Neighbour garden damage WWYD???

[Jocasta2018]

Bit of a long one, very first world problems so bear with me...
I've lived in my current property for 17 years. When we arrived our then neighbours already had a half-barrel wooden planter on their driveway. This planter is still there after 17 years & 3 different home owners.
I've just been informed by the current neighbours that, in the past week, a delivery lorry came to my address & managed to reverse into said wooden planter. The planter has been moved & it's still intact. The plants in the planter are all ok.
The neighbour isn't clear on the day.
I've had several deliveries made recently but haven't been in for any of them so it's not as though I can say which delivery it was & who delivered it! Also who's to say the lorry was even delivering to me...?
The neighbour told me of the incident 'just to let me know'.
Should I buy them a new planter? I've seen some online half barrel planters for £40 including delivery. I'm tempted to give them £20 towards a new planter or maybe a bottle nice wine?
However, the devil on my shoulder is saying it just seems a bit rich that they can't tell me the date it happened plus it's a 17-yr old planter full of plants they didn't even buy.....
What would you do??

Not your problem.

You didn't damage it, doesn't sound like they want anything from you?

I wouldn't be offering anything.

YANBU. Sympathy is enough. The one responsible is the van/lorry driver, not the person who ordered the parcel. Plus it could be someone just reversing into the drive to turn around. The best you can do is tell them which companies visited this week so they can pursue them.

If they mention it again tell them if they're bothered then they really should use the details they definitely didn't took down and report the driver.
I'd also perhaps mention that you're surprised it's still in tact after being here through three families living in that house and you're surprised it was left behind by the owner as it was in lovely condition 17 years ago when new....

It’s still intact and even if it wasn’t, it wasn’t you or your family or visitors who damaged it, it was the delivery company.

If they ask again tell them they should have noted the company name on the lorry and contacted them as you have no idea what’s happened.

Don’t set a precedent by paying a penny, or they’ll do it again. However, it doesn’t matter they didn’t buy the barrel, it’s still their property.

Yeah I think they're working their way up to cheeky fucker territory, trying it out for size.
Do not in any shape or form show yourself to be a soft touch.

I wouldn't do anything! You're not responsible for the behaviour of random third parties.

Not a pointless thread OP. You just wanted peoples opinions which is fine. If they mention it again I would just say that it must be good quality to survive being there 17 years and being hit by a truck.

I'd be sympathetic, "oh dear, I hooe you have contacted them about it"....

Ignore them, and keep your distance OP.

There is no need to do anything as you checked and both planter and plants are on inspection as well as can be expected after 17 years.

Be pleasant but distant from neighbours like this

I would tell them that you haven’t had any deliveries that involve a lorry, so it must have been a lorry that took a wrong turn ( might that explain the reversing ? ).
If it had been a red postal van, then they would have said that surely ? Anyway, none of it is your problem, it is for them to take it up with the delivery company and claim on their insurance if nec.

It's not damaged and you weren't the one to reverse into it. I'd put it out of my mind completely.

Absoultly not your not responsible for the actions of someone delivering to your address they should take it up with the company if they saw them

If she saw it then 1. she knows what delivery company it was so can take it up with them and 2. she had the opportunity to speak to the driver at the time of the non-incident. If she didn't see it then how on earth does she know who did it? It's not damaged though so it really is a non-event.

Do nothing!

OP how did the conversation end? Did they ask for anything specifically, or just tell you what happened and leave?

"Oh no! I presume since you saw it happen that you got the name of the delivery co so that you can contact them? Haha, they've done well those planters, they've been here since before we moved in!"

My friend had a delivery driver to her home knock down her neighbours wall.

Her neighbour wasn't an arse and pursued the delivery company for a replacement (which they got).

This is literally not your problem in any way, shape or form. Politely express that you're sorry to hear about it but if they don't even know what day it happened then you can't provide details of the possible delivery company for her to chase up.

Our nighbours got a deliver three weeks ago and the driver backed into my car.
Nothing to do with the neighbours, I persued it with the company and the driver sorted it out himself, result.

Even if it was a delivery to you, it wouldn't be your problem to solve either legally or morally.

At best you might tell them what company it was if they wanted to pursue a claim, but if they can't tell you when it happened then that's not even possible.

Unless you were driving the truck it's not your problem at all. Also it's fine, why would you replace it? She sounds annoying.

I would go with 'In that position I am amazed that it has lasted 17 years. I guess that is one of its nine lives gone.'

"A bit of me thinks they could be fishing for a new one, there was certainly a lot of sighing & a Daily Mail sad face."

Or, her life is so dull that a planter being moved slightly counts as a exciting event? Regardless, do nothing more than nod sympathetically.

It's not damaged and even if it was, you didn't damage it. Definitely do nothing.

Delivery driver to cover costs. Nothing to do with you. As long as they can prove which delivery driver it was that knocked the planter. Some people have a lot of time on their hands.

Nothing. You're not responsible for the delivery man or what he does.