What does 'delivery' mean?

[JOEYSHABADO]

Call me old-fashioned, but I remember one time long long ago, when I used to post things, and then someone would go to someone's door, knock on it, and hand it to them. NOW....repeatedly, Royal Mail, Big Couriers, etc, come to my door and just leave stuff there! Are they fulfilling their contract by doing this? What if the stuff gets nicked? Or if I'm a business and the client says 'I didn't get it'???

[Top totty]

Its not good I know.

I recently ordered an expensive digital camera from the internet and it was sent recorded delivery and needed a signature.

The morning it was delivered I was busy with my baby daughter and did not hear the door. The delivery man clearly knew I was in so deceided to leave it at the front door but that morning there was window cleaners down the road, I am not saying that they would have stolen it but I did not know it was there until the afternoon and I certainally had not signed for it. I doubt I would have been believed if it had gone missing and would have had a battle to prove I had not received it.

[JOEYSHABADO]

and the courier could nick it and just say 'must have got nicked on the doorstep?'...Couriers......grrrr.
Mail service in my old neighbourhood had a much better idea. They would put it in the large black protective containers outside my house. 'IT'S A BIN!' I would point out, to no avail.
Not sure what the legal argument is here though.

[cassimer]

I had the same problem with a dvd writer. First the company claimed they had delivered it - rang and rang and after 3 days found it at the warehouse. Gave my number again and offered more directions, but courier didnt call and left somewhere in my town, but definitely not with me. The original company gave me a refund which was funded by the courier company. Grrrrr...! Wasted weeks of my time!

[Guinevere]

It's best to check with the company you're ordering from and what their definition of delivery is.  Some will let you give instructions to leave the goods round the back/in the shed etc which I think is a bit too vague. 

Delivery generally means inside the property so on the doorstep won't do (this has happened to single women I know with washing machines etc - how are they supposed to move it then?!)

Royal Mail recorded and special delivery requires a signature from someone in the property.  If it's just normal mail I guess they can leave it, but it's a bit naughty.

If the company sending stuff out by courier doesn't insist on a signature then don't chance it!

[FP]

We had all the components for a new computer set up dumped on our doorstep by the delivery man  and then about two days later my new mobile phone was also just left.  I was actually standing behind the front door just about to unlock it as I had seen the delivery van arrive.  He just put in on the doorstep without bothering to even knock. 

[Gem123]

I had some clothes delivered for my boyfriends birthday. Knowing full well i neither of us would be home i ticked the tick box on the delivery form that said please leave with a neighbour knowing that my friend nextdoor would be in only to be called up by said neighbour to say that the delivery company had left my package next to the bin in three inches of snow. Luckily my kind neightbour took the package in!

 

So just goes to show even if you give them strict instructions they still dont know how to deliver!

[Insane Wally]

We had a couriers note through our door this week, the box was ticked next to 'goods left at', & they had written 'Wendy's house'. We sat there for about 5 minutes trying to think of all the neighbours names, when we suddenly thought to look in my daughters wendy house, and there it was.  The courier had scaled a 6 foor fence to leave it in my back garden, I don't think I agree with clamboring over fences, but at least my parcel was safe.