@ParcelHero Unreliability from Parcel Hero

[BankFodder]

Parcel Hero is generally a very decent company. However, when they get it wrong they get it wrong big time.

 

I'm still waiting for a parcel containing various items which I ordered from a company in London. Because of the Christmas rush I paid extra for the courier service. In fact instead of paying about £16, I paid over £40. It should have been delivered next day.

 

Starting off in the UK, my goods were sent to Germany - then to France then back to Germany then back to France. Now they are in France - with no tracking information as to when they might eventually get to me. I have been hanging around for three days - and looks like a 4th is coming up.

 

My queries were being handled by a very nice sounding guy called Richard Mileham - Then I got this reply from a guy called Tej Thanjal

 

________________________________________

Type your response ABOVE THIS LINE to reply

 

Subject: Shipment Query : 1Z7E524X0444594798

________________________________________

DEC 18, 2014 | 02:08PM GMT

Tej Thanjal replied:

 

Hi there

 

We have been advised by the carrier UPS your shipment is out for delivery today.

 

Unfortunately there was a delay on your shipment, and I do wish to apologize for the inconvenience caused .

 

Kind regards

Tej Thanjal

 

Then when it still didn't arrive and I said that I would want my money back, Tej wrote back:-

 

Unfortunately as our contract is not with you but the sender of the parcel, we are not in a position to offer you a a refund I am afraid.

 

Kind regards

Tej Thanjal

 

What a small minded quibbling little reply. Does this seriously represent the customer-facing attitude of Parcel Hero?

 

 

I replied:-

In that case you had better look at this UK Act of Parliament - http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1999/31/contents which gives me as the third party and the beneficiary of the contract the right to sue you for breach of contract – which I can do easily in the County Court as a small claim.

 

I’m very sorry to find that your first position is to quibble when clearly you haven’t done what was promised under the contract – and you still haven’t.

and I'm now waiting for a response

[BankFodder]

Here is a warning to people.

This - "our contract is not with you" quibble, is a trick which is used by companies which do not want to step up to their proper responsibilities. This excuse is used by poorly trained sales staff who think that they are doing a good job for their companies - but in fact they are not. This "get-out" phrase is used commonly by holiday companies, restaurants and of course courier and delivery companies. The fact is that the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 put and end to this sort of nastiness about 15 years ago. Unfortunately, most ordinary consumers don't know about it and they get bullied by companies which should know better into accepting poor quality service without any redress.

[rebel11]

These are the contact details for the founder:- 'Roger Sumner-Rivers on 07818 066359 or email roger@deliverplus.co.uk Roger will be happy to discuss your'. Not sure how current they are.

[citizenB]

People should also complain to the companies that use these couriers - hopefully sufficient disgruntled customers will ensure that companies will either put pressure on the courier to up their game, or will change courier company.

[Parcelhero]

Hi Bankfodder,

 

I'm very sorry for any stress and frustration which has been caused.

 

I've picked this up with the customer service team here and they should have emailed both parties involved with a resolution.

 

If you have any other issues or queries please feel free to reply to this thread or email the service team directly.

 

Kind Regards

 

Tim

[BankFodder]

Hi Bankfodder,

 

I'm very sorry for any stress and frustration which has been caused.

 

I've picked this up with the customer service team here and they should have emailed both parties involved with a resolution.

 

If you have any other issues or queries please feel free to reply to this thread or email the service team directly.

 

Kind Regards

 

Tim

 

Thank you for this. Very much appreciated. However, I see that the business has received an email from you refusing a refund on the basis that he could have insured the delivery cost but he decided not to do so. Is this your answer?

 

I certainly have not been emailed with any resolution, so maybe your correct procedures are not being followed.

 

I'd like to point out that that if this is your position, it would be unlawful as it is contrary to the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regs. 1999 as updated - specifically sch.2 1(b)

(b)inappropriately excluding or limiting the legal rights of the consumer vis-à-vis the seller or supplier or another party in the event of total or partial non-performance or inadequate performance by the seller or supplier of any of the contractual obligations, including the option of offsetting a debt owed to the seller or supplier against any claim which the consumer may have against him;

 

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1999/2083/schedule/2/made

 

It is not possible that one pays someone to carry out a service and then has to insure against the service not being carried out.

 

I have only asked for a refund of my delivery fee - not compensation for the frustrating waste of 3 days waiting. I think that I am being pretty modest in my request.

If this went to a small claim I would add a figure for the delay as well.

[BankFodder]

In fact - correction. My bad. UTCCR applies only to consumer contracts. However as a matter of law, you cannot charge someone for a contractual service and then tell them that they have to be insured in order to be reimbursed if the service is not carried out.

[BankFodder]

Forgot to say that the item arrived last night. 9.00 pm.

[BankFodder]

In fact Parcel Hero have now refunded me the entire cost of the delivery.

A shame that they had to turn it into such a saga.

[BankFodder]

RVT - new thread - http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?440313-Parcel-Hero-problem