To not want to keep storing expensive item when it has been sold?

Not what you asked but I’d love to see it
🤩

Pretty sure you could be in the clear. You’ve already stored it for 6 months. Even landlords only have to store the previous tenants items for so long before they can get rid.

I would tell them they have one more chance to collect then return the funds, less any expenses such as p&p/insurance, be clear that they won't get the full amount back. Then try reselling again. I'm surprised they haven't asked for their £8k back though 😮

Return the money, less packing and shipping and relist it.

I would give a date that the item must be collected by and say if it is not collected by that date then you will assume that the buyer has given up ownership of the item.

I would not return the money (I have no idea of the legality of this!)

You could contact Auction companies and see what they would do in these circumstances, although I suspect that they probably have something in their T&Cs that you sign before bidding.

Yes do the letter with the clear dates and such before doing anything . I’m sure I had written a bigger post 😅

No way would I be storing and insuring an item for over 6months to give back 8k. Worst case I’d charge a daily fee for the storage and insurance. Find out how much a safety deposit box would have been. Then also bill your time for finding out the info

Why can’t you arrange a courier to send it to them? Isn’t that how it’s normally done when you sell things?

You need to be charging him for storage, a hefty fee.
You have allowed this to go on far too long.
Create a papertrail with deadlines.
Do not return the money, start charging.

Hmmm. I'd want to arrange courier as although a pain, it is less of a pain than this chasing and waiting. But as you say you don't know what the customs issue was. I expect they did a half arsed job of declaring it properly, given they are clearly disorganised, and someone with good attention to detail would probably get it through first try cos they'd check out the nitty gritty before placing the arrangements!

Personally I'd get in touch give them a date beyond which you will no longer provide free safe storage for their expensive property and you will assume they don't want it and take it to the charity shop/put it out for the bin collection. 🤣

I don't think you can sell it as you don't own it, but I would be drawing a hard line under this and making it patently clear your patience has run out and why.

You can email with a reasonable deadline eg collection within 14 days and then I'm going to start charging and won't release item until account settled?

Just deduct it from the refund of the £8000 he's paid for the item if he doesn't collect.

Give him a deadline to collect, 2 weeks for example.

If he collects it within the next two weeks, no problems.

If he doesn't collect it within the next two weeks, he forgoes the item and you refund him the £8000 minus storage and insurance costs.

£25 per day is unreasonable - it doesn't actually cost you that much for storage and insurance. Work out a sensible amount.

Do you have any proof that it was a real courier and the item was stopped at customs?

I think it's a bit suspect that the buyer isn't trying to sort this out and I would be a bit worried about potential money laundering.

Are you absolutely positive you have had the original item returned? The story doesn't make sense.

If a courier had picked up the item and it had been refused at customs there would be stickers and address labels all over it with his address surely.

I think you've been scammed. Definitely don't return any money.

That would be theft.

Buyer arranging courier is a classic Marketplace scam. I think you need to be more suspicious of what is going on. Did you definitely get the original article back?

Is it in Europe if so what is the price of return flights and a nights hotel? Ask him to pay double that and drop it off?

Flip side - this clearly isn't taking up any space etc so it's not exactly a 'storage issue' is it? It's more incredibly odd this person isn't arranging to collect.

Options: Tell him you're not insuring it as it's not yours.
Tell him you're listing it for sale again and if it sells will refund him the money.
(Do these things)

Re sending:you can just to use UPS/DHL/Fedex etc for this kind of package, it doesn't need to be anything more complicated. Obviously if there's anything protected by CITES or something in the jewellery you have more paperwork, but it's really not a big deal to arrange. Most simple is to send to an address in the same country to avoid any export paperwork - perhaps suggest you will do that for him FOC (it'll not cost a lot to post so you could just waive the fee) just to be done with it?

We'll have to take your word for that, but even if it is the same item. Buyer has money from somewhere they shouldn't have. Sends you the money. Arranges a fake courier to collect the item and then return it to you citing a problem with customs. Waits for you to get fed up and return the money. The money is now clean.

It's a risky strategy given that you could just keep the money but I would be suspicious.