An Auckland man, whose home security cameras recorded a courier dropping a parcel over his gate two months ago, says he is still waiting to be compensated for the item damaged in the incident.
Bruce Nixon paid $100 for an uncommon brake light from a car wrecker on Trade Me in early August.
The light was shipped from Otago and delivered to Nixon’s Mt Eden home by courier company Aramex before dawn on August 4.
Nixon said he was woken that morning by a loud thud and discovered the parcel on the ground inside the 1.8-metre high gate to his property.
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Bruce Nixon
Footage shows the courier dropping the parcel over the gate.
“Of course the brake light was now broken. My security camera showed the Aramex courier walking to my gate, not ringing the bell, but reaching over and dropping the parcel.”
After contacting the Trade Me seller, Nixon emailed Aramex and received an automated reply telling him his parcel had been delivered.
Calls to the courier company’s Auckland depot went unanswered and, in desperation, he began calling other depots.
“I actually got through to someone in Napier, but they told me the client had to lodge the claim, that being the wrecker. I then chased up the wrecker yet again to be told they had contacted Aramex but hadn’t had a reply back yet.”
Chris McKeen/Stuff
Nixon says the courier dropped the parcel over his gate, rather than ring the bell.
In a message to the Trade Me seller on September 5, Aramex said it had begun an inquiry.
Emails seen by Stuff show the back-and-forth between Nixon, Aramex and the seller. In one message, an Aramex representative tells Nixon scanning shows the parcel had been left at his front door.
As of Monday, neither Nixon nor the seller had heard anything further from the company and despite having the incident on film, Nixon said there was no resolution in sight.
“Eight weeks later, I still have a broken brake light, and I’m $100 poorer for it.”
Chris McKeen/Stuff
Nixon paid $100 for the hard-to-find brake light.
Aramex did not respond to a request for comment.
Under New Zealand consumer laws, carriers (including courier companies, furniture movers and airlines) must provide satisfactory service and are liable for lost or damaged items.
Carriers aren’t liable for any inherent defect in the products, products that were not properly prepared and packed, or if a legal requirement that was not met (like packing of dangerous goods)
If a carrier or their employee intentionally damages or loses a customer’s goods, the person at fault must pay for the loss or damage, up to the full value.
