Handling customer goods still awaiting collection
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Keep customer goods awaiting collection identifiable and under an understood custody arrangement while the business closes. Find the owner or relevant customer contact, check the evidence and arrange the appropriate next discussion. Do not assume that an unanswered message makes the goods available for sale.
Paid orders, repairs and property left for another purpose may raise different questions. Get appropriate legal advice for the actual agreement, goods and jurisdiction before deciding on disposal, charges or any formal notice. This guide does not set a waiting period or transfer ownership.
Keep custody and contact together
Use a record that joins the physical item to the customer case:
| Entry | What to record |
|---|---|
| Goods | Identifying reference, quantity and known condition evidence |
| Reason held | Order, repair or other purpose supported by the records |
| Current custody | Actual location and responsible person |
| Customer evidence | Relevant agreement, receipt and contact information |
| Contact history | Dates, routes and actual responses, including failed delivery |
| Open decision | Authority, ownership or other question requiring advice |
| Next action | Named owner and planned enquiry or agreed handover |
Keep sensitive details in controlled records. The person organising site contents needs to recognise the goods and restrictions, not see the customer’s full personal history.
Send a factual request for contact
A simple enquiry can say:
We hold [identified goods] relating to [reference]. Please contact [working route] so we can confirm the appropriate arrangements. Our normal premises arrangements are changing from [confirmed date]. Please obtain confirmation before visiting or sending a representative.
Have the authorised person approve the wording for the actual case. This example is a request for contact, not a statutory notice or a threat of disposal. Do not add an invented deadline, storage charge or claim that silence means consent.
If the contact fails, record what actually happened and seek advice about the next step. Keep a disputed case connected to the existing complaint handover; repeating a collection request should not erase the complaint history.
Plan for the premises change
If the goods cannot leave before the old site ends, the business needs an authorised custody decision. Identify who can agree any move, where the goods would go and how the customer record will remain usable. Do not send them to an unconfirmed address merely to clear the building.
Use the records retrieval test before the old systems close. The next contact should be able to identify the item and the latest instruction without relying on memory.
Keep these goods outside the confirmed surplus allocation until the appropriate position is resolved. Tell UK Auction Group about the exclusion and any agreed custody arrangements that affect sale or clearance activity. A premises deadline is a reason to resolve the case promptly, not evidence of authority to sell the goods.
Sources
This guide is general information and education only. Legal, tax, employment and safety decisions may need a qualified adviser who knows your situation. Read the disclaimer.