I recently posted an Item with parcelhero.

Went thought the normal process, entered weights into the website etc.

Collected and delivered by UPS.

A week later I received an email-

We sorry to inform you that UPS has audited your shipment and found that the weight or dimensions you provided to us was inaccurate and this has affected the billable weight that was used to calculate the cost of your shipment.

UPS has audited your shipments billable weight as follows:

 

Original billable weight : 22.50 kg

Audited billable weight : 44.50 kg

Billable weight difference : 22.00 kg

Cost difference : £ 58.34

 

Please find attached your adjustment invoice for the difference in costs. You don't need to do anything further, the funds will be deducted from the payment method you originally used in the next 7 working days.

 

We appreciate that you may not have been expecting to receive another charge for your shipment and you may be frustrated that this has occurred. If you believe the UPS audit is incorrect, we will be happy to help you appeal the charge with UPS.

 

Appealing the audited weight

 

Reply to us within the next 5 days to appeal the charge.

We will not take any funds until we have concluded the appeal.

We will investigate and revert back with the exact weight and dimensions audited by UPS and ask you to provide evidence to refute the carrier's audit.

 

A massive difference.

I emailed to say I'm appealing, and they replied asking for evidence of the parcel size.

I don't have any now its shipped and delivered (a week before contacting me).

The part

You don't need to do anything further, the funds will be deducted from the payment method you originally used in the next 7 working days.

Is a little worrying, but I paid through papal so they have just issued an invoice.

What can I do?

If I dont pay, can they issue a default or pass this on to a DCA?

Did they ask you for the parcel size initially, or just its weight?

Can you get the recipient to weigh it (or at least measure the shipping container).

Is the issue it's actual weight or "dimensional weight"?

https://www.ups.com/content/gb/en/resources/ship/packaging/dim_weight.html

Was your payment to UPS or to parcelhero? (as a prelude to : is your contract with UPS or Parcelhero?

Dca are powerless not bailiffs

No bogus debts like this do not appear on crf files

Did they ask you for the parcel size initially, or just its weight?

Can you get the recipient to weigh it (or at least measure the shipping container).

 

Is the issue it's actual weight or "dimensional weight"?

 

https://www.ups.com/content/gb/en/resources/ship/packaging/dim_weight.html

 

Was your payment to UPS or to parcelhero? (as a prelude to : is your contract with UPS or Parcelhero?

Payment was to parcelhero.

The parcel weighed less than 10kg, but because of the size the 'volumetric weight' was 22.5kg.

I entered both into the website and they quoted me on the largest i.e volumetric weight of 22.5kg.

UPS audited the parcel and determined the volumetric weight was different to what I paid for. (it was apparently bigger than what I told them)

Payment was to parcelhero.

 

The parcel weighed less than 10kg, but because of the size the 'volumetric weight' was 22.5kg.

I entered both into the website and they quoted me on the largest i.e volumetric weight of 22.5kg.

 

UPS audited the parcel and determined the volumetric weight was different to what I paid for. (it was apparently bigger than what I told them)

Did you measure it, or 'guesstimate'?

If you underestimated by 20% out on each dimensiuon, that'd do it .....

12.5 cm x 12.5 cm x 12.5 cm: 1953 cm cubed.

10 cm x 10 cm x 10cm : 1000 cm cubed.

Does the recipient still have (/ can un-flatten / reconstruct) the shipping outer for it to be measured?.

Dca are powerless not bailiffs

No bogus debts like this do not appear on crf files

I just received the following email, so it sounds like they can enforce this debt?

Surely the first step is to establish if you even owe it, before considering enforceability by DCA's.

Or do you now believe you understated its dimensions?

no such thng as a legal debt collector

none have any legal powers they are not bailiffs!!

My own thinking is that if the item was not as described and under paid it should have been returned back to the sender, or at least email the sender if they still wished it to be delivered and pay the extra postage cost

My own thinking is that if the item was not as described and under paid it should have been returned back to the sender, or at least email the sender if they still wished it to be delivered and pay the extra postage cost

Except that ParcelHero's T's & C's state otherwise.

ParcelHero act as the sender's agent, booking it with the courier.

The courier will bill ParcelHero for the audited weight (or volume / "dimensional weight"), if the details supplied by the initial sender are wrong,

ParcelHero's T's & C's make it clear they will pay the courier and seek the extra from the original sender.

The key isn't what should have been done if the parcel was underestimated (since the T's and C's are clear), or if DCA's can enforce (because if they can't but it is owed, ParcelHero could).

The key issue is "was the size as the OP stated, or as UPS assessed it"?

Those TAC are quite explanatory as express terms, difficult to mitigate. I hate to say it might be best to pay up and move on in my own opinion