to think this is never going to end and we shouldn’t have to pay for these trees

[OVAgroundWOMBlingfree]

My MIL is always sending off for things from the back off the Sunday supplements. Recently she sent off for a set of 3 fruit trees for us, ideal for growing in pots on a patio apparently. How lovely, very kind.

The trees turned up about a month ago. We buy pots and compost, plant them and get on with our lives. The following week a letter arrives from the plant company. They couldn’t accept MIL’s cheque because she had made an amendment to something or other on the cheque.
We phone them up, ask to pay by card but nope that’s not possible. We send them a cheque with details both in letter and on the back of the cheque explaining the problem.

A week or so later another set of 3 fruit trees turn up. I phone them to explain the problem, again they won’t accept card. MIL is staying at the time, and says she’ll have them as our trees look so nice and sends off a cheque the second she gets home - again explaining the problem.

This morning another set of bloody fruit trees arrive. I phone them up, they can’t accept returns of live plants, they want a cheque.

AIBU to think I am now forever stuck in a loop of receiving fruit trees? Should I just stick them on Freecycle and never give it a second thought? Do I have to send yet another cheque? Am I being haunted by cut price trees?

There is no way I would pay for something I didn't order. If they won't pick them up, that's their problem, they shouldn't have sent them in the first place!

They are unsolicited goods, and as such you don't have to pay for them. Unless your mum has done a subscription, but who subscribes to getting trees every so often?

Tell the company they need to collect the trees, no way should you pay again - the cycle will continue and you’ll end up with a forest.
The refusal to collect is their problem not yours!

You don't have to pay for them, but you do have to give them the opportunity to collect. I would write to them and explain you've been sent them by mistake and they can collect them by arrangement.

Thats ridiculous; tell them to stop accepting her orders as they don't contain a valid payment, to stop sending you trees and demanding money, and that you will contact Trading Standards.

I get most of these supplement yokes are subscription services but who in God's green earth would want 9 trees in three weeks!!

This definitely isn’t a subscription service, she showed us the original advertisement and I queried that on the phone to the company.

I’ve given them the opportunity to collect but they won’t accept returns of live plants.

you’ll end up with a forest.

How about just change your mn name to
Iownanorchard?

They don't have a leg to stand on. You didn't order them, you dont have to payfor them. Whether they collect or not is up to them.

Barbarian don't you mean a trunk to stand on??

How about just change your mn name to
Iownanorchard?

Twitter is your friend - usually sorts out the bonkers within the hour.
For future reference you can refuse to take delivery at the door of any goods you do not want. We once got into a spiral of foam rubber 6ft rollers with Amazon... story for another day!

If they sent plants that neither you nor your MiL ordered, their only option is to give you them for free or arrange to collect. Refer them to the legislation in this article - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unsolicited_goods

Twitter is absolutely your friend. It brought British Gas to heel for me last week. The suppliers’ admin must be an absolute shambles.

I feel your pain. My Mum once ordered something from one of these supplements. All good.
6 months later another turned up. I called them, they said she didn't have an account. I told them she did. Went round in circles for a bit and eventually asked for a return label to send the thing back. They couldn't do it as she didn't have an account.

A few weeks later another turned up. Rinse repeat with the first phone call.

By now Mum, who was 80 at the time, was quite worried she was suddenly going to get a huge bill. I mentioned it to her postman who was quite wonderful and from then on intercepted the parcels (three more arrived) and sent them back without Mum needing to even know.

I'm sorry, have nothing helpful to saying but this is really funny

but they won’t accept returns of live plants

Weedkiller?

Lol at a tree subscription service.
You and MIL have both tried hard to sort this out but the company are obviously incapable. I'd keep the trees or give them to neighbours.

Tell them to stop harassing you with their trees!

Call up speak to a supervisor, explain again. Also add that you have advised them x amount of times and as they keep sending you the trees etc you will now be charging them for storage on your land and if they don’t remove them or pay you for storage, after 90 days they will be yours and you will be taking out court orders for for your costs..
I expect the deliveries to stop!

They don’t have social media.

So are you currently up one set of trees then? Paid for 2 got three?

Are they asking for payment?

I phoned them to tell them about their mistake and they requested a cheque.

Surely you just refuse to accept delivery? I know it can be difficult as some couriers (I'm presuming these aren't Royal Mail) just dump and run … I think I would let them chase me, and if they ask for payment tell them you didn't order them and so won't be paying for them, and they will have to pick them up. If they are left by a courier (whether you're out or refuse delivery) I wouldn't be contacting them. They are either genuinely stupid/disorganised or are just trying to get you to pay for more trees that you didn't order or want.