Verified Company
Sadly change of delivery status is unworkable. Buyers please be aware you are now expected to move your delivery from the road side to your property.
Now SDL are only prepared to deliver kerbside (we live rural single track road) like many rural customers we don’t have houses without driveways. Am now told the appointed haulier WHITES are unable to offload as would previously happened to the building where pellets were stored. In our case they would now leave a pallet of pellets approx 250 metres away and expect me as customer to manually move them.
How many rural customers will have the machinery to move nearly a tonne of wood pellets.
Sadly I suspect this new policy on deliveries will impact a large number of customers both individual and business.
I’ve asked about a solution and even asked could the driver use his pallet truck to live them and sadly nothing forthcoming am just being told down to me to move them.
Reply from SDL Pellets
2026.01.30
Hi Carolyn, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and for explaining the situation.
Our standard pallet delivery service is kerbside delivery, which is clear on our website at the point of order. Pallet deliveries are completed using tail-lift vehicles and a pallet truck, which means drivers can only offload to safe, level, hardstanding surfaces that are accessible for their vehicle and equipment. On rural and single-track roads, this can sometimes limit how close a pallet can be placed to the storage point.
For context, the smallest delivery vehicle is a 7.5 tonne truck, which is used for half pallets. Full pallets require an 18 tonne vehicle. This is why access, turning space, and safe offloading conditions are so important, and why drivers are unable to take vehicles onto certain driveways, tracks, or uneven ground.
In your case, we have previously tried to help beyond the standard service by using our own staff and vehicle to facilitate delivery and positioning where larger vehicles cannot safely access. We have been doing this at no extra cost to customers, despite it creating a significant cost to the business. However, this is effectively a separate service to standard pallet delivery and, particularly during our busiest period, we are not able to continue offering this additional support as standard. We have also chosen not to pass on the true cost of this extra service, which can run into the hundreds of pounds.
We understand this is frustrating, especially for rural customers, and we are actively looking at longer-term solutions. In the meantime, if access to your property means kerbside is not workable, please contact our team directly and we will do our best to discuss the options available for your location before delivery.
We are sorry you have been left disappointed, but we do need to operate within safe delivery limits and within the service type ordered. If you’d like us to review your specific delivery details again, please get in touch with your order number and address so we can help.
Kind regards,
Izzy
The SDL Pellets Team
Our standard pallet delivery service is kerbside delivery, which is clear on our website at the point of order. Pallet deliveries are completed using tail-lift vehicles and a pallet truck, which means drivers can only offload to safe, level, hardstanding surfaces that are accessible for their vehicle and equipment. On rural and single-track roads, this can sometimes limit how close a pallet can be placed to the storage point.
For context, the smallest delivery vehicle is a 7.5 tonne truck, which is used for half pallets. Full pallets require an 18 tonne vehicle. This is why access, turning space, and safe offloading conditions are so important, and why drivers are unable to take vehicles onto certain driveways, tracks, or uneven ground.
In your case, we have previously tried to help beyond the standard service by using our own staff and vehicle to facilitate delivery and positioning where larger vehicles cannot safely access. We have been doing this at no extra cost to customers, despite it creating a significant cost to the business. However, this is effectively a separate service to standard pallet delivery and, particularly during our busiest period, we are not able to continue offering this additional support as standard. We have also chosen not to pass on the true cost of this extra service, which can run into the hundreds of pounds.
We understand this is frustrating, especially for rural customers, and we are actively looking at longer-term solutions. In the meantime, if access to your property means kerbside is not workable, please contact our team directly and we will do our best to discuss the options available for your location before delivery.
We are sorry you have been left disappointed, but we do need to operate within safe delivery limits and within the service type ordered. If you’d like us to review your specific delivery details again, please get in touch with your order number and address so we can help.
Kind regards,
Izzy
The SDL Pellets Team
