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How to get compensation for a late or missed delivery

'If I waste a day, then you'll pay'

Matt Finn
Matt Finn | Edited by Martin Lewis
Updated 5 August 2024

It's enough to make you growl. You've been told you need to be in for a delivery or service installation – sometimes taking a whole day off work. And then they're hours late, or, even worse, don't turn up at all. Yet you can fight back if you know your rights, and you may even be able to force compensation for the lost time. In this guide we've full help on:

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While every effort's been made to ensure this article's accuracy, it doesn't constitute legal advice tailored to your own individual circumstances. If you act on it, you do so at your own risk. We can't assume responsibility and don't accept liability for any damage or loss which may arise.

Delivery late, missing or damaged? Here's what to do

The excitement of expecting an item in the post can rapidly turn to disappointment and frustration if the delivery goes wrong. In this section, we've help – we'll tell you your rights if your delivery is late, goes missing, or arrives damaged.

But before we delve into things, a key point to understand is that your contract is with the retailer you ordered from, and not the delivery company.

When you order an item from a retailer, you're essentially creating a contract between the two of you, even if it's not written down. The promised delivery is a legitimate part of that contract – and if you've paid for goods but not received them, then you've got rights.

This applies even if you've paid extra for a specific courier company through the retailer. And you have the same rights and remedies if you have a contract for installation, or you've arranged for a service to be carried out and it's been breached due to a no-show.

The only exception is if you arranged delivery yourself separately with the courier company – in this scenario, the core service that you've paid for has failed. Here, you're protected under the Consumer Rights Act, which says specifically that services should be carried out with 'reasonable care and skill' (see full info on this in our Consumer rights guide). And, in this situation, you should complain directly to the courier (see below).

First, see if the delivery company can tell you where your item is

While you'll need to deal with the retailer to get any compensation for a botched delivery (see how to complain below), in the first instance you may be better off contacting the courier about a missing item. You'll also need to go straight to the courier firm if you've organised the delivery  yourself separately.

Delivery companies typically have a customer service helpline or even online tracking facilities to help you find out where your parcel's got to. So if you know who's delivering your item, it's worth trying them first. See below for contact details for some of the main parcel delivery firms.

If your delivery is late, you may be able to get a refund or compensation

If your delivery doesn't show up on time (or in the right condition), there are three different forms of redress open to you. In brief:

White van with "delivery" written on the side.

  • Refund. If you ordered online or on the phone, you have the right to cancel an order within 14 calendar days and get a full refund under the Consumer Contracts Regulations, though you may need to pay to return the item. You have this right even if an item is delivered on time – but it can be a handy way of getting your money back if the delivery was late.

    It's worth noting the Consumer Contracts Regulations also explicitly entitle you to a full refund if something arrived later than promised. If there's no specified date for delivery, then it must be with you within 30 days of ordering. After that point, you can legally cancel the contract and get a refund, regardless of whether the item was bought online or in store.

    However, if you ordered in store for home delivery – say furniture or anything else substantial – you WON'T be protected by the Consumer Contracts Regulations. In this case, get 'em to agree to a delivery deadline marked 'time is of the essence', then you'll get a load of extra rights if things go wrong. Check out 'time is of the essence' for more details.

  • Compensation for extra time taken off work. If your delivery is late and you arrange for a redelivery, it's also possible to get compensation for extra time taken off work. We explain compensation for extra time taken off work in detail below.

  • Additional compensation for late delivery of goods. In some cases it may also be possible to claim for additional costs resulting from the late delivery, or even the inconvenience and distress it caused. This can be a grey area and you won't always be successful but it's worth bearing in mind – find out more details on what you can claim below.

Quick questions

  • I'm worried a company won't deliver on time, what can I do?

    This is a common worry. For example, say you order a new sofa from a shop and it promises to deliver everything to you by Christmas.

    Legally, the 'we will deliver your sofa before Christmas' is part of your contract. But normally the delivery time for any item you buy isn't an enforceable part of the contract unless you make it so.

    So if you went to the same retailer when buying a sofa, asked when it would be delivered and the salesperson told you that it would be six to eight weeks, that's a guide and not a specific date.

    However, you can make the date for delivery an enforceable part of the contract by stating 'time is of the essence', which will give you a load of extra legal rights should they fail to deliver on time.

    This can work even if they've already overshot the planned delivery date, though it's far easier to do when you're actually making the initial order. See how to add 'time is of the essence' for full info.

  • They left a 'missed you' note when I was in!

    If this happened, you'd only have a reasonable chance of compensation if you could prove somebody was at home and the deliverer didn't take reasonable steps to let you know they'd arrived.

    But if you do have decent proof, you'd have the same rights as with any other delivery problems. For example, if there were 10 people in the house when the courier claimed they rang your doorbell and no one heard a thing, you've a stronger case to back up your compensation claim.

    However, even if you can't prove it, there's nothing to stop you putting in a complaint to the seller (or even the delivery company) anyway.

  • I've been given a huge delivery time slot, what can I do?

    Mammoth time slots that require you to stay in for an entire day are all too common. Unfortunately there's little you can do about this from a legal point of view, if you've agreed to it. But there's nothing to stop you asking the retailer if it can do a narrower time slot.

    You could try something like: "Look, this is a 10-hour time slot for a delivery that'll take less than a minute to receive. I'm prepared to settle for a more reasonable delivery slot from 9am to midday. But if you can't do this it simply isn't worth it for me, so I'll have to cancel the order and go somewhere else."

    Yet you can't cancel purely down to the retailer refusing to budge on a delivery plan that you've agreed to. So you need to insist on the time slot or other delivery arrangements you want as a condition for buying the goods or ordering the service in the first place, or you'll go elsewhere.

    Don't be afraid to follow through on this. It's only when enough of us refuse to accept unreasonable delivery times that services will begin to improve.

What to do if your item hasn't turned up at all

If you've paid for goods that haven't been delivered at all, or the courier has told you they've been lost in transit, your next step is to go to the retailer.

In this situation, the company should be able to refund you the full amount. If that doesn't work, and you've paid even a portion of the cost by credit card, then you could try to claim under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act – as long as the item is worth at least £100 and under £30,000. For more information, read our Section 75 guide.

Where Section 75 doesn't apply, you may be able to use 'chargeback' rules. These allow the card provider to reverse a payment you've made to a retailer if it agrees you've a legitimate complaint, provided you've used a debit card or paid for an item worth less than £100 on a credit card. Check out our full Chargeback guide for more information.

This guide is more about redress and compensation for late deliveries – for full details on your rights when shopping, and how to get a refund or replacement, see our Consumer rights guide.

If your item arrives damaged, you have rights – even if you've signed for it

Damaged label on a box, reading "please handle with care. Fragile."

If your delivery arrives and it's damaged, you have a right to a refund.

And even if you discover this after signing for it, this shouldn't matter a jot – you still have the same rights as with any faulty item.

Signing for an item just means it's been delivered – you're not signing on the quality of the item delivered. However, if you also signed a delivery note stating you'd examined the goods and they were in perfect condition, but later discovered they were damaged, there could be an argument about whether the damage was caused after delivery.

So it's better to change any wording to 'not examined', so it's clear that you didn't have the time to do this – otherwise, inspect 'em carefully.

Are you SENDING a parcel instead? Then check out some of our other key parcel guides:

Claiming compensation for a failed delivery? Your need-to-knows

If your delivery's delayed and you have to take extra time off work to wait for a redelivery, it's possible to get compensation.

Calendar with the 26th day of the month circled, with "annual leave" written next to it.

But this is all about when a delivery or installation's been booked for a certain day, and you've arranged to be in specifically to receive it – NOT simply when you stay in hoping the delivery may turn up.

Before we go through how to get compensation for a failed delivery step-by-step, it's crucial to understand the following need-to-knows. Having an understanding of your legal rights and being able to quote them boosts your chances of a successful complaint, and lessens the likelihood of you having to go to court, which ideally you want to avoid.

Remember too that it's also possible to get compensation for additional costs and even the inconvenience and distress caused by late delivery problems.

  • See some inspiration before you begin 💥

    I got £150 from UPS after using your failed delivery template. Thanks very much.

    Wrote to Ikea using the compensation letter template and had great success! They'd taken four attempts to deliver me a broken table worth £60. I kept the order and got £100 compensation!

    By quoting bits from the guide I was able to secure close to £60 for my wasted day. Much better than the £10 offered before I went to this site!

  • 1. Compensation depends on whether you've suffered 'consequential loss'

    Whenever you buy goods or services and a company breaches that contract, you may qualify for compensation. This could be for a direct loss (such as if you didn't receive the item), or for an indirect loss occurring as a result of the breach of contract – what's legally known as 'consequential loss'. But if what went wrong made you lose out in additional ways – so, for example, if you have to take another day off work to wait in for a redelivery – you may be able to claim for this.

    The point of compensation is to put you into the same position you would have been in had the contract not been broken. So the consequential loss you may be able to claim for, and the amount, depends on if you lost out because of the missed delivery.

    What kinds of things count as consequential loss?

    Don't try to be too clever here. You can only claim consequential loss for things that aren't 'remote' from the breach.

    Saying you needed to take another day off as they didn't deliver is reasonable. But arguing "as they didn't turn up, I was late for my appointment, sped up and had an accident and I want them to pay for that" is too remote.

    What if the company has a consequential loss exclusion clause?

    This is a legal grey area. A company may have an exclusion clause that prohibits consequential loss claims, but that doesn't mean that this is allowed. It could be an unfair contract term, in which case there's a chance it may not be valid, so don't let it unnecessarily put you off making a complaint (though it may make you think twice before shelling out to go to court).

  • 2. Compensation would be for any EXTRA time you've taken off

    Although it may seem unusual, you can't claim compensation for the original no-show day as you haven't technically lost out through this. You were going to take that day off work anyway; the fact it turned out to be futile is aggravating, but not a loss in a legal sense. The key is what's needed to put it right.

    So if the end result is you need to take a SECOND day (or morning/hour) off for a new date, you should be due compensation for loss of earnings or the holiday you've taken.

    To have good grounds for compensation, your complaint needs to be considered reasonable in a court of law. So, if the failed delivery happened when the area's roads were closed due to snow, for example, you're less likely to have a strong case than if there were no adverse circumstances.

    Can I claim if I didn't take any extra time off?

    If there were no additional costs to you waiting longer or on another day, it's unlikely a judge would award in your favour. However, there's nothing to stop you complaining to the company anyway, saying its service was inadequate and below expectations, and asking what it's going to do to make it up to you (see how to ask for compensation).

    What if the deliverer came outside the agreed time window?

    Provided the original appointment was agreed, again, the key here is: did you need to take more time off or was there any consequential cost? So had you taken a morning off and they came an hour outside the window but you were still at home, it's annoying – but you haven't suffered a loss.

    But if you then went to work because you couldn't wait in any more and had to take more time off to reschedule, or had to pay for an extra hour of childcare so you could wait in for the extra hour, then there is a consequential loss.

    How many hours can I claim for?

    As far as time's concerned, if you had to take a number of unpaid hours off work to sort out a delivery problem (not including the original delivery itself), contract law states you should be able to recover any damages that you suffered as a result of the breach of contract. So you can claim for all of 'em.

    Can I claim for my time even if I'm on a high salary?

    You can claim whatever you want, but of course, as we'll come to later, the key is whether you'll get it. Don't forget you may be required to prove your rate. There are no hard or fast rules here, but the other side could argue your claim is disproportionate.

    For example, imagine this happened to a supermodel who won't get out of bed for less than £20,000 an hour. It's likely that if she charged for a day (£160,000!) the other side would argue this wasn't fair as she could've hired someone else for £100 to stay in for her. So there's a balance to be struck.

  • 3. You're expected to try to minimise your loss

    Before you can legally claim, you're expected to try to minimise your loss. For example, this means you'd need to try to arrange delivery at a convenient time when you'd be home without incurring problems. Or ask a friend, neighbour or family member to wait in for you (if you need to pay them, or for their costs, you could claim for that).

    Remember, you can always say to the seller: "Look, you've broken the contract. I'm off work from 5pm Saturday or all day Sunday. If you deliver then it'll save you a compensation claim from me, but I won't pay more for that delivery."

    But if it can't do any convenient times, and you have to take time off work as a result, it's time to put in a claim.

  • 4. You may be able to claim additional compensation

    As well as claiming for extra time taken off work, you may be able to claim for additional late delivery compensation as well.

    There's nothing to stop you putting in a claim for extra costs incurred if they're legitimate (such as phone calls or fuel costs if you had to drive out of your way to collect a parcel) but it's likely to come down to your individual negotiation skills. Keep it reasonable (so no claiming for a private jet to work because your new bike wasn't delivered in time).

    You may also be able to put in a reasonable claim for loss of enjoyment of the goods or service because they've been delayed. For example, if you couldn't watch the Champions League final on your new 65-inch OLED TV as planned, and had to make do with your old 30-inch LCD instead. Or the new dining suite didn't arrive in time, and you were made to look a fool at a dinner party because your guests had to sit on the floor.

    It's important to note that payouts after complaints are never guaranteed. But you may want to consider it, particularly if you've suffered substantial distress or inconvenience due to delivery problems. For example, a holiday's been ruined, the dress didn't arrive in time for the wedding, or tile delivery problems meant you had to put up with a leaky roof for weeks.

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How to get failed delivery compensation: Step-by-step

The aim here is to use your legal rights to get the company to negotiate compensation without the hassle, expense and risk of going to court.

It's about showing the firm that a judge would rule in your favour – so it's in its best interest to reach a reasonable compensation offer.

Bear in mind that the sooner you complain, the better, and the more seriously the retailer's likely to take your claim. Although you've technically got six years to make a claim in court, don't wait this long, and aim to resolve things without having to take the legal route.

Step 1: See if you can get a refund or compensation via the company's own late delivery procedure

Some (but not all) companies have a standard procedure to compensate you for a failed delivery, so it's well worth checking the retailer's website or calling customer services to find out. Try to find a freephone number if you can.

If it's a busy time of the year, such as Christmas, then you may find it hard to get hold of the retailer on the phone or via email. Instead, you could try contacting it on social media – such as via X or Facebook – as responses are often quicker. 

Trying to get a refund should be your first port of call – any extra compensation's likely to be at the store's discretion so there are no guarantees, but it's certainly worth a try. At the very least you should look for a refund on the delivery charge – if you've paid for express delivery, be aware that you'll only get back the difference between the price of the lowest (or most common) delivery option and the more expensive option you chose.

Even if the retailer has a system in place, this shouldn't stop you from pushing your legal rights if you feel its standard compensation isn't adequate. But if the company's already making you a reasonable offer, you're less likely to get extra compensation on top.

Step 2: If that's not an option, call the company to say it hasn't met expectations

If it doesn't have a standard procedure, or you don't feel its normal compensation offer is sufficient, call the company and say its service "didn't meet your expectations". This applies even if you don't have legal compensation rights. Companies are interested in protecting their reputations and won't want to leave customers disgruntled if they can help it.

Before you call, work out what you really want to achieve and what compensation you'd settle for. Then be reasonable and focus on achieving that, not 'grabbing every penny'.

If you've had to fork out due to the delivery delay, you may want compensation in the form of money. But if it's simply compensation for extra time and hassle, consider if you'd be happy with a credit note or voucher. Remember, the more you want, the harder it'll be to achieve.

Ask to speak to the most senior person available, and always be firm but polite. Try something like this:

My delivery didn't arrive at the time we agreed, which is a breach of contract. I had to take a second day off work for redelivery, but it's left me out of pocket. I'm calling to claim for this consequential loss, as is my legal right.

My lost wages are £50, but I'm happy to remedy it with a £20 voucher. So if we can reach a settlement now, it'll save you a formal claim for my damages.

If it doesn't agree, ask what it can offer – it may come back with something else. It's then up to you to consider whether to accept it, but remember, if you turn down a reasonable offer, it's less likely you'll get extra compensation on top. Ensure you state what 'remedy' you'd like in any correspondence to ensure it's clear how the firm can fix it for you.

Step 3: Email or send a letter to the company

If it hasn't offered suitable compensation yet, email or send a letter to the company. This will shift your case up a gear by showing it that you know your legal rights, and that you're serious.

Again, while you don't want to take the case to court if possible, the email's about reinforcing that if you did, you'd have a strong case for compensation. So you want to show the retailer that it'll save itself a lot of further hassle and expense by reaching a negotiated settlement now.

It's crucial you receive a response back to acknowledge the email, however – otherwise legally you have no proof it's arrived. So, if you don't get a response, follow up by posting a letter by recorded delivery. 

Need help with writing an email or letter? Use our templates

To help, we've drafted a template email or letter that you can use – you're able to choose which one of these you'd like to send.

If you'd find an email easier, you can access the template email below.

Copy and paste this into a blank email to be sent, add your details and then tweak it to suit your particular circumstances. Make sure to delete the brackets included after following the instruction – there are two types used:

  • [BRACKETS]: Put your specific info here, then delete the instructions.

  • [BOLD BRACKETS]: Just for info – after you've read, delete.

Once you've made the changes, read through the email carefully to ensure it will make sense to the recipient, before you send it off.

  • Our FREE template email to ask for delivery compensation 📧

    Dear [insert name of retailer],

    Order number: [insert your order or purchase number if there is one]

    Ref: Delivery complaint due to breach of contract

    On [enter date] you agreed to sell me [enter item].

    [Use this section to claim for losses after a failed delivery, or delete]

    It was agreed you would deliver to me on [enter date and time]. You failed to deliver. You would not then agree to deliver at a time which was convenient to me, and delivery was rearranged for, and took place on, [enter date]. However, I incurred loss due to your breach of contract.

    I was compelled to take [select from unpaid leave/annual leave] for [enter one day/number of hours] which represented a net loss to me of £[enter amount you would have been paid]. I am writing to claim this amount from you. I look forward to a full and prompt response to this letter within 14 days. Failing this, I will bring proceedings against you in the county court for damages, and interest on them at the rate of 8% per annum and costs.

    [Use this section if it didn't deliver on time and you want to cancel the order, or delete]

    It was agreed you would deliver to me on [enter date and time]. You failed to deliver but time was of the essence. It was a condition of the contract that the delivery date would be adhered to, as stated on [enter where delivery date was stated – for instance, on the invoice/website/ sign in shop]. I no longer require the goods from you and because of your failure to deliver, I hereby terminate the contract. I claim the return of the sum of £[enter amount paid].

    [Add this section if you would like to claim additional costs, or delete]

    In addition, I also claim £[enter expenses] for [enter reason – for example, travel, phone, postage costs, increase in price for similar goods, compensation for loss of enjoyment, compensation for inconvenience if goods were for 'personal comfort']. This brings my total claim to £[enter amount and costs]. I look forward to a full and prompt response to this email within 14 days. Failing this I will bring county court proceedings against you for damages, interest at the rate of 8% per annum and costs.

    [Use this section to add 'time is of the essence' to your contract, or delete]

    It was agreed delivery would be in [enter time – for instance, three to five days] but so far delivery has not taken place. The delay has been undue and cannot reasonably be expected to continue indefinitely.

    Therefore, I am hereby making time of the essence and giving notice that unless the goods are delivered to me no later than [enter a reasonable date – for example, 28 days], I will treat you as having repudiated the contract and call on you to refund all sums I have paid you, together with damages for breach of contract. This will include my expenses in having to buy the same goods elsewhere, and any amount in excess of the price I paid to you.

    I look forward to your response within the next 14 days.

    [Use this section for all letters]

    Regards, [your name]

Alternatively, if you'd rather download a template letter in rich text format to print off and post, you can do so here. (Problems opening the letter?)

Used our template to successfully get compensation? We'd love to hear about it in our forum discussion.

Step 4: Accept the offer or negotiate

Once you've sent the email and/or letter, remember: everything hinges on your ability to negotiate. If the company gets back to you with an offer of compensation, you need to carefully decide if you want to take it.

  • If you want to accept its offer. Get in touch to let it know and arrange payment. If you want to accept its offer but also you've got another related unresolved complaint, say you're accepting its compensation 'without prejudice' to your outstanding claim. Using this specific term is crucial, as it means the offer isn't binding or usable against you in any further legal processes.

  • If you don't feel it's enough. You could try to negotiate a higher settlement. If you decide to do this, clearly state what you'd be prepared to settle for, and reiterate the reasons, costs and evidence you have to back these up.

    This is going to depend largely on your negotiating skills, but don't forget – it's never guaranteed the company will meet your counter-offer, and it may renege on its first offer.

Even if it's less than you originally asked for, it may be worth accepting the company's offer to save the hassle of court action. There are no rights or wrongs here; it's about how hard you're prepared to push. If you're thinking of taking it to court, ensure you read the next section for full pros 'n' cons first. 

Step 5: If all else fails – how to take 'em to court

Hopefully the letter should settle it. But if you've tried all the steps above and the company still hasn't offered you a satisfactory settlement, making a court claim is a last resort.

We cover the full process of going to court in our dedicated Small claims guide, plus tips for success. Be sure to read this in detail if you go down this route.

WARNING: Going to court can be risky and you should only consider doing so once you've tried all the other options. If the judge rules in favour of the company, you may have to pay its legal fees as well as your own. Therefore it could end up costing you a lot more than you may have already lost.

 

Making a court claim takes time and dedication, which you may feel just isn't worth it. If you're unsure about how strong your case is, get independent legal advice, and only proceed with a claim if you're willing to accept the risk involved.

The only person who can force action is a county court judge (sheriff in Scotland), but don't always think judges and wigs; this is often just a case of filling in some forms online.

Sometimes simply doing this will mean a company settles (assuming you've a decent legal claim), so you might not have to go all the way to court.

Bear in mind too that this ISN'T generally a quick process. Court action can take about six months, so do factor this in if you decide to go for it.

Think very carefully about whether you want the hassle of this process and whether it's worth it. It's far better to use this as a last resort threat and settle with the company if possible.

Important note: This step is based on the process for England and Wales. We've included the basics for the rest of the UK, but for more see the NIdirect and Scottish Government sites.

You can apply to a county court to claim back money you're owed. Previously this was referred to as taking someone to the 'small claims court', but now it's called a 'court claim'.

Here's one MoneySaver's experience for inspiration:

I successfully won a small claims case for damages after a failed delivery, despite the company's terms stating it wasn't responsible for failed deliveries. I won every penny I claimed, including £660.77 for late delivery damages.

Of course, for belt 'n' braces you could consider hiring a lawyer for larger claims; see the Law Society website for more.

Key points

  • Try to resolve things directly first

    Before you go legal, you're expected to try to resolve things directly, and ideally send a 'letter before action' to say you're going to take the company to court. If you don't try, the judge could look unfavourably on your case.

  • Factor in the fees

    Fees may be waived if you're on benefits or a low income, but for most, as well as the initial application fee (£35 to £455 for claims up to £10,000), you may need to pay a court allocation fee and/or hearing fee if your case ends up in front of a judge. However, it's worth bearing in mind you get these back if you win.

    If you were to lose, it's rare to have to pay the other side's costs. The only things you might be liable for are their travelling expenses and the time off work needed to attend the hearing for them and their witnesses (not more than £95 each a day).

  • It's designed so you can go it alone

    In all but the most complicated cases you shouldn't need the help of a solicitor, as the small claims system is designed with this in mind. Free sources of help are listed in the Who's who section of our How to complain guide. Again, if you're unsure, consider how important it is to you to claim, and do seek independent legal advice if necessary.

  • It's more complicated with overseas companies

    Taking a UK-based firm to court should only ever be a last resort, so think carefully before attempting this with a company from overseas, as it can be far more complicated.

    If you've ordered something from a firm based outside of the UK, and it's not arrived when you expected, instead look at doing a Section 75 or chargeback claim. This could be possible if you paid by credit or debit card, which you probably did.

    Factors that make dealing with an overseas firm more complicated include the fact that you can't make a court claim online if the defendant's address is outside of England and Wales, and that you have to follow special procedural rules, which means you may have to get help from the court.

    For example, there is a special procedure for European cross-border claims, with the claim limit being €5,000 for small claims (see the UK International Consumer Centre for more).

    Bearing all this in mind, it may be easier and more effective to instead use the card protections described above, if you can. See our guides to Section 75 (which applies to credit card purchases between £100.01 and £30,000) and chargeback (for debit card purchases OR if you're spending £100 or less on a credit card).

Used the steps in this guide to successfully get compensation for a failed delivery? Let us know in the forum discussion.

How to safeguard against future problems

Though you may be able to get compensation if the worst happens, it's far less stressful if a delivery goes as planned. Use these quick tips to help future deliveries go smoothly.

Order the right way

A little extra planning can go a long way towards helping your parcel reach the right destination on time.

Thanks to MoneySaver audirob for these insider tips:

Add a contact number. I'm a trainer for a delivery company. When ordering online, in the third line of address detail that's rarely used, put your phone number. As this will always be printed on the delivery label and handheld scanner, the driver can call if they have problems locating you.

Leave a note. If you know you're having a delivery, leave a note on the door or window specifying which neighbour will take your delivery in your absence.

Tell 'em where to stick it. If you want the parcel left, leave a signed note saying where. The driver can take that away and leave the parcel as instructed.

Pass it on. As MSE is highly viewed, I hope many people will see this and hopefully improve their delivery success. I deliver between 50 and 110 stops a day and if people would do the above it would make things so much easier.

Research offline, buy online for rights to a refund

Online shopping carries additional consumer rights protection, over and above buying something from an actual shop.

The Consumer Contracts Regulations mean that if you buy online or by phone, you've a right to change your mind within 14 calendar days, even if there's no fault. If you buy from a shop, you only have a right to return goods if they're faulty.

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If you've bought online, you can send the goods back to get a refund of the price and original delivery charge – though not the cost of returning it. That said, many stores – such as Asos and George – offer free returns on online orders, and if you've bought from a high street shop's website, you can typically return items in store as well. Once you've cancelled your contract, you'll have a further 14 days to return the goods.

This is why many people have become 'roboshoppers', with 'robo' being an acronym for 'researching offline, buying online':

  • Researching
  • Offline
  • Buying
  • Online 

This is especially worth it for bigger items; go to the shops to look, then order online for extra rights. See Martin's roboshopper blog.

The Consumer Contracts Regulations are also helpful if you're ordering for a certain delivery date (such as a birthday or Christmas). Let's say you order a games console online for a Christmas prezzie. If it doesn't arrive by Christmas Eve as promised, these rights mean you can just buy one in store, send back the original when it arrives, and get a full refund.

If you need to send it back, it's likely you'll need to pay for the return delivery, but they should refund the original delivery cost.

Quick question

  • What do the Consumer Contracts Regulations cover?

    Here's a quick summary of what the Consumer Contracts Regulations cover – see rights when buying online for more:

    • What's covered? Goods or services via mail order, phone or online.

    • How long do you have to cancel? You've got 14 calendar days after you receive goods to cancel. If you've ordered a service it's 14 calendar days after you entered into the contract, although if it starts within 14 days and you then cancel, you may be expected to pay for any service you've used in this time.

    • How long do you have to send it back? After cancelling, you have a further 14 days to send the item back.

    • What's NOT covered? Exceptions include fresh food and flowers (for obvious reasons of decay!), personalised goods, accommodation/transport/leisure services purchased for a particular time frame, newspapers and magazines, lottery tickets, and sealed audio, video or computer software that's been opened. It also includes a service that has already started (unless it's in the 14-day cancellation period, when you may have to pay for what you've used). You also can't cancel if you have examined the goods in a shop then ordered from the same retailer online and this inspection was specifically noted as part of the purchase contract.

    • How can you cancel? You usually need to write to let the seller know, although some allow you to cancel by phone. As soon as you've cancelled, take good care of all of the goods in your contract, as you have to send them all back in reasonable condition (but not necessarily in the same packaging). You'll also usually be asked to pay for return delivery, unless the seller doesn't say this in its T&Cs, or the goods were faulty.

    • How do you get your refund? The seller must then pay back any money within 14 days of receipt of your items or cancellation of the service, including cost of delivery to you – although be sure to specifically ask for this to be included as some stores don't add it automatically. If it didn't tell you about your cancellation rights, you may have longer to cancel the order.

Use the 'time is of the essence' trick

If you need an item delivered by a specific time or date, there's a little-known rule of law you can use to give yourself extra consumer protection.

Get the company to agree to a delivery deadline marked 'time is of the essence', and you'll qualify for a load of extra rights if things go wrong.

If you don't state this, the only obligation on the company is that it must deliver within a 'reasonable' time, so it'd be solely down to your negotiation skills to get your money back.

Make it clear that 'time is of the essence', and if goods don't arrive by the specified date, or a service start or finish date isn't met, you'll be legally entitled to cancel your contract and demand any linked credit agreement be annulled or deposit refunded. Or if you'd rather, you can choose to continue, but at a lower price:

  • Use it in store. Add 'time is of the essence' to beef up your rights when ordering in store.

  • It adds to your consumer rights. This is because buying in store means you wouldn't be covered by the Consumer Contracts Regulations which only protect you when buying online, by mail order or phone. They mean you're already automatically entitled to a refund if an item isn't delivered by the agreed date, or within 30 days if there is no agreed date.

  • The retailer doesn't have to agree. It's there to put into practice, but it doesn't automatically mean the trader will agree. As with any consumer rights, whether it's binding would ultimately be down to a judge to decide (if it gets that far).

  • This is a fairly unknown trick. 'Time of the essence' isn't widely known because companies simply don't want to be held to such close account for delivery. If it was, businesses would be forced to improve delivery service, which would be better for consumers – but at the expense of the companies.

So if you need your goods or service by a specific date (such as a present in time for Christmas, or windows fitted before you go on holiday), use this to build up extra legal ammunition.

While it's theoretically possible to add 'time is of the essence' to your contract if you've already ordered, it's far easier to add it when ordering.

You can certainly try to add 'time is of the essence' after you've ordered, especially if the business is playing games with delivery, though companies may refuse. If that's the case, it'll be up to the courts to decide.

  • See how to add 'time is of the essence' ⏱️

    To let the retailer or supplier know before you order, just ask it to add a note to your invoice. Key info to include is the phrase 'time is of the essence', the date it's needed by, and the reason. For example, 'Time is of the essence – must be delivered by 30 August 2024 as needed for house move'.

    Don't be unreasonable though. If you pick an outlandish date and a full-blown dispute blows up, you could face a very unsympathetic judge if it goes all the way to court.

    You can try to add it if you're worried about timings on an existing order – see a step-by-step below.

    Step 1: Write to the retailer/supplier

    If you didn't add it at the time of ordering, it's more complicated, but you can still make time of the essence without the agreement of the trader.

    To be safe, wait until there's been an 'undue delay' in delivery before you do this (you'll need to use your noggin as to how long is unreasonable). After this, you can tell 'em delivery must happen within a reasonable period (see what to do if it still won't deliver).

    So write to the retailer or supplier to say you're 'making time of the essence', and you need the goods delivered by a particular date. Include the reason – for example, 'the dress is for wedding'. You'll need to specify a time frame – again, how long depends on your circumstances. About 28 days would usually be reasonable.

    To help, we've added a section on this in the template email or letter above. Just delete the parts that don't apply to you, copy and paste and email, or fill it in, print and send. Keep a copy as reference. Like with contacting a company to claim compensation, it's best to send a 'time of the essence' letter by recorded delivery so you've got proof it's arrived. If you email the retailer instead, you risk being unable to legally prove that it has received your correspondence.

    Step 2: Follow up with a phone call

    Hopefully, the company should reply to acknowledge your message. But if not, follow up with a phone call to check it's received your letter and will now deliver by the date specified. Reiterate you're adding 'time is of the essence' to your contract, as is your legal right.

    If the person you speak to hasn't heard of it, stick to your guns. It's likely many staff won't be familiar with 'time is of the essence', so don't be put off. Explain it's a key part of consumer law, and that you have a right to ask for it to be part of your contract.

    Step 3: If the supplier still won't play ball...

    If the company or supplier continues to be obstructive, or it honestly levels with you and say there's sadly no chance your goods will arrive within a reasonable time, there's a final option. At this point, you can threaten the company with damages for its breach of contract on top of the cancellation.

    Again, this must be reasonable and suit the circumstances. So if you'd ordered a wedding dress that failed to arrive in time, tell the retailer that you'll claim for damages for distress and disappointment in having to wear an off-the-peg number instead.

    Hopefully the prospect of having to pay further costs will make it deliver on time. If not, put in a claim and negotiate a settlement – see our tips above for a full how-to.

Delivery rights FAQs

  • Who pays if a parcel goes missing?

    The retailer – and not the delivery company – is responsible for getting your package to you. If the item is stolen, missing or damaged, it's the seller that must offer you a replacement item or a refund, while also potentially being liable for compensation. 

    This is because your contract is with the retailer, making delivery the retailer's responsibility – not the courier's. You can learn more about this in the what to do after a failed delivery section above.

  • How much compensation do you get for late or missed deliveries?

    How much compensation you'll get for a late or missed delivery depends on the company you're claiming from and the nature of the claim. For example, you may be able to get compensation for any extra time taken off work or for the additional stress or inconvenience caused.

    Check out the how to get failed delivery compensation section for more information. 

  • What is the law on the delivery of goods in the UK?

    When buying goods online from a retailer and/or using a courier firm you're protected by various consumer laws. These include the Consumer Rights Act and the Consumer Contracts Regulations.

    These protect you as a consumer, giving you the right to expect that items should be delivered with 'reasonable care and skill', for example, and also the right to cancel and get a full refund in some circumstances.

  • Do couriers have a duty of care towards buyers?

    You can only claim compensation from a courier company for a missed or late delivery if you personally arranged for it to deliver an item.

    For instance, say you bought a memento on holiday and then paid a courier to deliver it to you back home. In this situation, it's the delivery company and not the retailer that you would complain to.

  • I've paid for next-day delivery and my item's not arrived – what should I do?

    If you chose a guaranteed or next-day delivery option, and paid an additional fee for this, you can claim a refund for the extra delivery cost if your item's not delivered on time. This is because the promised service wasn't fulfilled, which is technically a breach of contract.

    You'll receive the difference between the price of the lowest (or most common) delivery service and the option you picked.

    Should you still fail to receive the item later down the line, you'll be entitled to a full refund (for both the full delivery cost and item itself) and even potentially compensation.

  • My delivery company has gone bust – what now?

    Your best course of action here depends on the situation. If you're lucky, as happened in December 2014 when City Link went into administration, the firm may still hold the parcel for you at its depot. This does mean that you'll need to collect it yourself, however.

    If the company won't deliver the item or you can't get to the depot, then you'll need to go through the retailer to get a refund or compensation.

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