.

 

[Surfer]

OP the answer you are looking for is

approximately 8 months - 1 year.

After that if still nothing then its yours. Just basing this on a court case a while back of a similar situation. Mind you, you still have to tell them you have it and you want it collected etc.