Not signed for by me!

[cycle cat]

I ordered some stuff from an internet company last
week. They emailed me a number to track it on line.
I went on the dispatch company's website.
It seems my parcel has been signed for in my name
on Wednesday when I was at work. I didn't sign for it and
I have no parcel.
Now I've got to contact both companies to find out
what the pigging hell has happened.
Hopefully they'll send out some more stuff.
Aaaargh!
Disgruntled cat.

[Alex L]

We lived in a very secluded area so we often found they would sign for it themselves and just leave it by the door. Was good for us but not so good if you have no parcel... you have any neighbours that might have signed for it?

[cycleruk]

Besides the neighbors, have a look round outside.
We had a parcel left in one of the re-cycle bins.

[Vorpal]

I have some firends who lost an expensive new camera this way. They eventually got their camera, but it took them several months of wrangling with the company.

~Good luck getting your stuff!

[thirdcrank]

As others have suggested, check for an innocent explanation. Ensure you comply with any conditions for delivery imposed by the vendor in their T&Cs such as immediate notification of any problem. If you don't get immedediate satisfaction from the vendor - your contract is with them afaik, not the carrier - Wtite to them, retaining a copy, explaining what has happened and what you require of them to put it right. If you have any doubts at all, contact Consumer Direct
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Dl1/Directo ... /DG_195948
which is the point of contact with your local consumer protection department.

[Russcoles]

I had this happen with a mini trangia stove. It had been put through a window I left open and I didn't find it down the back of my tumbledryer for a couple of months. The replacement came very swiftly.

[cycle cat]

Normally if our neighbour signs for a parcel she's round with it the next day.
We have checked the sheds, bins and around the garden but no sign of it.
It shouldn't be easy to lose; it contains my new panniers among other things!
Have contacted both companies. I await a reply.
Fingers crossed!
Cat.

[gaz]

.

[vjosullivan]

I live in a small 'village'. Half a dozen houses and a petrol station - with a shop - at the end.

I came home one day to find several stacks of pornographic magazines stacked on our driveway. Turns out the delivery driver was told: "You can't miss it. There's only one garage in the village."!

[JohnW]

I've been through this. I now have a system whereby I only buy by post from establishments that use Royal Mail. If we're not in the house when they try to deliver, they leave a note and I can collect from the local sorting office, which is only about three miles away.

I've never had a problem using this method. I phone the vendors and ask - if they don't use Royal Mail, I don't buy.

I don't 'internet' shops as such.

This does restrict my purchasing a little, but in my experience, it's worth it. I've lost items in a similar way to Cycle Cat, I've had things left outside in the rain and snow and found them ruined, a neighbour had a break-in on the strength of passing thieves knowing they were out because there was a parcel on the step for a long time - and Parcel Force - I won't tell you about my experience with them!!!

I hope yopui get it sorted, but if you're asked for proof, what will you do.........?

Let us know how you go on.

[JohnW]

I suffered from a bit of a delivery faux pas a couple of years back on an internet order. I can't remember the courier company involved, it definetly wasn't DHL.

An e-mail arrived confirming my goods had been delivered to my address, but no goods, so I e-mailed back.

A further e-mail came back with a picture of the front door it had been delivered to, the problem being that it wasn't my front door, nor did it belong to either of my immediate neighbours. An e-mail expalining all this was then sent back in reply.

A new e-mail arrived, the picture turned out to be of the door where delivery had been attempted but the goods had in fact been left at a different house (they told me which one) and a "left with your neighbour" card had been popped through the letter box of the mystery door.

Since it turned out they'd managed to get the street right I called in on the way home. The owners of the mystery door had already tried to claim "their" package. Fortunately they'd accepted it was a mistake once they'd been shown that the package wasn't addressed to them even though the card had been put in their letter box.

I particularly remember that the courier wasn't DHL because that's who the owner of the mystery door works for.

Somewhat embarassing but I did get my goods and an apology.

A particularly nasty one, that Gaz.

[cycle cat]

Update- my parcel has been delivered (after a fashion)!!!

A very nice lady brought it round this morning. My parcel had been delivered to her house, Rose Cottage.
This is in the same road as mine but my house has a number.
Her plumber signed it in my name! If either party had been dishonest it would have gone forever!

It seems that the delivery company thought it was the right address or "near enough" as they didn't leave me
a card saying "your parcel has been left at blah".
I have emailed the internet company and informed them of this. Hopefully they will have words with the delivery company.
I'm still not sure how a male plumber could have got away with signing Mrs. Smith, but there you are.

Anyway, the parcel was a bit dented but the contents are ok.

[thirdcrank]

Whenever the retailer's site asks what to do if I am out, I put "All neighbours are very helpful" which is true, and avoids the presumptiousness of saying "try number XX." We take a lot of parcels in for neighbours and it's all part of being good neighbours, IMO. I've probably mentoned before that the only bike I ever bought main order arrived while I was out and a very helpful delivery driver knocked on every door in the street till he found somebody in several doors away who stored it in their garage till I got home. Better than having to mess about arranging redelivery or going to a depot. It's a frequent comment from drivers that in many areas, people will not take in deliveries for their neighbours.

Good to hear you had a good result.

[cycle cat]

I am relieved! Specially as the items were all Christmas presents.
I've already had an email from the company concerned.
I think I'll only deal with companies who use Royal Mail.
At least if we're out we can collect parcels from the local
sorting office which is four miles away.
If I'd had to collect this one it would have been a forty mile
round trip!

[karlt]

I live in a small 'village'. Half a dozen houses and a petrol station - with a shop - at the end.

I came home one day to find several stacks of pornographic magazines stacked on our driveway. Turns out the delivery driver was told: "You can't miss it. There's only one garage in the village."!

Were they any good?