House of Fraser [online] and UK Mail ...

[foreverautumn]

I needed to return a substandard item to HoF [House of Fraser - online] and being housebound, the item had to be collected. It was booked for Thursday this week ... the courier being UK Mail. They never turned up. HoF didn't know why. UK Mail didn't know why either.

 

I was told to phone this morning to find out when [or if] they would collect today. HoF couldn't contact UK Mail from 9am until 1pm. When they did finally get through to them, they were able to let me know that a driver would pick up between 1pm and 3pm today. Driver arrived at 3.20pm. I asked for a receipt. He didn't have his receipt book on the van. So I said I'd need to phone the company as I wasn't handing over a valuable item [worth £160] without a receipt. He took off and never came back.

 

I phone HoF who initially told me ...'they don't do receipts'. That fact seems to change with each person at HoF I've spoken to since. One of their reps at one point, when they couldn't organise the collection suggested that I leave the parcel on the front door step if I didn't want to be further inconvenienced and 'someone' would pick the parcel up eventually. I asked the rep in question if she would be willing to leave something of value on her doorstep for collection ... to which she answered 'no she wouldn't'.

 

So was I right to insist on a receipt? I order online all the time and I would never dream of returning an item with a courier if they didn't give me some sort of collection acknowledgement. Because if the item went missing in transit, I'm sure neither HoF or UK Mail would take responsibility and I'd be left out of pocket by £160.

 

The final phone call of the day was with someone from HoF's 'Customer Service High Level Complaints Team' who again stated that they didn't do collection receipts. However on this occasion, he said they would be willing to give one to the driver who was apparently going to pick up the item on Monday and he could hand it in to me.

It's an ongoing issue. God knows when it will be resolved. I've made a formal complaint. But I wanted to know if others feel I was right to refuse to hand over the item when I wasn't given some form of receipt for same.

 

The item in question was a canteen of gold cutlery btw.

[Disgruntled consumer]

I think you were right. I'm amazed that they just collect items with no proof of collection at all.

 

However, if you encounter this again, if possible, get all the agreements in writing by email so that if the courier does not give a receipt, you have it in writing that this was the policy of the courier and accepted by the retailer.

 

The other option if you have it, is to sweetly say to the courier that, for your peace of mind, s/he obviously wouldn't mind posing with said item for an album snapshot.

[foreverautumn]

I think you were right. I'm amazed that they just collect items with no proof of collection at all.

 

However, if you encounter this again, if possible, get all the agreements in writing by email so that if the courier does not give a receipt, you have it in writing that this was the policy of the courier and accepted by the retailer.

 

The other option if you have it, is to sweetly say to the courier that, for your peace of mind, s/he obviously wouldn't mind posing with said item for an album snapshot.

 

 

You know I laughed when I read the last portion of your comment but after today, I'm seriously considering this as an option. :o)

 

After HoF promising to send a fax to UK Mail of a receipt that the driver would give me when collecting the parcel ... it all went horribly wrong. Again.

 

The Driver turned up [his first day on the job apparently] and did not have any receipt for me. I explained the situation and he phoned his boss, who told him that he should have had a receipt book on his van [talk about deja vu] but he didn't. He offered to 'post me a receipt' in the future.

 

So I still have the parcel. And consequently no refund. HoF keep insisting that if the item goes missing in transit they'll accept liability. I've told them if that's the case they can put it in writing in an email. Then I'll happily hand over the £160 item ... without getting a receipt. Contacted Trading Standards today and they recommened same.

 

To be continued I suppose. House of Fraser [& UK Mail] .... Never again. *shudders*