To think is a ridiculous request (work)?

[Rizzo8]

Ive been working at a company in the next city for three years. I use two modes of transport to get there.

When I started they delivered all of my equipment like monitor etc direct to my flat recognizing it was too much to pick up.

Now I am leaving they initially offered to pick it up. But now my manager has now given his 2 cents and said he wants me to bring it myself because he doesn't fancy paying for the courier.

AIBU to simply refuse? It's going to be heavy and not easy for me to do this.

yabu
it's your resonsibility to hand over work equipment when you leave.

If they delivered it, they can collect it.

But @bluecomputerscreen the reason they delivered it in the first place was in recognition of the issue. So I'm not sure I agree.

They also have just changed their tune this morning from offering to pick it up because my boss said no. They should never have offered then.

What does your contract say?

Just say no

If you don’t want to lug it there sounds like your option is to arrange and pay for courier yourself but I can understand why you don’t want to.

I would ask if the equipment is insured for damage when delivered/returned by someone who is not an experienced courier, thus has no insurance of their own to cover, for example, when the flimsy carrier bag snaps and something heavy and expensive falls into the gutter.

If you can't physically manage it, then just tell them that a courier needs to get it or they need to cover the taxi fare.

Completely unreasonable to expect you to lug it all in on the bus/train or whatever.

It also sounds like you will need some manual handling training so you don't get injured. When will your boss be arranging this and will you be paid for the time it takes to complete the training?

Will you be able to expense your travel expenses? Can you invoice for chaperoning a monitor on the bus, as it cannot travel alone?

Also, while you are housing, and no longer using the equipment, charge the company for storage.

It’s their equipment. If they want it, they get it. If they can’t be bothered to collect it they obviously don’t want it back that badly..

Tell them to come and get it. Absolutely no way I'd be lugging stuff on the tube / train etc.

Hi boss & HR Manager
The equipment was delivered to my home by the company in recognition yhat it would be unreasonable to request that I collect it & take it to my home via public transport.

My circumstances remain as they were when I started with the company and the equipment was delivered.
I will work with the company to facilitate collection from my home to return the equipment. [However, I will not attempt to bring it to the office in person via public transport.]

This.

Ask if you can pay a third party to return it? You are keen to support local enterprise and there's a delightful chap in your street, he lives in a skip and you'd like to give him an opportunity to work in the 'lugging hefty shit about' industry.

What equipment are you talking about? A laptop, keyboard & monitor or a desk & chair?

In principle I think they should collect it whatever it is but how far you push it will depend on what it is and what your contract or work policy says about what you have to do when leaving.

What are we talking about? If it’s a laptop and mobile phone then you can take it in, if it’s desktop and monitors then how would you do it? Do you have a car ?

They also have just changed their tune this morning from offering to pick it up because my boss said no. They should never have offered then.

Who offered? Are they higher up in the company and/or can over ride your manager? If you have HR then contact them and perhaps imply your boss is showing bullying behaviour (which he is) over this matter.

But yanbu if they delivered.

Sounds like boss is unhappy you're leaving and trying to punish you by making you return equipment. As PP suggested tell them the reasons you didn't collect equipment still apply and therefore they need to collect it - they set the precedent so they need to abide by it.

I would take in the things that are reasonable to carry, to show willing, but tell them you can't return the larger items because there's a health and safety risk involved in you carrying them on public transport, plus a risk of damaging the items.

I would ask them...
"When are going to collect your equipment from my flat that which you previously delivered? Alternatively I can dispose of it on, your behalf, through Freecycle or Facebook?"

Bring in your laptop and anything small. The rest just write that you will make it available for collection on x y z dates.
You are under no obligation to bring it back. They delivered it and so you have a reasonable expectation that they will pick it up.
Check also the policies around leavers, it may state something there but many companies have forgotten to update since Covid so if it's silence then back the point. It's not reasonable for them to expect you to pay or return in person.

Your manager's reluctance to pay for a courier is his problem. You are leaving the job, and what he wants or does not want is never going to be your problem again.

They have to think (and talk to their lawyers) about what they are going to do if you refuse. They have a right to have their equipment back. However, if they make a claim for it which says essentially "We asked her to return it, she said yes and that she would make it available for us, we didn't want to collect it" they will literally be laughed out of court.

I’d refuse and health and safety grounds. Ask what happens if you hurt yourself doing it?