Yahoo Finance From Evri to Royal Mail: How to get your money back if your parcel goes missing
If you're missing a parcel and don't know what to do next, then you've come to the right place.
Whether it's a personal parcel you're sending or receiving, or you've bought something online that’s gone astray, this guide has you covered.
Missing parcels are an annoyingly common problem, but there is still often confusion among companies – and customers – when it comes to what your consumer rights are. So here, I'll spell out what you should do in different scenarios.
You've ordered something online and it hasn't arrived
If your parcel hasn’t arrived, you should first check the delivery address you gave the seller to make sure it's correct.
Then, you should contact the seller and ask where your order is. If the seller claims it's been delivered, or doesn’t know its whereabouts, then you can ask for a redelivery. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 you can ask for a redelivery if the item wasn’t delivered either by the agreed date or within a reasonable time (this is usually 30 days).
If the retailer you ordered the item from asks you to contact the courier you should refuse, because this isn't right. As a customer, your contract is with the seller. The courier is contracted by the seller to deliver the goods to you, so you should not be dealing directly with it in the event of a complaint.
Instead, it is the seller’s responsibility to make sure the item is delivered to you. It is up to the seller or retailer to chase the courier to find out what happened to your order if there’s a problem.
In certain circumstances you may be able to get a refund for items not delivered – for example, if you had paid extra for next day delivery because the delivery date was essential, and the item didn't arrive on time.
Your parcel was left somewhere and you can't find it
Sometimes parcels get left in different places if you’re not home, such as on your porch or with a neighbour, and it’s not always easy to find them.
If the item was delivered by a courier then you should check the terms and conditions. If you agreed to items being left outside your home then unfortunately it’s not the seller or courier’s responsibility if your item goes missing. However, if you did not tick this box then the liability remains with the seller.
If your parcel was sent via Royal Mail then your rights are slightly different. If an item goes missing after being left with a neighbour or in a certain place on your instruction then it’s not the seller or Royal Mail’s responsibility.
But if Royal Mail left something with a neighbour, or in a place you didn’t request, then it’s the seller’s responsibility if it gets lost, so contact them for a refund or redelivery. You can opt out of having future deliveries left with a neighbour by completing a form on the Royal Mail website or via the app.
You posted a personal parcel and it's gone missing
If you personally posted a parcel and it's gone missing then you'll need to refer back to the courier's terms and conditions.
Each company has slightly different policies on how long parcels have to be delayed for before being considered "missing", and it also depends on which of their various services you chose to send your parcel with.
When you hand your parcel over to be sent you will receive a receipt or proof of delivery, which shows when and where the item was sent from.
These are easy to lose, so it is always a good idea to take a picture in case you need to refer back to it in the event that the parcel is delayed or lost.
If enough time has passed for your parcel to be considered missing, and it cannot be found, then you may be eligible for compensation. The level of insurance cover depends on which carrier you're using and the service you've bought, and this can vary hugely.
Many services have a basic low level of insurance cover included as part of the postage price, but you'll have to pay extra for higher levels of cover. If the value of your item exceeds the level of cover, then you’ll only be able to make a claim up to the maximum value, meaning you may end up out of pocket. This is why it's always important to check you always have an appropriate level of cover before you post anything of value.
What to do if a seller or courier is being unreasonable
If you're unhappy with a seller or a delivery company, you don't just have to accept their unsatisfactory response. If you think they're breaching their own terms and conditions you could write to your bank or credit card company to apply for a refund.
If you paid on credit card and the missing item is worth between £100 and £30,000, you can apply for a Section 75 refund for “goods or services not received”. Your card provider will then assess your complaint and refund you any money it thinks you're rightfully owed, and it'll then chase the company for the money.
If you paid by debit card, or the value is less than £100, you could apply for chargeback. It’s not a legal protection, as section 75 is, but is made at the discretion of the card provider. If it deems your complaint to be legitimate, it can reverse the purchase transaction back to your credit, debit or charge card – but note that you usually only have 120 days to make a claim.
If you think the seller or courier has broken the law you can report them to Trading Standards to investigate. However, be aware that they won't usually be able to get you your money back.
Now read: How to get your money back after a bank transfer scam
