mast delivery cost

[savageseadog]

I think it is quite common to hold a delivery back to get another mast or two delivered on the same trip. I collected my own from Plymouth using a converted glider trailer.

 

[Fox Morgan]

So why didn't you?

I couldn't collect myself as it never occurred to the rigging company that I could or would be perfectly happy trailering it back myself.
I also never thought that having just spent a fair amount with them that they would charge comparatively so much. everything else had been discussed prior to agreement.

there really is nothing more to say, there's nothing hidden, I ordered a mast at the end of April, having just discovered my old mast which was unstepped for standing rig renewal was practically a write-off for my purposes. I was told 6 weeks is normal lead time for a new mast.
I cut short a delivery I was on mid June, flew back expecting a mast to be waiting, and nothing.
after chasing, and chasing, then calling the manufacturer of the mast to find out where it was, clearing up confusion about rigging already being made and making sure the new mast would fit the new rigging, turning various shades of angry when told the mast would arrive in august, it eventually arrived at the very end of July, on a car trailer, direct from the rigging company, with them assuring me that the director of the company was giving his time for free as he helped/worked my local rigger to prepare the mast for stepping the next day.

they fitted a winch to the mast, mast head fittings etc and then the rigging company director went on his way to deliver the other two masts and head home.

I was then slapped with a bill for around 800 for the delivery ( broken down to two parts, 250 to deliver the mast from solent to plymouth, then the rest plus vat to deliver from plymouth to essex, there's no mileage rate mentioned just a lump sum) and nearly 600 for the winch. two things that hadn't been quoted in advance. I researched the winch and found the same one, brand new for 220. I sent the winch back. I disputed the delivery, saying that if we go to buy something from a shop, we don't get to the till and then be told there's and extra charge on those vegetables as we had to fly them in from Brazil and then truck them to the shop.
The initial delivery to my rigging company should have been part of the price of the goods, and the final delivery to me should be the bare minimum to cover costs. as I expect from Amazon or any other items I order delivery on. The delivery isn't something that should be part of the profit margin when the business is all about rigging. it ISNT a rig delivery company, it is a rigging company with the capacity to get their products to their customer.
I asked if they were charging their other customers the same as they charged me for the mast delivery, to which they replied yes, and I said perhaps mast delivery is a lucrative business, at 1500 a day after fuel/transport costs are taken out of it.
as an example I did work for the RTW clippers and had to hand deliver items to Brest before they departed, I certainly didn't charge anything more than the bare minimum mileage for that. my job isn't delivery, its to get my product to my customer in the most cost effective way.

 

[Seajet]

So this took place last July, why complain here now ?

As mentioned earlier, it seems very unlikely they made money out of delivering your mast, the fee seems reasonable; as for all your worthy causes, well that places you as Project Manager does it not, with responsibility to ensure everyone involved is aware of deadlines, and you are aware of costs.

 

[Tranona]

You really are making a meal of this. Why should you expect them to do a delivery for nothing? or even at "cost". You wanted a mast delivered to the location of your choice so you have to pay for it. The only failure as I see it is that you did not clarify in advance what the charges were going to be. If you ordered a mast delivered to your location then the price would have included delivery and you would have had no idea what part of the total cost was for the delivery portion. However, it is common for this type of product to be supplied ex works with a separate delivery charge because delivery cost varies so much according to the delivery address.

You clearly have reason to be miffed about the delays, but fail to see any basis for complaint about delivery costs, particularly as it is 6 months after the event. If you have not paid the supplier, no doubt he will be considering taking action to recover the debt.

 

[Lakesailor]

was told 6 weeks is normal lead time for a new mast.
I cut short a delivery I was on mid June, flew back expecting a mast to be waiting, and nothing.


the final delivery to me should be the bare minimum to cover costs. as I expect from Amazon or any other items I order delivery on.

So, you didn't get a proper delivery date?
You didn't check the mast was ready before flying back?
You are deciding on another business's policy for them?

You sound like an awkward customer.

 

[Fox Morgan]

I'm not an awkward customer, I just expected fair treatment with regards to one aspect of my large purchase. seeking advice on here I didn't ask for personal insults. I don't think that is unreasonable to ask a question based on a real life scenario happening to me.

I came to the forum now because I wanted impartial advice and experience wider than my own social circle as this is a problem I am seeking to fix/find a solution for.
for the moment at least, having sought advice of around 20 people, independent delivery guys, friends, colleagues, other people in the marine industry that I work with, everyone without fail has arrived at an expected delivery estimate of 300-400. taking into account the circumstances of the large purchase. as both myself and the rigging company have been at loggerheads over this and I've had very strong advice to stick to my guns, I started a process of doubt.
one thing I am currently attempting to obtain is a breakdown of the delivery fee invoice.

some of the sensible advice from this thread has been helpful. to which I say thank you.
and those casting aspersions, I suggest you walk a mile in my shoes before casting any more.

I've worked in the marine industry for over 20 years, this is the first time I've had an issue like this.

 

[Fox Morgan]

So this took place last July, why complain here now ?

As mentioned earlier, it seems very unlikely they made money out of delivering your mast, the fee seems reasonable; as for all your worthy causes, well that places you as Project Manager does it not, with responsibility to ensure everyone involved is aware of deadlines, and you are aware of costs.

I'm not a project manager, I'm a regular Joe who donates every minute and every penny to charitable causes. but its not a business, its just what I do. I have a regular job too.
the delivery date was agreed in writing with a window of 5 days for mid June.
how do you imagine they wouldn't make any money out of delivering 3 masts in one day charging each the same as me?

 

[Seajet]

You put yourself in the position of Project Manager when you took on that / those projects.

It was common sense for the rigging company to transport several masts at once, mabe the bill would have been 3 times more if they hadn't, and it's certainly ' green ' compared to 3 trips; if they did make a saving - not profit - there was no reason they should pass it on to you just because you were doing some sort of charity thing.

What may seem a one-off end of the world project to you may well be bread and butter stuff to them, you don't seem to have communicated very well, no quote and no emphasis on deadlines.

I could walk a mile in your shoes but then you'd have another problem - I'd be a mile away and have your shoes.

 

[colind3782]

Many years ago my brother was getting stupid quotes for delivery for the mast for his cat. He asked me if I could get any cheaper quotes so, thinking a little outside the box, I asked regular haulage companies for a price to deliver a 26' aluminium tube as a part load with no great rush. £25 and delivered that week.

 

[JumbleDuck]

As mentioned earlier, it seems very unlikely they made money out of delivering your mast, the fee seems reasonable ...

I beg to differ. £800 for ten hours' driving (forgetting for the moment that they charged this twice) seems very high indeed to me. Sure, there is some equipment involved, but a mast or rigging company would be expected to have a mast trailer, the cost of which would be spread over many, many deliveries. Other than that it's just the cost of a driver and a van (or car), so they were charging £1,600 less trailer cost (fifty quid?) to send a van from Plymouth to Essex and back.

Beyond that, if I ordered a piece of equipment from dealer A, I would expect any price they quoted me to include delivery to their premises from supplier B unless they made clear beforehand that they did not.

The OP has left it awful late to have a moan here, but on the face of it his moan is justified, and, again on the face of it, I think he would have been justified to send them £200 for delivery and invite them to try their chances in the Small Claims Court for more.

 

[Lakesailor]

But the OP didn't ask for a price.
That is his problem. If the delivery cost is important perhaps a request for the estimated cost would have been wise.
I don't see how you can go back to someone and ask them to do a job they've already done for less. That is their price.

 

[[3889]]

I don't see how you can go back to someone and ask them to do a job they've already done for less. That is their price.

I can. Both parties failed to stipulate a price and one has no more rights than the other to subsequently impose one.

 

[Tranona]

The OP has left it awful late to have a moan here, but on the face of it his moan is justified, and, again on the face of it, I think he would have been justified to send them £200 for delivery and invite them to try their chances in the Small Claims Court for more.

Not a chance of getting any redress in court. A court will only look at the law and there is nothing in the scenario that suggests any contract has been broken. They are not there to judge whether the goods or service were priced correctly, only whether one party met its obligations or not.

 

[Lakesailor]

I can. Both parties failed to stipulate a price and one has no more rights than the other to subsequently impose one.

Other than that the customer asked for the mast to be delivered and the supplier did so. Price was not mentioned. But the supplier charged his price. The customer cannot complain that it was more than he wanted to pay as he did not enquire what it would be.
He could try legal redress, but he doesn't stand a chance.

Move on.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Not a chance of getting any redress in court. A court will only look at the law and there is nothing in the scenario that suggests any contract has been broken. They are not there to judge whether the goods or service were priced correctly, only whether one party met its obligations or not.

Are you suggesting that the rigger would have difficulty getting redress if the bill wasn't paid in full? If so, I agree, because absent any contract there is no way that he could prove that the £800 was owed. Likewise, if the OP has already paid there is no chance of him getting money back, for precisely the same reason.

 

[lw395]

Are you suggesting that the rigger would have difficulty getting redress if the bill wasn't paid in full? If so, I agree, because absent any contract there is no way that he could prove that the £800 was owed. Likewise, if the OP has already paid there is no chance of him getting money back, for precisely the same reason.

But there will be a contract, even if only verbal, the customer wanted it delivered, it was delivered.
Not asking the price for delivery does not change that.

I wonder if delivery cost is actually on the supplier's website in their t's and c's?

 

[JumbleDuck]

But there will be a contract, even if only verbal, the customer wanted it delivered, it was delivered.
Not asking the price for delivery does not change that.

From the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999 (as wikipedia puts it):

Regulation 5(1)defines the principle of unfair:

If a contractual term has not been individually negotiated and the term causes significant imbalance in the parties rights and obligations, then the term is contrary to the requirement of good faith.
"Has not been individually negotiated" encompasses terms of which the consumer has not had the opportunity to mould. Terms that have been individually negotiated are outside this regulation, while other contract terms may be within the regulation.​

The OP did not negotiate the delivery part of the contract and it is being suggested that the seller may therefore charge anything he likes without limit. That seems a tad unfair to me.

 

[Tranona]

Are you suggesting that the rigger would have difficulty getting redress if the bill wasn't paid in full? If so, I agree, because absent any contract there is no way that he could prove that the £800 was owed. Likewise, if the OP has already paid there is no chance of him getting money back, for precisely the same reason.

No the opposite. The buyer owes the money and the supplier is likely to be successful in recovering the debt. His "proof" is that he has performed the service and submitted his bill. The buyer may feel he was hard done by but he only has himself to blame by not agreeing the charge beforehand. His only chance is goodwill but that requires a positive and co-operative approach to the supplier. Seems though based on what he has posted here he is a combative frame rather than co-operative!

He could argue unfair contract terms but the supplier would easily provide evidence that his delivery charges were normal for his business.

 

[Lakesailor]

I quite agree.
The only argument was over the extended time-frame, which the customer did not seem to have re-negotiated over.
All in the past now and a lesson learned.

 

[Rigger Mortice]

I'm trying to understand what has happened here. It sounds as if OP ordered a mast from a Solent based spar manufacture, which was delivered to another company (the rigger) in Plymouth and then taken all the way back and onto Essex. It certainly seems a lot of to-ing and fro-ing, but I'm sure there were reasons.

We haven't been told what the original quote was for. If it did not make clear that delivery was to be charged separately or that the price was ex-works then surely the OP is right to feel aggrieved.

In any event, £800 does seem to be on the high side.

I wonder who the company is?