DHL Parcel mislabeled during customs clearance and sent to the wrong address

[NPLondon]

Thanks for the revision.

 

The other odd thing is that the recorded delivery letter I sent to the alleged recipient has never been signed for -  the tracking simply states 'we've got your item' although it was sent 1st class on Wed 22nd - it's now the 28th.  So I can only conclude that it was refused 

[NPLondon]

claim letter sent as an email with signed PDF attached. Now waiting for a response....

[NPLondon]

1 hour ago, BankFodder said:

Send a letter directly to the recipient based on the suggestion I have made a couple of posts ago.

 

does it make sense that I include a hard copy of the german post office receipt and the image showing that my parcel was signed for at his address under my tracking number? It would at least validate why I'm in touch with them

[NPLondon]

22 hours ago, BankFodder said:

I suggest that you register with money claim online and start drafting your claim. And get ready to click it off on day 15.

You can save your work so that you can post your draft claim here. You find there is a character limit. I expect that we can fit it in to the limit that they give you if we avoid narrative

 

Started the claim procedure so it's now sitting there under 'claims history'. I'll post a synopsis so you can advise on what edits might be required

[NPLondon]

Latest reply from DHL Parcel UK: 

 

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Thank you for your email of 28 January 2020, the contents of which have been noted. As this is, at your request, open correspondence, it is useful to recap the chain of events. 

 

Firstly, you are not the Sender and therefore have no contract with DHL Parcel UK Limited. In fact, the Sender has no contract with DHL Parcel UK Limited, either. The Sender entered into a contract with Deutsche Post AG in Germany to send the Shipment to you in the UK.

 

Secondly, Our investigations have found that for some reason, a Shipment number was duplicated, probably in Germany with the result that the Shipment shared the same shipment number as one destined for Newcastle. Because DHL Parcel’s system assigns delivery information to the first shipment delivered, this led to the Newcastle shipments details being attached to the Shipment number. Because your Shipment was not delivered first, by the time it came to scan it, an error arose which then initiated normal processes for the return of the Shipment to the Sender.

 

Thirdly, at no point was the Shipment mis-delivered to the Newcastle address or lost. In fact, subsequent investigation revealed that the Shipment had been returned to Germany. Unfortunately, Germany (being a major hub for various DPDHL) networks is currently experiencing a backlog. Our current information is that the Shipment is awaiting processing to be returned to the UK, where DHL Parcel UK will then undertake to deliver the Shipment to you. 

 

Fourthly, in my email of 23 January 2020, I did make it clear to you that I would update you as soon as I had more news to share. It is regrettable that one of the consequences of repeatedly making queries with different people is that sometimes the ‘latest’ information is not the ‘best information’ and that this sometimes leads to misunderstandings that then cause anxiety in certain personalities. It was clear to me that information given to you in response to each of your queries in all good faith represented a ‘what we know at the time’ picture of events and this was the reason why, in my email of 23 January 2020, I specifically stated that I would update when I had solid information to share. 

 

So, in the interests of absolute clarity, the position of my email of 23 January 2020 has not changed. Your Shipment has been confirmed to be as being in Germany. Unfortunately there is a 13 day backlog in Germany that my German colleagues are working through but they have confirmed that as soon as they have processed it, the Shipment will be returned to the UK whereupon I will arrange its delivery to you. I am hopeful that I will get the Shipment sometime next week.  If there are any changes to the above in the meantime, I will contact you as soon as practicable.

 

For the sake of completeness, I’ve been asked to convey to you that any legal action will be vigorously defended and on that basis, you should know that as a recipient, you have no locus standi, as any contract would be between the Sender and Deutsche Post. In any event, the Shipment is not lost or damaged, so there is no identifiable loss that could be recovered in court. Your insistence on open correspondence means that you are hereby put on notice that you are now aware of your legal position and the Court will be made aware of this. In the event of our successful defence of any legal action by you, we also put you on notice that we will sue for our costs to the fullest extent permissible at law. 

 

I do not wish to end this email on a needlessly adversarial note. My focus is in getting the Shipment to you as soon as we receive it. The next week should hopefully resolve matters to your satisfaction. I would therefore be grateful for your patience and forbearance until then.

 

 

[NPLondon]

Perhaps a new tracking number wouldn’t be a bad start. It must have some form of identification adhered to the parcel so they locate it within the 13 day DHL parcel mountain 

[NPLondon]

I sent this email to follow up, let's see if they have a new tracking number, and it's not a duplicate...

 

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Without trying to get into a game of ping-pong with you, if I sue you in contract I would be relying on the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act either in respect of the DHL contract with the sender – or else in respect of the contract that DHL UK has with their German partners.

In addition to that there is the question of negligence and that seems to me to be a suitable fallback. Furthermore, you had better explain to whatever legal advisor you are using about the small claims rules relating to costs.

My main complaint, as you well know, apart from the chaos of the DHL systems, is that you are not keeping me up-to-date.

Keep me up to date then I will feel more relaxed about beginning an action against you. Perhaps a revised tracking number would be a good start -  I’m assuming the parcel must have a new one so that you understand where it is in the DPDHL system? I can also forward this on to the sender who is also concerned of the three weeks that this parcel has been in transit. 

I shall hold off issuing an action for the moment in view of your latest information. Keep me updated and keep me confident and there won't be much problem.

 

[NPLondon]

Perhaps a new tracking number wouldn’t be a bad start. It must have some form of identification adhered to the parcel so they locate it within the 13 day DHL parcel

Edited January 30, 2020 by NPLondon

[NPLondon]

Latest news:

 

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Good evening Nicholas

Just checking in with you to update you .The team in Germany have now located your item and are preparing it for return to the UK , as soon as I am given a shipping number I will inform you of this. I have had it sent to myself at our head office so that I can make sure it comes direct to you once I have it in my hand .

 

 

[NPLondon]

 

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3rd Feb 2020

 

I am pleased to inform you that your parcel is now with our Dartford delivery centre in the hands of one of our regional operations managers . Could you please let us know where and when you would like it delivered tomorrow and he will ensure this happens.

 

Again can I just say we are really sorry about your experience with DHL       

 

Richard Wenham

Head of Operational Support  

 

 

[NPLondon]

28 days after the parcel was 'delivered' it finally was delivered to me at 10.02 on the 4th Feb.

 

The official story is that it had a duplicate tracking number which meant it was undeliverable and was the reason why it was returned to Germany. This despite having a legible address. 

 

No one knows how or why this happened but it's been a lot of work from all sides to get this tracked down and solved. 

 

What do we do now?

 

 

[NPLondon]

all arrived and despite the delay it was in good condition. 

 

The only odd thing is that there IS a label attached to the box addressed to the location in Newcastle. DHL said it never went there and it was a duplicate tracking number - perhaps they forgot to remove this...

 

I just don't know what to think about all of this. Of course it great that it finally arrived but the awful support from the company has resulted in a lot of running around to get it delivered to the correct address.