Missing Device on Delivery

[CraigUsher]

Hey there,

I recently arranged to have Full Fibre 500 installed and was sent the Smart Hub 2 and two Essential Digital Home Phones. However, in the delivery from Royal Mail (which was delivered a day early), there was only the Smart Hub 2 and one of the phones.

The packaging also seemed burst or ripped open, I am unsure if you can see that in the picture I have attached, which was taken by the postman as proof of delivery.

I don't know if I would need to contact a department in BT regards this or if I need to contact Royal Mail.

If anyone could help me with this, I would be most grateful.

[Andy005]

Hi @CraigUsher 

You need to contact BT as the shipping agent is their responsibility. Also, it's worth checking with them if they have sent one digital phone or two, the second may arrive separately. Is there a shipping note listing the contents?

[VeteranISPUser]

Hi @CraigUsher   Just checking that they haven't substituted the two Essential Phones with one Advanced Phone with Alexa?

[gg30340]

Keep in mind the delivery is not made until you have received it. Leaving a parcel on your doorstep and taking a photo only shows the that the delivery person took a picture of the parcel on your door step.

While I am not saying this happened but what is to stop the delivery person taking the photo then remove an item or even take the whole parcel plus what is to stop a passer by taking it.

Until you have taken possession of the parcel or you instructed the delivery company to leave it on your door step or some other place it remains the property of the sender and the delivery is not complete and any loss is their problem not yours. You do not need to try and find out what happened to the missing item. The loss of any item or parcel is between the sender and delivery company.

This ridiculous practice of leaving items on the door step and taking a photo came about during Covid and has now become the norm the delivery companies.

Make a complaint and demand that your order is completed.    

[DanielS]

Hi @CraigUsher,

I am sorry if the second Essentials phone seems to have vanished during delivery.

You may notice this on your box but as a default we instruct the delivery company with the following
Safeplace: Please leave out of sight/under cover (e.g. with neighbour)

Leave out of sight and under cover

That is supposed to be honoured each time if you aren't there for delivery. I am sorry that it wasn't for you.

I'm going to send you a private message so we can talk to you about this.

Thanks,

DanielS

[gg30340]

---

@DanielS wrote:

Hi @CraigUsher,

You may notice this on your box but as a default we instruct the delivery company with the following
Safeplace: Please leave out of sight/under cover (e.g. with neighbour)

Leave out of sight and under cover

That is supposed to be honoured each time if you aren't there for delivery. I am sorry that it wasn't for you.

---

How can it be up to the delivery person to decide what is a safe place or if the neighbour is a person the recipient would like to leave a parcel with. 

While the above is some sort of safe guard and an easy way out of repeated deliveries for the sending company it still does not count as delivered unless the instruction to leave in a "safe place" or "with a neighbour" with information as to where the safe place is or who the neighbour is has come from the recipient of the parcel. 

Delivery of a parcel remains the responsibility/ contract between the sender and the delivery company until the parcel has been safely received by the recipient. The recipient is not part of that contract unless they have been expressly invited to become apart of it by being asked if the parcel can be left else where and they have agreed to that. 

Many companies do seek that permission during the ordering process or while the parcel is out for delivery such as when the delivery person texts to say when the delivery will take place and if the recipient would, in the event of them not being at home at that time,  like it left in a "safe place" or with a neighbour. 

In any event I'm sure that the moderators will resolve the problem if any part of the order is missing.

[pottyperson]

You've hit the nail on the head @gg30340 . But, irrespective of the legal and administrative provisions, I despair at the behaviour of some deliverers, having had occasion to take in parcels left on my neighbours' doorstep in full view of any amateur tea leaf passing by a few metres away. I suspect pressure from their employers not to comeback with failed deliveries might have a lot to do with it.

[DanielS]

I haven't disagreed with you at all @gg30340.

When you say "Many companies do seek that permission during the ordering process or while the parcel is out for delivery such as when the delivery person texts to say when the delivery will take place and if the recipient would, in the event of them not being at home at that time,  like it left in a "safe place" or with a neighbour." we are one of those companies.

This is going off on a tangent.

@CraigUsher we will do all we can to help you.

Thanks

DanielS

[PaddyB · Accepted solution]

Hi @CraigUsher,

I gave you a quick call, I'm sorry I didn't get to speak to you. I can see that the replacement phone arrived yesterday.

I'm really sorry that this was missing from the first delivery. I've dropped you a PM as well, if you need anything else, please feel free to drop me a message.

Thanks,

Paddy