Anyone Know Legal Situation for Rejected Goods?

[Scunner]

I know you have the right to return anything without reason if you bought it online but I wondered if anyone knows the position for this particular situation?

I ordered a rather smart keyboard for iPad which was delivered and when I opened it, was not the one I ordered. It was nice, but quite different. I decided it wasn't what I wanted and contacted the firm who were actually very good - they apologised (although I am sure they know damn well they aren't sending what people ordered) and said they would send a return label by email and arrange for a refund.

Well, the refund came in no time at all (via Paypal). But I never heard from them again. No return label, no request or query as to why I haven't returned the keyboard.

The refund was made almost exactly two months ago. I guess the question is, when can I keep the keyboard

[Liz 101]

For some online companies, the admin costs of receiving returned goods, far outweigh the item involved. I did some work for an online stationers a while ago & their policy was to tell the customer to keep the item, the only exception being computers / laptops & the like

[loz]

Our neighbour has a similar problem, she is worried, why? told her to give it to me and I will post it   

[Lotty]

Many years ago my son bought and received the wrong laptop, he did the same as you Keith and the company said they were on to it and someone was coming to collect the other one, I can't remember exactly why but he received 2 replacements. He did the right thing again and it was all very polite and pleasant, but those 2 extra laptops were never collected. It's difficult because you can't 'do' anything with them - just in case! After about a year he permanently 'loaned' one to a friend and kept a spare. Unbelievable.

[Scunner]

Yes I think Liz is right and I have had several items that went faulty and they just said bin it - but in this case it was them who said they'd send a return label. All quite odd.

[IanK]

Keith,

I think you have 2 choices:

Sit on it a while and hope they have forgotten - but who knows for how long
OR
Write to them telling them if its not collected in a reasonable period of time (say 14 days) you will dispose of it as you see fit.

The latter gives you the comfort of knowing after 14 days its yours, but will of course remind them if they really want it back.

Ian

[KKOB]

I seem to remember from watching one of the consumer programmes many years ago that they have 6 years to claim the goods. However, if as Ian suggests, you write to them and give them a deadline, and they miss it, you have the right to keep the goods.

[bewva]

My mate had a dishwasher delivered, it was damaged so they sent another and despite a few calls they failed to collect the damaged one so he gave it to his brother.

[loz]

Keith,

Sit on it

He will break it.

[WordBird]

A couple of Christmases ago we received a case of wine from The Times Wine Club.
We hadn't ordered it - although we did have an account with them after taking up some special offer or other - and thought it was a gift from Mr WB's dad.

It wasn't, so I called The Times Wine Club and was told it had been delivered in error and was meant for the person below us in their alphabetical database...  :
They told us to leave it outside at the rear of our house and they'd send a courier to collect it.

So we did, wrapping it in black bin liners. We put it in the garage on the day the bin men were due, then put it out again. This went on for a couple of months before we stopped leaving it out. After six months we thought "Sod it", opened the box and drank the contents. (Not all in one go!) A very nice red it was too, retailing at round £20 a bottle.

Six months after that I got a call from The Times Wine Club asking if I was aware that I had about £125 sitting in my account. Turns out that not only hadn't they collected the original mis-delivered case that I hadn't ordered, they'd then refunded me for it when I rang up!