Do I have to store unordered goods?

[RainRainGoAway2020]

Posting here for traffic. I had some ikea furniture delivered and they sent something I did not order. It's all labelled up with my name etc but the contents does not match what was ordered.We didn't realise until we went to put it all together. It's 2 massive heavy boxes.

Ikea are saying they will collect in 4 weeks. I do not have the space to keep it until then. They are insisting they cannot collect it earlier. Their customer service has been bloody shocking and it's taken me days to even get in touch with someone. Am I obligated to store this stuff for them? I want to throw it outside but it risks getting soaked if it rains in the next month.

You have become an "involuntary bailee". With a problem that unless you can demonstrate a clear and unavoidable financial loss, then it will be time to use those whistling lessons you took as a kid.

That said, they need to be reasonably in return and 4 weeks isn't.

What I would do:

Don't engage with their customer service, frankly this is above their grade. Just send a nice letter saying they have 5 working days to collect it, or it will be gone, and you will forward the invoice for disposal onto them when it's done.

That said, they need to be reasonably in return and 4 weeks isn't.

I just wonder whether an argument could be made that four weeks is reasonable in corona times. (Sorry, I know this isn't what anyone wants to hear.)

I agree that this is definitely above CS's grade!

I'm reading online that I'm under no legal obligation to return the goods? I don't bloody want them but I'm not tripping over the boxes for the next month.

@TicketToTheWrongFilm

That said, they need to be reasonably in return and 4 weeks isn't.

I just wonder whether an argument could be made that four weeks is reasonable in corona times. (Sorry, I know this isn't what anyone wants to hear.)

I agree that this is definitely above CS's grade!

I just wonder whether an argument could be made that four weeks is reasonable in corona times. (Sorry, I know this isn't what anyone wants to hear.)

You could make that argument. In court. And risk losing. Which I imagine would far outweigh the value of the goods involved.

The OP is required to make the goods available for collection and that's about it. There isn't that much that's prescriptive in the law as every case is unique and the word "reasonable" should set alarm bells ringing as it's legalese for "let the court decide".

Give them five working days to collect. If they don't, put the item on your local freecycle site. Someone would be thrilled to get it for free.

I’m sure they would but I wouldn’t be delighted if I then got charged for it.

the word "reasonable" should set alarm bells ringing as it's legalese for "let the court decide"

Agree completely professor :) And yes I can't see Ikea taking someone to court for that anyway!