Unsolicited Goods
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In the law of the United Kingdom unsolicited Goods are goods delivered to an individual with a view to the individual receiving them and where the individual has no reasonable cause to believe that they were delivered for legitimate business and had not previously agreed to acquire them.[1] These were regulated under the Unsolicited Goods Act 1971 but the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 are stricter in every respect rendering the 1971 Act redundant although there is no express repeal.
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[edit] Rights of the Recipient
The "recipient may [...] use, deal with, or dispose of the goods as if they were an unconditional gift to him"[2] and "[t]he rights of the sender to the goods are extinguished"[3]
Under the 1971 Act, the recipient is obliged to the reasonable of the goods for a period of time.
[edit] Criminal Liability of the Sender[4]
Under the Consumer Protection Regulations 2000 it is a criminal offence to:
- Assert a right of payment for the goods.[5]
- Threaten to take legal action with regard the goods.[6]
- Threaten to Place the recipients name on a 'black-list'.[7]
- Invoke or threaten to invoke any collection procedure.[8]
This is important as if the individuals is not aware that they have legal title to the goods, they may unjustly enrich the sender. The fine amounts up to Level 5 on the standard scale, besides the first offence which is measured up to Level 4 on the standard scale.
[edit] See also
Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000
