Parcel dilemna

[jenniren]

When we got back home late afternoon yesterday we found a card from Yodel the courier peeps on the mat saying as we were out a parcel had been left under a bush. The thing is we're not expecting parcel deliveries right now so feeling rather curious we had a look round and there it was. Quite apart from thinking it's the most stupid place to leave stuff, it's right by the front door and would have been ruined if it had stayed there for long, what if we'd been away

Anyway the address is correct but it's for a person nobody in our little close knows. Also there's no senders address, just what looks like a scribbled postcode which I've managed to find on Royal Mail's postcode/address finder, but no phone number. It looks like the sender lives in Dudley so not just round the corner and without a name I can't find a phone number or I'd ring and let them know what's happened.

I'm not prepared to ring Yodel on their premium rate number or try to repost at goodness knows what cost and hope I've got the right address. I think it would be sensible at this stage to open the parcel and check if there's full sender details inside. That way we could contact them and let them decide how they wish to proceed. E on the other hand being ex Royal Mail (you can't tamper with the mail that sort of thing) is averse to opening the package and would just let it sit there indefinitely. So here's the dilemma, what would you all do?

[tonicha]

Open it and see if you can out who sent it.

If E does prevail, send it back to Yodel - let them sort it out.

[TheOstrich]

It's "wrong" to open post addressed to another person, but it's not breaking the law unless you are acting maliciously, according to this: (Citizens Advice Bureau)

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/wales/con ... s_mail.htm

Even though it's Yodel, not Royal Mail, I'd be inclined, as they say, to put "not known at this address" on it and simply put it back in the post or take it to your local GPO.

If it's too big for a pillar box, and the Post Office won't accept it, then I think you'd be within your rights to open it to see if there's a senders' addy, but that might lead to additional complications ........ I think what I would do if the GPO refuse it is simply keep it safe in our garage, without opening it, and leave it there for a few months to see if anyone follows it up?

[molly]

I would probably open it and see if there is anything in there to indicate who sent it.

We received one of those Humax YouView boxes from BT, addressed to us but we hadn't ordered it. I rang them and asked for a returns bag. They never sent it and it is still sitting in our cupboard under the stairs about 18 months later. I suppose I can open it up and use it now.

[jenniren]

It's definitely too big to put through a letter box Ossie, hence the courier leaving it outside. As it was sent via Yodel and not Royal Mail E says they won't accept it.

As for Yodel, the website is very unhelpful, the only way to contact them is through a premium rate number and much as I feel for the people sending/expecting this parcel I'm not prepared to spend money and time trying to get through to them.

[molly]

Jen, I found this on the MoneySavingExpert forum. The number is a free one.

28TH JAN 2014 - HOW TO DEAL WITH NON-DELIVERIES
There are LOTS of people who have issues with non-deliveries and also who struggle with the customer service. Here are 2 FREE ways with dealing with it:

1) Call Yodel on 0800 157 7777, option 1, option 1, put in the 8 digit code as 12345678 (as this is not a valid code) then when it asks you to repeat do the same number, you will then be put through to a PERSON as the automated line can't take you getting it wrong twice in a row. From there they are actually fairly helpful and even gave me the drivers number & I harassed him until he delivered the parcel (I was at work and he even called me as he handed it over to my neighbour so that I knew it was safe & where it was).

2) Complain to @YodelOnline on Twitter and they sort it out for you pretty quickly as public criticism on a popular public site is bad. I DM'd them at their request and were good at chasing and updating me.

This being said, I was still very VERY unhappy with their general lack of service and the amount of faff I had to go through to figure these solutions out. I was shocked that they hadn't rung my doorbell OR left a slip for me. The above was a quick and (relatively!) painless process in the end.

[Diflower]

Yodel have a very bad reputation as couriers.

I'd typed out about using fb to contact them but molly's reply is much more useful

[pollR78]

oh hope you get it sorted, I would try the above phone number and if it doesn't work I would probably open it and see if I could find details of who to send it too. If not id probably bin it, the recipient will no doubt contact the company and be re-sent the item!

(I know I have been re-sent lost items previously)

I got home last night to a card through my door saying a parcel had been left 'behind seat' - what seat? front or back garden as there is nothing there! The usual delivery man leaves things in my blue recycle wheelie bin but must have been someone else - I haven't ordered anything! have emailed them to find out as no phone numbers for hermes couriers! argh!

Anyway sorry for going off-topic! Hope you find out who it is for!

Poll

[meriad]

personally I'd open the parcel and see if there is an indication who sent the parcel and then contact them to see if they can sort it out

[debih]

personally I'd open the parcel and see if there is an indication who sent the parcel and then contact them to see if they can sort it out

So would I.

Plus curiousity would have gotten the better of me!