Unsolicited brochures & catalogues

[priveet]

I regularly get catalogues for household items posted through my letterbox which I always bin. Recently someone called to collect one and threatened me with hellfire and damnation because he had called three times and I hadn't left it outside for him and now I'm telling him that I've binned it. What's the legal position ? Am I required to do as requested and retain then leave outside for collection ?

[lisaj]

No, since you're not contractually obliged to do so. You've signed nothing, said nothing, and if they deposit rubbish through your letter box that's their problem. It's up to the guy in your neighbourhood who does this job to take into account wastage when deciding how many catalogues he needs. The idea is that he can reuse the ones that are left outside. Now if he's got no clue about stock and inventory planning, that's his problem. Moreover, if you get more abuse from him, just threaten him with a criminal proceeding for threatening behaviour and harrassment.

[Moog]

Point out that he is technically trespassing on your property and ask him to leave

[wildwood]

If you've inadvertently binned the catelogue and he gets stroppy, by all means, tell him to go 'somewhere'. The legal position may not be as clear cut as it seems though. I remember many years ago someone had this sales technique by leaving three small pot-plants for appraisal. People had to have 'accidentially' kicked the pots over to avoid legal responsibility.
Personally, I don't have any problem with returning the catalogues, as long as they accept a no without going into their sales pitch. To me it is just another person trying to earn an honest living.

[ralph1953]

Hi priveet - I think he was upset because he'd paid for the catalogue (about �1) and you'd binned it - you're under no obligation to return it because it was unsolicited, but, as wildwood says, just leave it on the doorstep.

[Spellmaster]

Wildwood, the legal position in a case like this is perfectly clear, thanks to the Unsolicited Goods and Services Act 1971, which allows the recipient to claim the goods as his/her own. S/he can do nothing, in which case the goods become theirs after six months; or, they can write to the sender, inform them the goods are unsolicited and should be collected, and state that, if they are not collected within 30 days they will become the recipient's property. Anything else you may have heard to the contrary is wrong.

[Spellmaster]

What annoys me is whe people ask you to leave the catalogue on your doorstep on a certain day and they don't bother to come and collect it. This has happened frequently, and just adds to the litter in the street.

[priveet]

Thanks for all your answers. One of the reasons why I started to bin these things is because of the number of times I've left them outside on a specified day to be collected and they are still there days later. I find this particularly disappointing with charity sacks. I've often filled one with clothes or books and nobody has turned up to collect. So I've given up on that one as well and now take direct to charity shops.