Return of a mobility scooter

[LindersSoph]

Hi
Wonder if someone could help! Last week we ordered a mobility scooter from a reputable (we hope!!) company and paid for their unwrapping/set up service. This is where two of their team deliver if, take it out of the packaging and plug it in to charge.

As soon as my dad saw it out of the box he knew it wasn't going to be suitable as it was too low and too difficult for him to get on. It sat in the hallway all weekend un-used while he thought about it but then decided it really had to go back.

I got in touch with the company today to arrange a return and got a somewhat cold email saying that I'd need to provide full evidence that it had not been used before they'd 'consider a return'. This means a full set of photographs, front, back and sides, photos of the wheels and then a photo in the actual packaging too.

We were going to pay extra for their professional re-packaging/courier service (my dad's disability means he's unable to do this and there's no family members there in the next couple of days to assist). So obviously we can't send them pictures of it in its original packaging.

Now obviously they'll want to be sure the product is re-sellable and hasn't been used (fair enough) but just wanted to check what our rights are under law? If we send photos and they refuse to issue a return because it's not in the box that they unwrapped, that seems a bit pernickety?

It's not been used and has just sat there charging so I have full confidence it's 100% resellable. Hopefully I won't have a fight on my hands here but just wondering if we do have any rights under returning it within 14 days?

Thanks so much!

Was it ordered online ?

https://www.gov.uk/online-and-distance-selling-for-businesses

Right to cancel

(There are different rules for downloads and streaming services.)

You must tell the customer they can cancel their order up to 14 days after their order is delivered. They do not need to give a reason for cancelling.

If you do not tell the customer about their right to cancel, they can cancel at any time in the next 12 months.

If you tell them about the right to cancel during these 12 months, they have 14 days to cancel from when you told them.

Yes, it was ordered online! Thanks for the links. I was struggling to find the right info as I know some products are exempt from the 14 days.

The company has now said they will 'accept the return' (gee thanks!) but when we bought it, it was advertised as 'free postage'. They're saying they will issue the refund but 'minus postage' which is likely to be around £70 as it's a courier. Surely if we bought it with free postage, they can't then charge us postage because we returned it?

On the face of it they can, as you are effectively rejecting a working item supplied as requested, rather than as faulty or not matching description.

However given they will have charged absolute top dollar for it, as a %age of the total it may be worth taking the hit.

You may be better off sourcing your own courier - you are under no obligation to use theirs. However that then involves dealing with couriers. And you should know from about 1 second on MN how many problems they are able to cause where there were none before. And that's before the cynic in me wonders whether the recipient will try it on by saying it was "damaged" when it arrived.

Yep! Perhaps a painful lesson learned. We have found our own courier to send it back with - £70. But the company is saying they will deduct the cost of what it cost them to send it to us in the first place, despite the fact we bought it with 'free postage'.

So if they do that, my dad will have bought a useless mobility scooter for £700 which he will return but is down £140 (£70 for them to send it to us which they're deducting from the refund) and £70 for us to return it.

Next time we'll go and visit a mobility shop! 😬

When is comes to larger and expensive items like a mobility scooter. You need a specialist courier service that will provide you with a dedicated courier service. A same day day courier service ensures you item gets straight A to B without going into any depots enroute. This ensures your goods do not get co loaded or mixed up with other parcels. This also prevents any likely damage in transit. I would highly recommend a same day courier service such as this one in the UK.

A same day courier usually can collect within the hour and deliver direct. The goods are insured during transit. You get a signed POD. ( Proof of delivery). This delivery service would be ideal when purchasing or returning high value goods such as a mobility scooter.