Received goods I did not order: what should I do?

Q: A few weeks ago, I bought some items online. When I received the ordered goods, I also received other products I had not ordered. With these goods I received a bill which I am asked to pay within 15 days. Can a company request payment for something I did not order?

A: According to the Distance Selling Regulations, if consumers receive goods which they did not order, they are neither legally obliged to pay for them nor to send them back. In fact, it is against the law to send unsolicited goods or provide services which the consumer has not asked for and then ask for payment.

Therefore the answer to your question is: No, you do not have to pay for something you did not order. What you can do in this situation is inform the seller you have not ordered the goods sent to you and you can also ask the trader to take the goods back.

Unless the seller provides you with tangible proof that you have actually ordered the goods sent, then you should not pay for anything.

If you continue receiving bills, you may seek the help of the Consumer and Competition Department if the trader is Maltese, or the European Consumer Centre Malta, if the trader resides in a EU member country.