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?

They really should leaf you alone OP.

Oh god, I had this with a colour changing alarm clock I received as an apology for a cook book being out of stock.

Every time I phoned about the book or the bloody clocks they sent another one.

I gave up after 4 clocks and stopped calling. Gave the clocks to the jumble sale and no one bought them.

Fingers crossed non of your relatives tick the wrong box on an Oxfam form this Christmas and a goat is delivered...

@Summerorjustmaybe

You mean nine goats, right?

Wah you bunch of pisstakers, you would be laughing when I’m a cider millionaire.

Have written letter. Will take to the post office and send registered delivery tomorrow. If I don’t hear from them by Monday I’ll put the plants on Freecycle.

I mean treecycle, obviously!

Ha, i had this years ago. Ordered a very expensive food lexicon, received one after the other, each time I phoned them to set things straight they send me another one 🙄.

Ended up returning all but one, they sent me another one... And I phoned them and told them I had already paid. That stopped it. Felt like a thief for having two sets but enough is enough.

Perhaps you should try that, if they ask you to pay more, tell them to collect them themselves 🤪.

Got stupidly excited for a moment when I thought there was actually a Treecycle. Gutted now.

@OVAgroundWOMBlingfree I wouldn't put them on Freecycle so soon. Unfortunately you have to give them a reasonable amount of time to respond to your letter and collect the trees (at their expense and your convenience eg evening or weekend) - 14 days would probably be the minimum and you must give them a deadline in your letter informing them that you will dispose of them if they are not collected by that date. If you want it dealt with sooner, you could try ringing them again but make them put anything you agree on the phone in writing before you dispose of the trees or, as long as you tell them at the beginning of the call, you can record the conversation.

I would also state in your letter that as they are garden plants that need to be stored outside and require skill in taking care of them, you will not be held responsible for any loss or damage to the trees.

OP please update us when you resolve this because....well it's mad! you can't just keep paying for trees you haven't ordered! (there's a sentence I never expected to type...)

You might have to get the police involved.
Try Special Branch

*^You might have to get the police involved. Try Special Branch

Outstanding!

Or she could just log it with 101.

It’s like The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

Love this thread 🌲🌲

Don't you mean outstanding (in your field /orchard)?

They've sent them tree times? You wood not be unreasonable to tell them to get lost. What a peach of a company.

This thread is too funny. I am trying not to laugh out loud in work - doesn't look too professional. I did have a colleague ask me if i was OK as I had tears in my eyes (from laughing - just not out loud).

The company is bark-ing mad.

Don't offer them any further olive branches or pay for the fruits of their labour.

You bunch of bastards!
I will amend the letter to say 14 days.
Now I have to water these frigging things for 14 days. I don’t want to be in beech of contract.

I’m pretty sure the law says you don’t have to pay for something you didn’t order (like those Christmas cards painted by limbless artists using their ears or some such)

Pay for the original three trees, pass the others on if it makes you feel better.

We need to get to the root of this problem!

@NannyRed

thank you SO much for saying that

but seriously, it sounds like the plot of a Black Mirror episode. Eventually you will be surrounded OP, be careful!!

It sounds very stressful op, I imagine that you can hardly pear it.

They can’t make you pay for something you didn’t order.