Lesson 3. Claims connected with delivery of damaged or substandard goods
CLAIMS
Lesson 1
In ideal business conditions everything should be done carefully — details of offers and orders checked, manufacture of the goods carried out properly, packing and marking verified.
However in spite of all possible care and attention that is given to contracts letters of complaint happen to arrive rather frequently because of various infringements.
There are various reasons for complaints. The following kinds of claims are often made by Buyers:
1) claims arising from the delivery of wrong goods, damaged goods or substandard goods;
2) claims connected with delays of one kind or another;
3) claims owing to goods missing from delivery (i.e. shortshipment or short-delivery);
4) claims that concern errors in carrying out the order. These may be caused by mis-typing of figures, mis-reading of numbers, mis-direction of goods, wrong goods, wrong packing and so on.
Sellers most frequently make claims on Buyers because of default of payment.
As a rule a customer will not complain unless he has a good reason. If the customer's complaint is well-grounded, the settlement is comparatively easy: the error will be admitted and the responsible party will meet the claim fully or partly. In other words, the dissatisfied party will get full or partial compensation for the losses they suffered. Thus the matter is settled amicably.
Much more difficult is the case where the customer's complaint is not justified. It would be wrong policy to reject the claim offhand.
The responsible party must carefully explain why the claim is declined and try to persuade the dissatisfied party to withdraw the claim.
Settling Commercial disputes by arbitration is practiced if the parties in dispute cannot meet mutual understanding. In this case the parties may refer the matter to Foreign Trade Arbitration Commission at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Moscow. The award of the Arbitration Commission is final and binding upon both parties.
Vocabulary:
a claim претензия, рекламация
packing упаковка
marking маркировка
to verify проверять
a complaint претензия, жалоба
an infringement нарушение
to infringe (a contract) нарушать (не выполнять) условия контракта
damaged goods поврежденные товары
substandard goods недоброкачественные товары
short-shipment {short-delivery) недопоставка
mis-direction of goods отправка товаров по неправильному адресу
to make a claim on smb. предъявлять претензию
to reject / to decline a claim отклонять претензию
to accept / to acknowledge / to admit / to meet a claim принимать (признавать) претензию
a well-grounded / a justified claim обоснованная претензия
an unjustified claim необоснованная претензия
to withdraw a claim отзывать претензию
default of payment задержка платежа
responsible party ответственная сторона, ответчик
dissatisfied party неудовлетворенная сторона
to suffer losses нести убытки
compensation компенсация, возмещение ущерба
a dispute конфликт, спор, разногласия
arbitration арбитраж, арбитражный суд
to refer the matter to передавать дело на рассмотрение
Foreign Trade Arbitration Commission Внешнеторговая арбитражная комиссия
the award of the Arbitration is final and binding upon both parties решение арбитража окончательно и обязательно для обеих сторон
Exercises 1. Translate from Russian into English.
1) Покупатели часто предъявляют претензии продавцам по поводу поставки товаров, не предусмотренных контрактом, поврежденных и недоброкачественных товаров.
2) Претензии могут быть вызваны недопоставкой товаров.
3) Во избежание претензий со стороны покупателя следует проверить упаковку и маркировку товаров.
4) Продавцы могут предъявлять претензии покупателям по поводу задержки платежа.
5) Если претензия обоснована, ответчик должен полностью или частично компенсировать убытки.
6) Сторона может отклонить претензию, если считает, что она необоснована.
7) Если сторонам не удалось прийти к соглашению, дело может быть передано на рассмотрение Внешнеторговой арбитражной комиссии при Торгово-промышленной палате.
8) Решение Арбитражной комиссии окончательно и обязательно для обеих сторон.
NОТЕ:
То have a complaint is annoying, but to complain without good reason will also annoy your correspondent. If you complain, make sure you get your facts right. And if you have to answer an unjustified complaint, be polite and restrained, and remember that we can all make mistakes.
Lesson 2.Claims connected with delay in delivery
Expressions used in connection with delay in delivery:
1) We shall be glad to know when we may expect delivery of | the goods as they are most urgently wanted.
2) The delivery of the goods was to have taken place last month, and we have been caused serious inconvenience through the delay.
3) When placing this order with you we particularly stipulated for delivery within eight months.
4) Your delay in delivering the goods against Order No 1225 caused us considerable inconvenience.
5) We are surprised that you have not yet delivered the goods against Order No 1225.
6) We must insist on your unconditional guarantee that the goods will be delivered at the end of September.
7) We refuse to accept the goods on the ground of late delivery.
1) We are very sorry that you have to complain of delay in delivery of the goods.
2) We ask you to accept our apologies for the delay and the inconvenience you have been caused.
3) We apologize for the delay and trust that you have not been caused any serious inconvenience.
4) The delay in delivery occurred through no fault of ours.
5) The great pressure of orders for these goods has made it impossible for us to deliver the goods in August.
Exercise 1. Translate the letter from English into Russian.
July 15, 19...
Black & Co.,
London
Dear Sirs,
Re: Order No 235
Further to our letter dated June 30, 19... we are writing to you to express our deep concern about the delay in delivery of consignment under the above Order.
You will remember that when we sent you our Order we pointed out that timely delivery was most essential.
We are taking this opportunity to remind you that lately we have had numerous complaints from our clients who find fault with the packing of your goods.
We are sure that you are well aware of our previous claims. Therefore we expect you to take urgent steps to speed up the delivery of the above consignment and to give instructions to your packing department to take more care of inside packing of the goods.
Yours sincerely
Exercise 2. Translate the sentences into Russian.
1) When we sent you our order we pointed out that earl; delivery of the goods was absolutely necessary.
2) We urged on you the importance of the time factor.
3) The delivery time was clearly stated on our order and your acceptance.
4) In your acknowledgement of our order you stated that the consignment would be dispatched within two weeks and we therefore very surprised that we have had no advice of dispatch (уведомление об отправке груза) yet.
5) We are at a loss to understand why we have not heard from you.
6) We are still without your advice of dispatch of the cameras; we are receiving urgent requests from customers and you will understand that this delay places us in an awkward position.
7) You will remember that it was agreed the goods would be shipped in time to arrive here by the end of month.
8) Our stocks may become too low for us to be able to cope with the Christmas trade.
9) We must ask you to dispatch the consignment immediately, if you have not already done so, and in any case please inform us by cable what the position is.
10) We hope to hear from you by return that the consignment is on its way.
Vocabulary
to cancel отменять, аннулировать
cancellation отмена, аннулирование
to take all possible steps / to make every effort / to do one's utmost делать все возможное
a hold-up задержка
to hold-up задерживать
to keep to delivery dates соблюдать сроки поставки
Exercise 4. Translate the letter into Russian.
Dear Sirs:
Our Order No VF449766 of July 4. 199...
The goods ordered under this number arrived today in good condition, and your invoice has been checked and found correct.
However, we have to point out that these articles were ordered subject to their arriving here by the end of August. Since they did not reach us until September 14, we have been hard pressed to meet our commitments to our own customers.
As you will no doubt understand, a recurrence of this situation could well result in our customers placing orders elsewhere, and this is a risk we are unwilling to take. We must, therefore, insist that you observe delivery deadlines for future orders.
Yours sincerely
Exercise 5. Translate from Russian into English.
Москва, 15.11.97
Наша ссылка 12/56/78
Англия, Лондон
Виктория-стрит, 69
фирме Грин энд Ко
Уважаемые господа!
Несмотря на наши неоднократные телеграммы, мы все еще не имеем от Вас сообщения о дате выхода Вашего судна в море.
Эта досадная задержка в подаче Вами судна лишает нас возможности выполнить контракт и влечет за собой большие непроизводительные расходы по хранению такого огромного количества зерна.
Мы, к сожалению, вынуждены Вас предупредить, что в случае неполучения от Вас к 20-му с.м. телеграммы о направлении надлежащего судна в порт погрузки, мы будем считать себя свободными от всяких обязательств по контракту, и все расходы и убытки, связанные с нарушением контракта (расходы по хранению и страхованию, разница в цене и т.п.) будут целиком отнесены на Ваш счет.
Надеемся, что Вы поймете всю важность вопроса и примете все зависящие от Вас меры, чтобы дать нам возможность ускорить выполнение контракта.
В ожидании Вашего скорого ответа
ABC
Vocabulary
сообщение о дaтe выхода судна в море sailing notice
порт погрузки port of loading, loading port
нарушение контракта breach (infringement, violation) of a contract
отнести что-либо на чей-либо счет to place smth. to smb.'s charge / to place smth. to the debit of smb.'s account / to charge smth. to smb.'s account
досадный regretful
непроизводительные расходы unproductive expenses, dead costs
зерно grain
I
Exercise 6. Translate the following.
Уважаемые господа!
Наш заказ № 143, направленный Вам 1 июня, должен был быть доставлен к сегодняшнему дню, но нет никаких признаков товара, хотя наш банк получил документы и мы располагаем Вашим уведомлением об отправке груза.
Мы обещали нашим заказчикам поставить товар до 5 июля и сейчас мы поставлены в очень неловкое положение, когда вынуждены сообщить им, что пока не имеем товара в своем распоряжении.
Просим сообщить нам причину задержки.
С уважением
Dear Sirs:
We acknowledge receipt of your letter of July 5 regarding the non-arrival of your consignment of textiles.
We have been in touch with our forwarding agents, who inform us that your three cases were unloaded in error at Hamburg and are waiting transshipment to your port.
Agents there have been instructed to send the cases forward by the earliest shipping opportunity, which we understand to be the m.v. BATTENBERG, e.t.a. your port July 10.
We apologize for the inconvenience caused to both you and your customers through this error.
Yours sincerely
Vocabulary
forwarding agents экспедиторы
to be in touch связываться с кем-либо
transshipment перегрузка, перевалка
e.t.a. (estimated time of arrival, expected time of arrival) ожидаемое время прибытия
Lesson 3. Claims connected with delivery of damaged or substandard goods
Expressions used in connection with damaged or substandard goods
1) We regret to inform you that the examination of the goods shipped by M.V. "Vera" against Contract No 1250 has shown that they are not in accordance with the contract specification.
2) The goods shipped by you in execution of our Contract No 1500 do not correspond with the sample on the basis of which the Contract was signed.
3) We have received serious complaints from our clients with regard to the machine shipped by you against Contract No 142.
4) We regret having to complain of some grave defects in the machine delivered by you in execution of our Order No 1682.
5) We have examined the goods in the damaged cases and find that we cannot use them.
6) The goods are inferior to the sample.
7) Failing your acceptance of our offer the claim will be submitted to Arbitration.
8) We are making a claim on you for inferior quality of the goods as follows...
9) We opened at random a number of cases which showed no sign of damage on the outside and found that the contents were badly damaged.
10) We estimate that the damage amounts to...
1) We regret to hear that the goods dispatched in execution of your Order No... have not met with your approval.
2) We are sorry that you have had trouble with the Grinding Machine delivered against your Order No...
3) We suggest that the consignment be examined by experts.
4) We have carefully examined your complaint and find that it is apparently due to a misunderstanding.
5) We cannot accept your claim for the following reason:...
6) We cannot be responsible for any damage incurred during the transport.
7) We hope that you will be satisfied with this explanation and withdraw your claim.
8) In the opinion of our expert, $... would be a fair compensation.
9) We feel sure that you will withdraw your claim after a closer examination of the goods.
Vocabulary
| a sample | образец (товара) |
| at random | наугад |
| damage | зд.: ущерб, сумма ущерба |
| misunderstanding | зд.: недоразумение |
| a fair compensation | достаточная компенсация |
NОТЕ:
Note that the following synonymic expressions may be used in the meaning «во время (в процессе) транспортировки»: during transportation, during transport, in transport, in transit.________
Exercise 1. Translate the text from English into Russian.
Dear Sirs:
Following your letter of October 7, we are disappointed to learn that your customers have in any way had an unhappy experience with the quality of our leather.
You complain that it does not meet the Specifications on the basis of which the Contract was concluded. You enclose results of visual examination and laboratory tests indicating the poor quality of the product. We have carefully studied the material and find your claim justified.
We hope that the complaint will be discussed during our personal meeting and we shall consider to what extent we shall satisfy your claim.
On the other hand we would like to remind you that throughout the period since February we have most carefully fulfilled the orders which we had from you under very adverse conditions and at considerable loss to ourselves.
We have always understood that you were good enough to place great importance to continuity in out mutual relationship. We shall be sorry to know that you are proposing that our association is now ended.
Sincerely yours
Exercise 2. Give the English for:
по контракту; не соответствовать спецификации; выполнять контракт; вынуждены сообщить Вам; образец, на основе которого был заключен контракт; мы получили серьезные претензии от наших клиентов; осмотр товаров показал; признавать претензию обоснованной; мы с огорчением узнали; мы предъявляем Вам претензию по поводу низкого качества товаров; качество товаров не соответствует качеству образца; сумма ущерба составляет; с сожалением мы узнали; товар был поврежден в пути; достаточная компенсация.
Exercise 3. Translate the letters.
1) Dear Sirs:
The 100 electric motors we ordered on July 12 (Order No 734) arrived yesterday. However, on opening the cases we found that 12 motors had been damaged by seawater and seem to be a complete write-off.
We have arranged for Lloyd's surveyor to investigate the extent of the damage and we shall forward his report, together with our claim, as soon as the survey has been held.
In the meantime we would ask you to dispatch a further consignment of 50 motors as soon as possible.
Yours sincerely
2) Report by Surveyor:
Date: July 24, 1997
Place: Warehouse No 10,
Keppel Harbor,
Singapore
For: The Singapore Import Agency, Kanton Building, Singapore Insurance Policy No 16/2193
Sirs,
I inspected the consignment of 100 electric motors shipped from Tokyo by m.v. MITSUO MARU on July 15, and found twelve of these motors unserviceable owing to the action of salt water over a period of between four to eight days.
I learnt that the cases containing the damaged goods had been stowed at the bottom of Hold No 3 and that a considerable amount of water had been found in this hold. I inspected the hatch-covers and found that the hatch concerned had been covered with a very old tarpaulin, and it was obvious that water had got in by this means. The ship's log confirmed that the weather during the first four days after leaving Tokyo had been stormy with a great deal of rain.
The twelve motors examined are a complete write-off, and their value is 420; however, to this will have to be added 19 to cover the cost of freight of the replacement motors being sent from Tokyo. The total compensation will therefore be 439.
Surveyor...
Vocabulary
| a write-off | товары, подлежащие списанию | |
| to write off | списывать (товар) | |
| surveyor | страховой инспектор | |
| a warehouse | склад | |
| ahold | трюм, трюмовой отсек | |
| a hatch | люк | |
| to stow | размещать в трюме или | на палубе судна |
| tarpaulin | брезент | |
| a ship 'slog | судовой журнал | |
| replacement | замена |
Exercise 4. Translate the letter into Russian.
Dear Sirs:
We acknowledge your letter of November 1 regarding the shortage of wolfram your customer advise you on the parcels ex vessel "Stabrovsky". We regret we must decline your claim as the material was delivered on board FOB in the condition as described in the Bills of Lading, which stated that the bags had been repaired. If, in fact, any bags were damaged in loading this would have been noted by the ship's captain and the Bills of Lading would have been claused accordingly. This was not the case and therefore any loss or damage could only have occurred during the voyage or in discharge in Russian port or in transit to final destination.
We accordingly return your debit note and supporting documents in order that you can lodge this claim with the shipping company or your insurers.
Yours sincerely
Vocabulary
a debit note дебит-нота
ex vessel с борта судна; доставленный судном
NOTE:
FREE ON BOARD(...named port of shipment)
"Free on Board" means that the seller fulfils his obligation to deliver when the goods have passed over the ship's rail at the named port of shipment. This means that the buyer has to bear all costs and risks of loss of or damage to the goods from that point.
Exercise 5. Translate the following.
Dear Sirs,
We refer to our Order No 134/A of March 19 for 10/20 litres tins of "Olive Green Synthetic Enamel".
The goods have only just been received, after a delay of 7 days, for which no explanation have been given. Further, one of the tins contains a dark green shade though this is unsuitable, we shall retain it in order to save you inconvenience and expense, but we must insist that in future you devote more care to the execution of our orders.
Yours faithfully
Reply to above:
Dear Sirs,
We have your letter of April 1 and note with regret that you are dissatisfied with the execution of your Order No 134/A of March 19. We apologize for the delay and trust that no serious inconvenience has resulted.
Your order was unfortunately overlooked in the pressure of business, but we assure you that every effort will be made in future to guarantee delivery in accordance with your requirements.
We appreciate the indulgence you have shown in having the unsuitable colour tin, but trust that you will give us an opportunity to supply you with further goods.
Yours sincerely
Exercise 6. Translate the sentences from Russian into English.
1) Если Вы не можете гарантировать поставку товара в конце июля, мы будем вынуждены аннулировать заказ.
2) Мы снова вынуждены жаловаться на задержку в выполнении наших заказов, которая причиняет нам значительные неудобства.
3) Мы получили Ваше письмо от 15 мая и очень сожалеем, что Вам приходится жаловаться на задержку в поставке машин по контракту № 1215.
4) Просим Вас принять наши извинения за задержку и заверения, что мы делаем все возможное, чтобы ускорить выполнение Вашего заказа.
5) Подтверждаем получение Вашего письма от 5 мая, в котором вы жалуетесь на задержку поставки машин.
Exercise 7. Translate the letter from Russian into English. Уважаемые господа!
Касательно Вашей рекламации от 7 марта
Мы тщательно изучили Вашу претензию и вынуждены отклонить ее по следующим причинам.
Перед отгрузкой из Одессы товар был осмотрен Вашим представителем, который установил, что качество товара полностью соответствует описанию и спецификации, приложенным к контракту, о чем свидетельствует прилагаемый к настоящему письму акт осмотра, подписанный Вашим представителем.
Ввиду этого мы не можем признать Вашу претензию о предоставлении Вам 50% скидки со стоимости товара на том основании, что качество его якобы ниже качества образца, нч основании которого был заключен контракт.
По всей вероятности товар был поврежден в пути или во время выгрузки. Поэтому рекомендуем Вам обратиться с претензией к Страховому обществу.
С уважением,
«Интертрейд Лтд»
по следующим причинам for the following reason
акт осмотра inspection certificate / survey report / report of survey
выгрузка unloading, discharge
обратиться с претензией to submit a claim to smb./ to lodge a claim with smb.,/ to make a claim on smb.
страховое общество Insurance Сompany
якобы allegedly
Exercise 8. Make up a text of a claim in English and in Russian for the following situation.
Вами была получена партия книг по заказу № 436 с задержкой в 15 дней. Осмотр упаковок, выбранных наугад, показал, что большая часть партии повреждена морской водой. Исходя из этого, вы требуете предоставления вам скидки со стоимости партии в 30%, что составило бы достаточную компенсацию. Вы предупреждаете, что в случае непредоставления вам скидки дело будет передано в арбитраж.