A couple have been in a nine-month fight with couriers UPS after the delivery service left a £250 camera in their recycling bin – only for it to be emptied the same day.
Kerry Holmes and Jonathan Nobbs ordered a camera for their daughter Imogen as a Christmas present to use on her photography course.
But the order went drastically wrong after the camera was left in their recycling bin – which was then collected and taken away.
The family say they’ve been involved in a battle with UPS ever since in a bid to get compensation for their loss, but say their complaint has fallen on deaf ears.
Kelly, 45, who lives in Lincoln, said that UPS told her its parcel tracking shows the parcel was delivered to the front door, yet the delivery note stated it was left in the bin
Kelly, 45, who lives in Lincoln, said that UPS told her its parcel tracking shows the parcel was delivered to the front door, yet the delivery note stated it was left in the bin.
She added: ‘Late on December 15 we found a delivery note lodged in our wood pile, saying the parcel was in our brown recycling bin.
‘The note was dated December 13. We were horrified as our bin had been emptied earlier that day.
‘After more than seven months of fighting this – even though the courier from Lincoln’s UPS parcel service put our parcel in the bin and it was taken away and destroyed – UPS had refused to take responsibility and refused point blank to compensate us for our £250 loss.
‘So, apparently, they think it’s fine for them to fail to deliver goods worth £250 and they will not compensate us at all. Goods are not safe in their hands.
‘We have since had to buy another camera for our daughter as she was falling behind with her photography.
‘However, we were left £250 out of pocket, not counting the camera bag that was also part of the order.
‘We are astounded by the total lack of regard UPS have for their customers and feel we have been treated appallingly.’
Imogen said she was upset she did not get a camera for Christmas.
She said: ‘I was upset. I was really looking forward to receiving it.’
The family’s problems seem to centre around the process for making a complaint with items which are not correctly delivered.
UPS initially told the family they needed to take the matter up directly with E-global as the ‘contract’ to buy the camera was with them.
That company is then supposed to raise a complaint with the courier in order to obtain a refund.
Kelly says they tried to contact E-global on a number of occasions, but the company failed to act.
UPS initially told the family they needed to take the matter up directly with E-global as the ‘contract’ to buy the camera was with them
She said: ‘We understand that the legal position requires E-Global to raise a complaint with UPS but this does not seem to sufficiently protect the customer.
‘E-global have no motivation to resolve the issue because they have received payment. Finally, there appears no authority that we can refer our complaint to in order to reach a resolution.’
A UPS spokesperson said: ‘In certain situations, drivers are authorised to release a package into secure locations that are out of sight, clean and protected from the elements.
‘In this instance, the package should not have been left in this location. UPS takes the delay or non-delivery of any shipment extremely seriously, and we would like to apologise for any upset and distress this may have caused.
‘Our customer concerns team has been in touch with the relevant parties to resolve the issue.’
However, it now appears that UPS is willing to pay £250 compensation.
Mrs Holmes said that her husband Jonathan, 43, received a phone call from UPS on August 9 confirming the company would compensate them after recieving a phone call from a local paper.
She said: ‘It seems to me to be no coincidence that UPS ignore us and refuse to compensate us and then when a journalist gets involved they suddenly offer to pay.’