Delivery drivers and where they should deliver to (House? Driveway?)

Chris_5339762

Just heard a rather upsetting story from my parents (of 66 and 67) and how they were treated by a delivery driver today. I just wanted to know what the story is with how far a delivery company should go to well, deliver. Is it to the door? The garden? The driveway?

They ordered a greenhouse and since they live out in the country, the delivery driver (who was just delivery and not associated with the company they bought the greenhouse from) didn't know where to go. The usual scenario here is that my dad meets the van/lorry up at the local school and drives them down. No problems there and it works as a solution.

Of course, its not a van that shows up but a massive lorry. This massive lorry can't get up the driveway, which is about 200m long and genuinely cannot be navigated by an articulated truck. The delivery driver drops the load at the bottom of the driveway and is off on his merry way, having been paid €150 for the privilege of delivery.

Picture two people in their late 60s lugging three 16ft long heavy boxes up the hilly driveway, then having to deconstruct a 1x1x1m crate at the bottom of the driveway and haul that and its contents up as well. It damn near killed them. I was livid.

My question is this - what responsibilities do the delivery company have? Are they obliged to bring the load right up to the door, even if it means they have to go away and get a smaller truck, or a couple of people to carry it up, or were they well within their rights to dump the load on public ground at the bottom of the driveway if their stupidly oversized lorry can't make it up the driveway? My guess would be the former, and that my folks should have refused delivery and told the delivery driver to take a hike until he gets a smaller truck. In that case, experience with delivery drivers in the country would say that the greenhouse wouldn't arrive in one piece.

I've told them their contract is with the crowd they bought it from, not the delivery people, so THAT is who they should complain to for this shambles. But I told them to hold off on going mad until I've asked you guys what the law is in this regard. Were the delivery company well within their rights to say "tough luck we can't get it up the driveway, we'll dump it here, bye" or do they have to get it to the front door or closeby, even if they have to get a smaller truck or some helpers??

Thanks a million. It just galls me that a company would do this, and allow a 67 year old and a 66 year old with bad sciatica drag half a ton of greenhouse uphill while they get paid €150 delivery charge for the privilege.

Five Lamps

To the gate is delivered. If their driveway was suitable they might of got to the door.

To be honest, if the boxes were 16ft long they need to go in a big vehicle. Also, if it was delivered to the front door your parents would still have to manhandle them to the place that the greenhouse was being installed. The driver is not to know the age of the customer or any ailments that they may have. He's probably thinking there's no way these folks are manhandling these goods whether I leave them at the gate or the door.

Yawns

I agree with Five Lamps here.

Qualitymark

They should have clarified it with the company they bought from. Delivery guy sounds a testicle, though.

hfallada

There was no possible way for the lorry to deliver it to their door. So how is it the companies fault? Personally I think your parents should have stated the fact they have a drive way when ordering. I know in Dublin, nearly all large items are delivered by a truck. Unless an item is a few books from Amazon, I assume a delivery is by truck

dave1982

Would the driver not have pallet truck or something along those lines?

Very unhelpful driver by the sounds of things

keithclancy

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

Just heard a rather upsetting story from my parents (of 66 and 67) and how they were treated by a delivery driver today. I just wanted to know what the story is with how far a delivery company should go to well, deliver. Is it to the door? The garden? The driveway?

They ordered a greenhouse and since they live out in the country, the delivery driver (who was just delivery and not associated with the company they bought the greenhouse from) didn't know where to go. The usual scenario here is that my dad meets the van/lorry up at the local school and drives them down. No problems there and it works as a solution.

Of course, its not a van that shows up but a massive lorry. This massive lorry can't get up the driveway, which is about 200m long and genuinely cannot be navigated by an articulated truck. The delivery driver drops the load at the bottom of the driveway and is off on his merry way, having been paid €150 for the privilege of delivery.

Picture two people in their late 60s lugging three 16ft long heavy boxes up the hilly driveway, then having to deconstruct a 1x1x1m crate at the bottom of the driveway and haul that and its contents up as well. It damn near killed them. I was livid.

My question is this - what responsibilities do the delivery company have? Are they obliged to bring the load right up to the door, even if it means they have to go away and get a smaller truck, or a couple of people to carry it up, or were they well within their rights to dump the load on public ground at the bottom of the driveway if their stupidly oversized lorry can't make it up the driveway? My guess would be the former, and that my folks should have refused delivery and told the delivery driver to take a hike until he gets a smaller truck. In that case, experience with delivery drivers in the country would say that the greenhouse wouldn't arrive in one piece.

I've told them their contract is with the crowd they bought it from, not the delivery people, so THAT is who they should complain to for this shambles. But I told them to hold off on going mad until I've asked you guys what the law is in this regard. Were the delivery company well within their rights to say "tough luck we can't get it up the driveway, we'll dump it here, bye" or do they have to get it to the front door or closeby, even if they have to get a smaller truck or some helpers??

Thanks a million. It just galls me that a company would do this, and allow a 67 year old and a 66 year old with bad sciatica drag half a ton of greenhouse uphill while they get paid €150 delivery charge for the privilege.

I was in a similar situation and offered the guy a tenner to give me a hand carrying the thing into my property.

End of day he's probably not covered insurance wise to carry large items by himself through someone else's property.

Since the truck wouldn't fit up the drive i think as far as he could go reasonably.

TheDriver

dave1982 wrote: »

Would the driver not have pallet truck or something along those lines?

Very unhelpful driver by the sounds of things

driveway might be gravel and hence a lot of work to get a pallet truck through it.
Sounds like the driver did all he could. What if he damaged truck or pillars trying to get up to the house?

flyingsnail

I would say to the gate is delivered, it’s not the drivers fault that you have a long driveway. 16 foot boxes plus 1m square crate are not small and I think it’s obvious that you are going to have a big vehicle delivering them. They only way I see that you may have some comeback would be if you specifically told them about the driveway and access problems when you placed the order and they told you it would not be a problem. Your parents could have refused delivery in which case it most likely would have been returned to the sender or you would have been told it is available for collection at the warehouse.

endofrainbow

I think they should have asked what way the goods would be delivered boxes, crates etc and told them the layout of the driveway...

Miaireland

Sounds like the driver did all he could. You said yourself there is no way a truck could get up the driveway. Your parents must have expected the item to be arrive by truck so it was up to them to inform the shop of the layout of the driveway.

Cabaal

dave1982 wrote: »

Would the driver not have pallet truck or something along those lines?

Very unhelpful driver by the sounds of things

What if he's not insured to handle the boxes on his own?
Based on the size it sounds like the boxes needed two people to handle them.

Not much good if the driver is "helpful" and does his back out in the process and he's out of work for a few weeks, all the helpfulness in the world won't pay his bills.

dave1982

Cabaal wrote: »

What if he's not insured to handle the boxes on his own?
Based on the size it sounds like the boxes needed two people to handle them.

Not much good if the driver is "helpful" and does his back out in the process and he's out of work for a few weeks, all the helpfulness in the world won't pay his bills.

He shouldn't be out on his own if he not insured to handle them on his own.

Plek Trum

I think he did all he could to be honest - not his fault he couldn't drive a truck that size into your parents driveway. It might even be fair say, onus might have been on your parents to inform the original company that the drive way was long and narrow and might not be suitable for large trucks.

I had exactly the same issue myself - 42sq metres of heavy duty tiles, delivered on an artic truck, could only get so close to my house. Couldn't wheel them to the door on the pallet using a trolley, kept getting buried in the gravel. Delivery guy apologised, wasn't insured to help me move them in and was under pressure to continue with his scheduled deliveries that evening.

Ended up brining them into the house, box by box in the POURING rain on my own. Split wet cardboard, tiles falling loose etc. I'm 5"2 petite woman - was bruised and sore all over for about 3 weeks.

Lesson learned - will have help on standby in future when expecting deliveries that arrive on large trucks. ALWAYS ask delivery method!

skelligs

dave1982 wrote: »

He shouldn't be out on his own if he not insured to handle them on his own.

if you weren't there and did see the goods, you cannot make such a comment.

As for the OP - is he annoyed or his parents annoyed?

66 & 67 is quite young these days and surely if you are buying a flat pack greenhouse you understand you will be constructing it yourself and therefore understand you'll be moving the parts to the correct position and they probably had you in mind for the heavy lifting!!

As for the question - delivery to the gate is normal unless detailed otherwise. Its usually in the terms & conditions that no-one reads. Apartments & furniture are the same - delivery is to ground floor only.

witnessmenow

Plek Trum wrote: »

I think he did all he could to be honest - not his fault he couldn't drive a truck that size into your parents driveway. It might even be fair say, onus might have been on your parents to inform the original company that the drive way was long and narrow and might not be suitable for large trucks.

I had exactly the same issue myself - 42sq metres of heavy duty tiles, delivered on an artic truck, could only get so close to my house. Couldn't wheel them to the door on the pallet using a trolley, kept getting buried in the gravel. Delivery guy apologised, wasn't insured to help me move them in and was under pressure to continue with his scheduled deliveries that evening.

Ended up brining them into the house, box by box in the POURING rain on my own. Split wet cardboard, tiles falling loose etc. I'm 5"2 petite woman - was bruised and sore all over for about 3 weeks.

Lesson learned - will have help on standby in future when expecting deliveries that arrive on large trucks. ALWAYS ask delivery method!

I worked in a tile shop before and we did "door stop" deliveries too so I think its probably a common thing. Our pallets were always wrapped though so they would be ok for some time even in the rain.

pleasant Co.

skelligs wrote: »

if you weren't there and did see the goods, you cannot make such a comment.

dave1982 replied to Cabaal's comment (quoted in that post), read Cabaal's post to see how dave1982 can make this comment without having been there or having seen the goods.

2 stroke

Chris, if your parents want large heavy items delivered to the door, they need to provide proper access, the days of the horse and cart are over.

Davy

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

The usual scenario here is that my dad meets the van/lorry up at the local school and drives them down. No problems there and it works as a solution.

Of course, its not a van that shows up but a massive lorry. This massive lorry can't get up the driveway, which is about 200m long and genuinely cannot be navigated by an articulated truck.

Does a rigid fit but the artic wont?

Chris_5339762

Good to see two pages of discussion! I'm afraid I don't know the difference between various types of trucks/artics/lorrys, but if its a big one, it won't fit up the driveway!

A few updates which might clarify things:

The 'driveway' is in two sections. From the house to the gate is a hill and is tarred flat, that is one section. Then there is a 90º bend after the gate & pillars, followed by a right of way for the second section which only we use, which we always consider part of the 'driveway' but is in fact not ours. That goes to the public road where the greenhouse was offloaded. Not sure if that makes any difference to the 'to the gate' thing. The right-of-way is gravel and track so we can't legally tar is. Gate to house is tarred.

Companies are ALWAYS made aware that the driveway is very narrow with a sharp bend and would not be suitable for anything large. However, most of the time (80-90%) that is not passed onto the delivery company, is ignored, or cannot be facilitated.

Some good news: My folks rang up and complained to the company they bought from. The company agreed it was a bit ridiculous (regardless of the legal side of things), and are now couriering out a free automatic venting system for the greenhouse as compensation. Fair play to them! [Hopefully in a small van]

Qualitymark

I have a wood stove so I get pallets of wood delivered a couple of times a year. I've changed my source because the place with better wood has a rigid, unwilling driver who leaves the pallet at the gate, whereas the other place has a driver that drives it across the driveway and forklifts it into the garage. I didn't tell the first company why I'd changed; the driver who's losing them custom is probably a relation; they must know how damaging he is to their business…

whiterebel

Qualitymark wrote: »

I have a wood stove so I get pallets of wood delivered a couple of times a year. I've changed my source because the place with better wood has a rigid, unwilling driver who leaves the pallet at the gate, whereas the other place has a driver that drives it across the driveway and forklifts it into the garage. I didn't tell the first company why I'd changed; the driver who's losing them custom is probably a relation; they must know how damaging he is to their business…

If you don't tell people about problems, they have no opportunity to rectify them.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Qualitymark wrote: »

I have a wood stove so I get pallets of wood delivered a couple of times a year. I've changed my source because the place with better wood has a rigid, unwilling driver who leaves the pallet at the gate, whereas the other place has a driver that drives it across the driveway and forklifts it into the garage. I didn't tell the first company why I'd changed; the driver who's losing them custom is probably a relation; they must know how damaging he is to their business…

If they don't know it's broken they can't fix it. Why on earth just change company for an inferior product without at least raising the problem with them? Assuming a driver is a relation is a bit of a stretch and still no reason not to mention the poor service.