Tesco Home Delivery Service Fiasco

[okokok]

When the Tesco driver arrived, I went out to sign for the shopping and instructed him where to leave it (in an area by my side porch).

 

He refused and informed me that he had to watch me take the shopping into my home.

Under no circumstances would I find it acceptable to be "watched" as I carry my shopping into my home.

I find that creepy to be honest.

 

I explained that I was in the middle of an important call and that I wanted it leaving where I directed.

 

He then drove off with our urgent shopping leaving us, disabled and housebound and the animals without food.

 

I have now been charged a delivery fee for shopping that was not delivered through no fault of my own that so far Tesco is refusing to refund.

 

We have had absolutely no problems with Asda who are always wonderful and helpful.

This experience with Tesco has been awful, even throughout the complaints process.

 

This is what I have received back from the executive complaints team today:

 

"Our drivers are unable to leave orders in a safe place, and do require a signature.

This is explained in our Terms and Conditions which you accepted when you opened your account.

I’ve copied the relevant information below.

 

“All goods must be signed for on delivery by an adult aged 18 years or over.

Tesco follows a "Think 25" policy, so if the person receiving the goods looks under 25, proof of age will be requested.

If proof is not available and there is no-one of that age at the address when delivery is being made, the goods may be retained by the driver.

 

 

If we attempt to deliver your order to the delivery address as arranged with you but there is nobody at the delivery address to accept your order, the driver will leave notification of attempted delivery and you will need to contact our Customer Service Centre to re-arrange delivery (see below for contact details).

 

In these circumstances, if we have to return to deliver the goods, a further charge may become payable provided that delivery is attempted at the agreed time.

 

Whilst we make every effort to deliver all your goods in the agreed time, we will not be liable if we fail to do so in part or in full due to circumstances beyond our control.

 

I hope this helps explain things further."

 

There is no mistaking either of us for under 25.

 

Any input?

Edited September 27, 2017 by okokok

[unclebulgaria67]

When i have had a Tesco delivery, they do wait until you have taken them and signed as having received what was ordered. They confirm whether any items could not be supplied or an alternative item supplied instead.

 

When you submitted your order, you agreed to Tesco delivery conditions and if you found their delivery a problem, then in future you either agree with Tesco to alter delivery due to any issues you have or you shop elsewhere.

 

Whilst Tesco might seem to have acted unfriendly to you, they have stuck to their delivery conditions. Not much you can do. The driver followed their company policy. Tesco are not known for their flexibility.

[steampowered]

There is nothing in the T&Cs extract they've given you which says the driver must watch you taking shopping into your home!

 

Though to be honest I do find it very strange that you didn't want to take the shopping into the house.

[unclebulgaria67]

On my first Tesco delivery, i took the goods at the door and signed for them. Because it was a first delivery the driver explained about the delivery service in some detail. They even sat waiting in their delivery van outside for 10 minutes, just in case i had a problem when checking the items. On subsequent deliveries they did not bother waiting outside, so i expect waiting outside is just on the first delivery.

[Isiris]

I dont meen to sound rude, or harsh, but

 

You wanted them to leave the shopping and you would fetch it in...

 

...But he then left you disabled and housebound?

[AndyOrch]

Its a delivery...like any other delivery...you must receive/sign ..accept/check and take in...Liability is then yours if there is an error.

[okokok]

There is nothing in the T&Cs extract they've given you which says the driver must watch you taking shopping into your home!

 

Though to be honest I do find it very strange that you didn't want to take the shopping into the house.

 

Exactly. It was to be signed for and left on my private grounds where I needed it to be.

 

We disabled creatures have our strange habits - ;-)

 

In this instance, we have found it best to have our shopping left by the discreet side door (which is never a problem for any other delivery company).

 

This means that we have a sense of calm, no rush.

There is no excessive standing or communicating with the delivery driver as although we are grateful - it can cause some quite harsh symptoms by overdoing it.

Can take breaks getting it in if need be.

And it means that my dogs don't get over excited as its all happening in an orderly way, which is also a big help.

 

We have just found it works best that way. Delivery drivers also often get irritated or frustrated at the speed some disabled folks go so this way it allows them to be efficient.

 

Really shocked by Tesco and so far their refusal to refund me my delivery fee.

 

Its a delivery...like any other delivery...you must receive/sign ..accept/check and take in...Liability is then yours if there is an error.

 

All my other deliveries go smoothly. Asda do not require a signature.

 

However as stated, we were happy to sign and accept liability. We told the driver where to leave the shopping, but he refused and drove off.

 

When i have had a Tesco delivery, they do wait until you have taken them and signed as having received what was ordered. They confirm whether any items could not be supplied or an alternative item supplied instead.

 

When you submitted your order, you agreed to Tesco delivery conditions and if you found their delivery a problem, then in future you either agree with Tesco to alter delivery due to any issues you have or you shop elsewhere.

 

Whilst Tesco might seem to have acted unfriendly to you, they have stuck to their delivery conditions. Not much you can do. The driver followed their company policy. Tesco are not known for their flexibility.

 

Tesco were hostile. I have closed my account with them and will now go out of my way not to shop there. This was a rather distressing experience and they haven't even apologised.

 

Its interesting that Tesco are known for not being flexible. Fortunately Asda are fantastic.

 

I genuinely mean that. They have given us the best delivery service that we have ever received.

 

This was not our first delivery from them and the previous few deliveries went without hiccup. I assumed at first it was the individual driver however after speaker with team leaders and management they state that the previous deliveries that we had without a problem should not have happened like that! Go figure.

 

On my first Tesco delivery, i took the goods at the door and signed for them. Because it was a first delivery the driver explained about the delivery service in some detail. They even sat waiting in their delivery van outside for 10 minutes, just in case i had a problem when checking the items. On subsequent deliveries they did not bother waiting outside, so i expect waiting outside is just on the first delivery.

 

That's freaky.

 

This was not my first delivery, on my first delivery, all was straight forward and they followed the instructions. Thank God that never happened. Tesco are freaks.

 

I can't read or even look at my my own post now because of my neurological symptoms. I did little bite sized replies to individual members and they have been amalgamated into one huge multi quoted post. It literally makes me sick and nauseous, dizzy and hurts my eyes to look at it. I can't even re-read it to check what I wrote.

 

I am upset about this @Team. That is because it is limiting my capacity to join in with the forum and effectively excluding me because I am disabled.

 

Do you have a disabled moderator, advocate or spokesperson? I know I won't be in the mods good books now but what has effectively happened here is a helpful soul has taken up a wheelchair ramp because it was cluttering the room.

 

I dont meen to sound rude, or harsh, but

 

You wanted them to leave the shopping and you would fetch it in...

 

...But he then left you disabled and housebound?

 

 

Isiris sorry I don't fully understand where you are coming from. Would you rephrase it a different way? No offense taken.

[Ethel Street]

Point out to Tesco that as you are disabled they are legally required to make 'reasonable adjustments' for you under the Equality Act, and for reasons you have explained what you asked seems like a 'reasonable adjustment. However Tesco only have to do this if they knew you were disalled. Did they? Or did you tell the delivery driver?

[okokok]

Point out to Tesco that as you are disabled they are legally required to make 'reasonable adjustments' for you under the Equality Act, and for reasons you have explained what you asked seems like a 'reasonable adjustment. However Tesco only have to do this if they knew you were disalled. Did they? Or did you tell the delivery driver?

 

Thanks Ethel Street.

 

I did not know that. But yes, that is exactly what is happening here - reasonable adjustments.

 

I didn't mention it (as everything has always run smoothly and we have never had a driver behave this way before).

 

However notably, we both certainly told every single advisor, team leader and Manager about our disability when trying to re-arrange the delivery as it was explained to them how they had left us without food and without the ability to get out for any more.

 

Management simply refused to agree to leaving the shopping where we wanted it leaving on our property and said they would not be doing that (even though their previous drivers had and Asda have no problem doing it). It had been our hope that they would have forced the driver to come back immediately with our shopping!

 

We made an immediate order with Asda, and they delivered our shopping the next day for us, following our instructions left on the door. Great service. I think Asda are known in particular for being helpful and considerate to disabled people. They have made quite a few pioneering disabled policies.

 

The only reason we were trialling Tesco a few times is you can sometimes get the deliver slot faster and we were in urgent need. The irony.

 

To make matters worse, we are now several emails in with Tesco management and they have been flat out refusing to return the delivery fee, let alone compensating us!

[sgtbush]

Point out to Tesco that as you are disabled they are legally required to make 'reasonable adjustments' for you under the Equality Act, and for reasons you have explained what you asked seems like a 'reasonable adjustment?

 

 

No it doesn't.

Imagine the headline....

Tesco delivery driver dumps shopping in porch to leave vulnerable disabled shopper to drag it into the house.

 

They followed the terms and conditions of delivery. Whilst I sounds a bit of a jobs worth sticking so closely to the terms, they are sticking to the terms.

 

A reasonable adjustment would be if the terms said we deliver to the door and for a disabled person we will deliver to your fridge.

Not the other way round.

Edited September 28, 2017 by Andyorch
edited

[unclebulgaria67]

Thinking you are wasting your time with Tesco.

 

I have had a few dealings with them over the years. As a company, they are extremely aggressive with other businesses they deal with. As a customer, if you raise any issue with them such as overcharging, they will often not respond at all. I have emailed them a few times on a few issues, with no response.

 

Other shops like Iceland are brilliant in responding. I bought a product in Iceland that had a minor issue, so i emailed them and received an apology, with a voucher for much more than the item price. The issue was very minor, that the packaging was not very good, so the food was stuck to it.

[okokok]

No it doesn't.

Imagine the headline....

Tesco delivery driver dumps shopping in porch to leave vulnerable disabled shopper to drag it into the house.

 

They followed the terms and conditions of delivery. Whilst I sounds a bit of a jobs worth sticking so closely to the terms, they are sticking to the terms.

 

A reasonable adjustment would be if the terms said we deliver to the door and for a disabled person we will deliver to your fridge.

Not the other way round.

 

 

"A reasonable adjustment would be if the terms said we deliver to the door and for a disabled person we will deliver to your fridge." That is also a narrow minded, inaccurate assumption to make. I, as THE disabled person don't want some bloke trampling through my home to my fridge. If he is even wearing aftershave/deodorant this can set off my allergies - this is just another example for you of invisible disabilities and how little people understand. Just the forced communication and length of time it would take him to bring the shopping in on some really bad days, can make my disease worse.

 

Which is why I do it in stages, at my own pace, in my own way with some bloody dignity. Instead of the driver just driving off with my shopping and Tesco charging me for the privilege.

 

I say what is helpful to me as a disabled person, not what able bodied people think should be helpful to me.

 

However said headline should read - "Tesco - followed instructions left on porch door and accommodated their paying customers".

[AndyOrch]

Lets keep on topic and keep this civil please.

 

Regards

 

Andy

[sgtbush]

So don't use Tesco's. Your choice. Vote with your custom.

I'm trying to show you that their are more than one side to a story. If you cant see that then you lack empathy.

The statement saying tescos need to make reasonable adjustments under the equality act is playing the disabled card. They already have made ajustments.

Ps I'm disabled aswell

[okokok]

Thinking you are wasting your time with Tesco.

 

I have had a few dealings with them over the years. As a company, they are extremely aggressive with other businesses they deal with. As a customer, if you raise any issue with them such as overcharging, they will often not respond at all. I have emailed them a few times on a few issues, with no response.

 

Other shops like Iceland are brilliant in responding. I bought a product in Iceland that had a minor issue, so i emailed them and received an apology, with a voucher for much more than the item price. The issue was very minor, that the packaging was not very good, so the food was stuck to it.

 

Interesting to read your experience of Tescos. It is true they will only change if they have a heart to. The manager I spoke to was heartless. I wonder why this particular company is so bad?

 

I too have had great experience with Iceland.

 

And just recently I had the luxury of trialling Ocado which was next level They even gave me some beautiful, free oven gloves just as a thank you for shopping with them. I just needed some oven gloves too.

 

So don't use Tesco's. Your choice. Vote with your custom.

I'm trying to show you that their are more than one side to a story. If you cant see that then you lack empathy.

The statement saying tescos need to make reasonable adjustments under the equality act is playing the disabled card. They already have made adjustments.

Ps I'm disabled aswell

 

"Playing the disabled card" is a disgusting thing to say - N.B. Mods I am criticising that phrase not the poster so I would not understand why that should be removed.

 

What adjustments have Tescos made?

 

If you are disabled then you could choose to support other disabled people, using your empathy skills, instead of trashing my efforts.

 

"I'm trying to show you that their are more than one side to a story. If you cant see that then you lack empathy." Tescos are at fault here. Acknowledging that fact does not mean that I lack empathy.

 

Tescos lack empathy.

[sgtbush]

Tesco are not at fault tho.

The comment made on a newspaper headline is to show how it would be sensational journalism.

I do support disabled people and fight where a wrong is done.

But we are not owed a living or realistically special treatment.

Even under the equality act.

The equality act is NOT about treating everyone the same.

It is giving everyone the opportunity to get to the starting line as such.

[okokok]

Another reason I would not want a delivery man in my house is

 

1) I would not trust him to be in my home without supervision.

 

2) Supervising the delivery into my home, it is possible, that I could collapse. For example, I just got up from my computer, just now, went into my kitchen, and collapsed. I had to lie there for 5 minutes.

 

Going back to "dignity", I like to do my collapsing in private. And I wouldn't want the delivery man tutting saying I was "playing the disabled card".

 

 

Therefore a reasonable adjustment for me, is to have my shopping left on my property where I know it will be safe, so that I can take it in, in stages, at my convenience (just like any other shopper).

[steampowered]

I am sorry but I think you are on to a loser here. It is reasonable for Tesco to want to make sure they are delivering to the property which paid for the order as an anti-fraud measure.

 

I think this will be a situation where if you don't like Tesco's policies you will need to shop somewhere else.

 

The only ground you have for requesting a refund of the delivery charge is that there does not appear to be anything covering this situation in Tesco's T&Cs. It could be worth pointing this out to have a go at getting the delivery charge refund, though in reality I think they are unlikely to give you the delivery fee back.

[AndyOrch]

Playing devils advocate...what would happen if Tesco delivered your new UHD Television ? Leave it outside at the side of the porch ?

 

Same principle.

 

Andy

[sgtbush]

I wouldn't try playing devils advocate. Some people are inept of seeing it as a contract with terms and conditions and when those T&C do not suit the company is at fault

[okokok]

I am sorry but I think you are on to a loser here. It is reasonable for Tesco to want to make sure they are delivering to the property which paid for the order as an anti-fraud measure.

 

I think this will be a situation where if you don't like Tesco's policies you will need to shop somewhere else.

 

The only ground you have for requesting a refund of the delivery charge is that there does not appear to be anything covering this situation in Tesco's T&Cs. It could be worth pointing this out to have a go at getting the delivery charge refund, though in reality I think they are unlikely to give you the delivery fee back.

 

"It is reasonable for Tesco to want to make sure they are delivering to the property which paid for the order as an anti-fraud measure."

 

Well that was covered when we went out, spoke to the driver and tried to sign for it!

 

However other delivery drivers see the instructions left on the door for them personally and follow them. It is rather simple. When ordering, I type in the further comments section "Follow instructions on door please"

 

 

 

I am not onto a loser, because I have closed my account with Tesco. My disabled friends are also boycotting them (just to support me).

 

It is quite a substantial yearly amount Tesco has lost. Since we all just try and get everthing in one weekly shop. At £100 - £200 plus each (for a family shop), that is tens of thousands of pounds.

OK I know it won't break Tescos. But Tesco have lost out.

 

Playing devils advocate...what would happen if Tesco delivered your new UHD Television ? Leave it outside at the side of the porch ?

 

Same principle.

 

Andy

 

yes, that would be fine and safe to do. Since Tesco requires a signature, I would sign, accept liability, and tell them where to leave it.

 

I have received this reply along with offer to refund delivery charge, for a delivery that did not occur.

 

"

Thanks for your reply. It doesn’t state the driver should watch you, however it does say “if our driver believes that it is safe and practical to do as you request”. I’ve also spoken with our Grocery Business Support team who said delivering the shopping is always at our drivers/stores discretion".

 

As I am sure you have guessed, it is the principle of the thing here.

So the drivers assertion that he must watch us take the shopping inside - is not in t&c

 

BUT that is a big get out clause disempowering customers "delivering the shopping is always at drivers discretion". Especially when the driver applies zero common sense.

 

Lets see, there are approximately 3 to 10 deliveries here per week. (Amazon, Littlewoods, Asda, Royal Mail packages etc.) All following the instructions on my porch door. All running smoothly.

 

The problem was with this individual delivery driver. And this was compounded by Management, especially when they had an in depth picture as to what had happened, disability, and the distress it caused.

 

Just remembering one of the arguments management used to support the drivers assertion that he must watch us take in the shopping.

 

We had some frozen, raw meat in the shopping for the dogs. The manager claimed that if we were not watched taking our shopping in, we may just leave the shopping outside! What if at some point in the future (weeks) we took it in and the meat was off.... they could be liable LOL

 

Couldn't make this stuff up. Big Tesco.

[Ganymede]

okokok, can we ask what your disability is please?

 

Is it a recognised disability?

[okokok]

Yes, it is a recognised physical disability! Why do you ask?

[Haunter]

Hello okokok,

 

“at the driver’s discretion” is not a term or condition of that contract info you posted up on page 1!

 

You have clearly said that you wanted to sign for the delivery and told the driver where to leave it, on your property at the side door, you did not refuse to sign for the delivery!

 

So, the driver should have unloaded your groceries at the side door where you were going to sign for it.

 

Then, as you say, you and your husband could have brought in your on-line shopping at you own pace and time so as to limit the stress on your disabilities!

 

I would say that the driver was a not nice type of person!

 

as you say, it’s Tesco’s loss! Stuff ‘em!

 

Shame on you Tesco.

 

Whatever disability okokok and her husband suffer from is irrelevant and private anyway.

 

 

Haunter

[okokok]

Thanks @Haunter.

 

 

I notice a fundamental fairness to Asda's T&C's compared to Tescos:

 

Asda:

3.2.1 Our Site invites You to buy goods from Us. Once You have placed an order on the Site We will send You an order acknowledgement by email setting out what You have ordered and the price of Your order. This is not an order confirmation or acceptance from Us. A legally binding contract with You will only arise once We have completed Delivery of the goods to You or You have completed Collection of the goods from Us. At this time You become the owner of the goods. This means that You will have no legal liability in connection with Your order until Delivery or Collection (as applicable) is completed.

 

 

Tesco:

Your order is an offer to buy from us. A contract is only formed when we notify you that we have despatched your order

This is how they are getting away with not delivering customers shopping (as it depends upon the whims of the individual drivers) and charging customers a fee for it.