[bigben]

I came back home after a weekend away to find my T & M seed potatoes that I ordered ages ago had arrived. Unfortunately they were left on the doorstep in freezing conditions. The water in my bucket has frozen solid and they must have been left from Saturday morning until 5.00pm Sunday despite the sign on the box saying - live product handle with care. I rang and warned T & M that I might be sending them back. How do I know if they have been damaged?

[Yorkie]

Mushy, blackened, see what happens after a couple of days.

[bigben]

Thanks Yorkie - I chopped one in half ( I had ordered 120 of them!) and it was not frozen - but I will keep an eye on them and watch for any that go black or mushy. I did not want to wait until March, plant them and nothing come up. However if the damage is likely to be visible before March then it allows me to send them back.

[DD.]

Are T & M at fault, or the courier?

[scabs]

Certainly the courier, but they are an agent of the supplier and it is the supplier that is ultimately responsible.

I'd contact them to register that there may be an issue and that you will let them know in a few days; that way, there can be no suggestion that it was you who left them in those conditions.

[bigben]

I ran as soon as we got back and flagged up that I might have to send stuff back. DD - the woman I spoke to at T & M agreed with me that the delivery person should not have left them.  They could have been stolen for a start! However - my contract is with T & M, they employ the delivery person so if need be they would have to recompense me and then chase the delivery person who should recompense them. I suppose the delivery company has a policy of leaving stuff under a certain value since there is currently a lot of complaints about people ordering stuff online then having to drive to a distribution place to pick it up if it was delivered when they were out. My point with T & M is there will be a lot of people in a similar situation this time of year - snow and frost on the ground and cold sensitive stuff being delivered. The box did say "live product handle with care" - perhaps they need to be more clear and spell it out so the delivery people dont leave it out. Seeds would have been fine but onion sets and spuds are a bit of a risk.

[DD.]

I've never ordered anything large from T & M, is there anything on the order form to fill in  by way of special delivery instructions if no one in?

[bigben]

I dont think so - I ordered before Christmas so cannot really remember.