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Couriers - Again?

Your views please.

I ordered some special components from an engineering company in East Anglia. Very efficiently they produced the goods and sent them via Initial City Link.

Due to the vagaries of the Initial City Link system, this company was only able to include the first part of the postcode. Unfortunately the road I live on has the same name in two villages within the same (initial) postcode area and there are two houses with the same number.

I have not received the components (I was working from home all day when they claimed they were delivered), yet Initial City Link say that they were delivered and they have a signature (which they have faxed to me). The signature is not mine (and is in fact spelt wrong) but they are just happy that they have a signature.

I haven't paid for the goods (there was an invoice with them) so the current state is that:

  1. The engineering company is out of pocket
  2. I am without my goods
  3. Initial City Link are saying "not my problem" they have been delivered and we have a signature, even though I have told them it is not my signature and I don't have the goods.

I imagine that this is not a unique situation, but (apart from never using Initial City Link again) what have others done to move the situation forward? The problem is that I need the goods, but the company (its only a small firm) will not produce any more until they have been compensated)! However Initial City Link are saying, we've deliverd and we have evidence. An impasse!

Of course, I am just the recipient so whilst it is my problem, I do not have the contract with Initial City Link.

I should say that I am pretty certain know which house they have probably gone to, but having had ambulances and police at my house (in error) when the "other" house was having a "domestic" I am loathe to visit them!

Cheers

Peter

Reply to
puffernutter
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We regularly have delivery problems, as a) we're a bit out of the way, & don't appear on some A to Z type maps b) there's an almost identical address a mile away, which *does* appear on the A to Z though the postcode is obviously different.

I've had stuff (books) which has evidently been literally thrown over their gate & left out in the rain until they could be bothered to bring it inside. I had one expensive item which was delivered to them in error, they had left it outside for a week or so then put it in their garage (it was heavy) & done nothing about it. It was only when I called round there 'just in case', after the carrier said it had been either lost or delivered, they weren't sure (!) that I discovered it. The other people must have had some idea who it was for but had done nothing about it.

My opinion of carriers generally is very poor, the quality of service is largely dependent on the quality of the driver with very little interest taken by the office staff, and I have had several bad experiences with In*tial C*ty L*nk, one only last week.

I sympathise with your position, it's not made easier by the contract being between the carrier and the supplier, they often don't want to deal with the recipient. I think that if the supplier can't get anywhere, you're going to have to go knocking on doors :-(

Cheers Tim

Dutton Dry-Dock Traditional & Modern canal craft repairs Vintage diesel engine service

Reply to
Tim Leech

number.

Sadly all you can do is advise the manufacturers that you have not received the goods, and when the signature is produced as evidence refute it with your evidence of the other address. If they won't re-supply then you will have to go elsewhere but then tell the new supplier that you will only accept goods from a carrier that does use the full postcode (saying why).

AWEM

Reply to
Andrew Mawson

Seems to me that Initial City Link's system doesn't work properly - it can't resolve address ambiguities. Since they're using an inadequate system, and patently screwed up the delivery, they must surely be liable, at least in part. If the courier wasn't chosen by you, and if you provided your full postcode to the manufacturer, then the manufacturer might also be liable for choosing a supplier with an inadequate system. Either way, or in whatever combination, I don't see how you could be held to be liable.

If the delivery contract is between the manufacturer and the courier, and the manufacturer, through their agent, has failed to deliver the goods, then so far as I can see, you have every right to refuse to pay. If the manufacturer refuses to play ball (they got you into this mess and have a moral obligation to get you out), then I'd be tempted to tell them to shove it, and go elsewhere.

Has the manufacturer spoken to the courier about it? Have they seen your real signature, and that on the delivery paperwork? If so, do they claim that they're the same signatures? (Do they look similar, at all?)

Reply to
Wally

The situation is simple, although that doese not make it easy. You have ordered goods, they have not been delivered. The company supplying them chose the carrier, and it is their responsibility to ensure they arrived with you. If there is a problem with the courier it is their problem.

This doese not, of course, get you your parts. If the supplier will not despatch new ones (or get the courier to sort it out) you have no choice but to go elsewhere for the parts.

Regards Kevin

Reply to
Kevin Steele

Get on the phone to City link Head office!!!!!

Ask for there internal (Police Lost parcels Fraud Department) and give him some stick.

The same driver will do the same run each day, get them to go and get the goods from where he/she left them and you go to the depot and pick them up.

If this doe's not work ask the supplier to call in the police this will not please the depot or Head office (or plod for that matter) but I bet the goods turn up!

Ten years in transport and glad to be out of it !!!

Regards Derek

Reply to
Derek Peters

I've just checked the parcel I received last week via I* c* L*.

It had been returned twice to the sender as undeliverable, third time it arrived by 9am next day.

The City Link label doesn't carry any postcode at all, but this time the sender had handwritten the full address with postcode & phone numbers next to their label, though the phone numbers weren't needed. My understanding is that they made him pay again for the repeat 'deliveries'

Tim

Dutton Dry-Dock Traditional & Modern canal craft repairs Vintage diesel engine service

Reply to
Tim Leech

Sorry to hear about your experience. I hope you get it sorted out.

My father had a rather expensive clock damaged by Initial Citylink. The local driver seems to be a nice, helpful, friendly guy, and I've never seen him mistreat anything, but someone in their system does.

I've had problems with most couriers at some point. The only courier I haven't had a problem with is UPS, but I think they charge a lot.

Best wishes,

Chris

Reply to
Christopher Tidy

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