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Some companies send "gifts"
such as ballpoint pens, key chains, books, recipe
cards, through the mail without them being ordered.
They just turn up out of the blue.
This is inertia selling.
If you're the type of person this company is
looking for, you may feel guilty about keeping
the item without paying for it. Don't feel guilty!
It's yours, and you are under no obligation
to pay anything if you did not order the goods.
You may advise the sender
in writing that you don't want the goods and
say where they can be collected. However, a
consumer is under no obligation to do so. Under
the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations
2000, it is a criminal offence to demand payment
for unsolicited goods from a consumer. Any goods
delivered can be kept, for free, by the consumer.
Local Trading Standards
Departments can investigate breaches of the
Regulations where these requirements are not
met and organisations try to pressurise consumers
into paying for unsolicited goods.
The position is a little
different when unsolicited goods are received
by a business. In this case, the recipient should
notify the sender (registered mail is recommended)
that the goods are not required and will not
be paid for and say where they can be collected.
The business recipient is required to keep the
goods safe for a period of six months. If they
are not collected within this time, the recipient
can dispose of the goods as thought fit. As
before, local Trading Standards Departments
can investigate instances where pressure is
used to collect payment for unsolicited goods.
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