Specimen letters

11.2.1

Request for a quotation for delivery by road

In this letter the furniture manufacturer we met in earlier units, Homemakers Ltd., is writing to a road haulage firm asking them for an estimate to deliver furniture to his customer, Mr Hughes; he describes the packing (note that size rather than weight will be the main concern of the carrier in this case), states the value of the consignment, and mentions a delivery time.

11.2.2

Quotation for delivery by road

In the reply to Mr Cliff's letter, note how the writer refers to the consignment note as a 'receipt'. He also quotes for 'picking up and delivering' the consignment; carriers may quote for delivery, as here, or on a time basis, i.e. how long it will take to load or unload the lorry or van.

Reg. No: 31883512 VAT No: 96 4218792

CARTIERS Ltd.

516-9 Cathays Park, Cardiff CF1 9UJ

Directors: P.P. Barry, T. Griffiths AC.A

Telephone: (0222) 821597/8/9 Telex 421639 CARTEL G Fax-(0222) 498315

12 November 19—

Mr R. Cliff Homemakers Ltd. 54-59 Riverside Cardiff CF1 1JW

Dear Mr Cliff,

In reply to your letter of 10 November, we can quote £72.20 for picking up and delivering your consignment from your address to the consignee's premises. This includes loading and unloading, plus insurance.

If you fill out the Despatch Note enclosed, and let us know two days before you want the delivery made, our driver will hand you a receipt when he calls to collect the consignment.

Yours sincerely,

H. Weldon

Supervisor

Enc.

HOMEMAKERS Ltd.

54-59 Riverside, Cardiff CF1 1JW

Telephone: (0222) 49721 Registered №.C135162

Telex: 38217

Mr R. Hughes 13 November 20—

R. Hughes & Son. Ltd.

21 Mead Road

Swansea

Glamorgan 3ST1DR

Dear Mr Hughes,

Order No. B1517

As our own driver is ill, I have arranged for Cartiers Ltd. to deliver the above order on Wednesday 18 November. Before signing the delivery note, could you please check that the consignment is complete and undamaged?

I have enclosed the invoice, No. DM2S61, and will add it to your monthly statement as usual.

Yours sincerely,

R. Cliff

Enc. Invoice No. DM2561

11.2.3

Advice of delivery

Homemakers Ltd. now advise their customer.

11.2.4

Complaint of damage in delivery by rail

Delivery notes are sent with consignments and can be signed stating that the 'contents have been examined'; which means the consignee has seen the goods and is accepting them in good condition, or 'contents not examined' as a precaution against receiving damaged goods. In this letter, the goods were sent by road, at the consignee's request, and were received damaged. Disc S.A., the customer, is writing to their supplier complaining about the consignment.

Questions

1. How does M.Gerard describe the damage?

2. Were all the boxes damaged?

3. Is there any chance of selling the goods?

4. Is M.Gerard going to return the consignment?

Disc SA

251 rue des Roimonieres F-86000 Poitiers Cedex

Tel: (33! 9968J031 Telecopie: (33! W2163

Ret: PG/A1 15 August 20—

The Sales Director

R.G. Electronics AG

Havmart 601

D-5000 Koln 1

Dear Mr Gerlach,

Consignment Note 671342 158

Yesterday we received the above consignment to our order, No. T1953, but found on opening boxes 4, 5, and 6 that the CDs and tapes in them were damaged.

Most of the CDs were either split or warped, in boxes 4 and 5, and the majority of cassette cases in box 6 were smashed, with tape spilling out of the cassettes themselves.

The goods cannot be retailed even at a discount and we would like to know whether you want us to return them, or hold them for inspection.

Yours sincerely,

P. Gerard

11.2.5

Reply to complaint of damage

Questions

1. What does Herr Gerlach quote in the letter?

2. Why will he not take responsibility for the consignment?

3. Why is he sure the goods were in perfect condition when they left his company?

4. What help does he offer M. Gerard?

5. Which words in the letter correspond to the following: goods; send; transported; make up for loss?

R. G. Electronics AG

Havmart 601

D-5000 Koln 1

Tel: (221)32 42 98

Fax:(221)836125

Telex: 6153291 Your Ref: JA/MR

P. Gerard 20 August 20-

Disc S.A.

251 rue des Raimomeres

F-86000 Poitiers Cedex

Dear Mr Gerard,

I was sorry to hear about the damage to part of the consignment (No. Т1953) that we sent you last week.

I have checked with our despatch department and they tell me that the goods left here in perfect condition. There should be our checker's mark on the side of each box, which is a blue label with a packer's number and date on it.

As you made the arrangements for delivery, I am afraid we cannot help you. However, I suggest you write to Gebruder Bauer Spedition and if the goods were being carried at 'carrier's risk' I am sure they will consider compensation.

I have enclosed a copy of their receipt from their goods depot at Koln, and you can have any other documents that we can supply to help you with your claim.

Yours sincerely,

P. Gerard

State Director

Enc.

11.2.6

Complaint to the carrier

Disc S.A. write to the railway company. On receipt of this letter, the railway company will inspect the goods and decide whether the damage was due to negligence. If it was, the customer will receive compensation.

Questions

1. What did the consignment consist of?

2. What sort of condition were the goods in when delivered to the sender's station?

3. How does M. Gerard think the damage was caused?

4. What compensation is M. Gerard asking for?

5. Why does M. Gerard feel he has the right to claim compensation?

6. What is being sent with the letter?

7. Which words used in the letter correspond to the following: brought; place of business; left; believe; breakable; retain?

Disc SA

251 rue des Roimonieres F-86000 Poitiers Cedex

Tel: (33! 9968J031 Telecopie: (33! W2163

Ret: PG/A1 14 September 20—

Gebruder Bauer Spedition

Mamzerstrasse, 201-7

D-5000 Koln 1

Dear Sirs,

Consignment Note 671342 158

The above consignment was delivered to our premises, at the above address, on September 6. It consisted of eight boxes of records and cassettes, three of which were badly damaged.

We have contacted our suppliers, and they inform us that when the goods were deposited at your depot, they were in perfect condition. Therefore we assume that damage occurred while the consignment was in your care.

The boxes were marked FRAGILE and KEEP AWAY FROM HEAT, but because of the nature of the damage to the goods (CDs warped, cassette cases split), the consignment appears to have been roughly handled and left near a heater.

We estimate the loss on invoice value to be F 6,720, and as the goods were sent 'carrier's risk' we are claiming compensation for that amount.

You will find a copy of the consignment note and invoice enclosed, and we will hold the boxes for your inspection.

Yours faithfully,

BRITISH CRYSTAL Ltd.

Glazier House, Green Lane, Derby DEI 1RT

Telephone 0332 45790 Telex: 901614 Fox: 0332 51977

Cargo Manager 15 June 20—

Universal Airways Ltd.

Palace Road

London SW1

Dear Sir,

We would like to send from Heathrow to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, twelve boxes of assorted glassware, to be delivered within the next fortnight.

Each box weighs 40 kilos, and measures 0.51 cubic metres. Could you please quote charges for shipment and insurance?

Yours faithfully,

N.Jay

Director

11.2.7

Request for a quotation for delivery by air

British Crystal Ltd. write to an airline to find out how much it will cost to send glassware to their agents in Saudi Arabia. (See 10.5.1 /2/3 for original correspondence.)

11.2.8

Quotation for delivery by air

Here is the airline's reply to Mr Jay. We saw before that airlines calculate freight charges on weight or volume; in this case both will have been taken into account. Note also that there are twelve copies of an air waybill: when the document is made out for this shipment, one will go to the airline, one to the consignor, and one to the consignee, each being accepted as originals; the other copies go to customers and handling.

Questions

1. What other charges are there besides the freight charges?

2. Are there daily flights to Saudi Arabia?

3. Why should an invoice be included in the parcel?

4. Who will arrange insurance?

Universal Airways Ltd.

Airline House, Palace Road, London SW1

DirectorsiSir Bernard Hullings, E.M. Merchant FCA, D.L Owen АСА, В. Friens MA

Telephone: 071 6384129 Reg. No: London 281395

Telex: 381215 Cable: UNIWAY VAT No: 85 116259 15

Fax: 071 638 5551

MrN.Jay 18 June 20—

British Crystal Ltd.

Glazier House

Green Lane

Derby DEI 1RT

Dear Mr Jay,

Thank you for your enquiry of 15 June.

We will be able to send your consignment to Riyadh within two days of your delivering it to Heathrow. The cost of freight Heathrow/Riyadh is £3.60 per kilo, plus £1.50 air waybill, and £14.00 customs clearance and handling charges. But you will have to arrange your own insurance.

There are three flights a week from London to Saudi Arabia, Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.

Please fill in the enclosed Despatch Form and return it to us with the consignment and commercial invoices, one of which should be included in the parcel for customs inspection.

Yours sincerely,

R. Laden

Cargo Manager

Enc.

11.2.9