Parcel Never Arrived? The Seller Is Responsible, Not the Courier
If you bought online from a business, your parcel is the seller's problem until it is in your hands.
"Delivered" says the tracking. But there is no parcel on the doorstep, no card through the door and nothing with the neighbours. A common reply from shops is "take it up with the courier". In most cases, that is wrong.
What the Law Says
When you buy goods from a business, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 says the goods stay at the seller's risk until they come into your physical possession, or the possession of someone you named to receive them. The courier is the seller's choice and the seller's contractor. So if the parcel goes missing on the way, it is the seller who must put it right, usually by sending a replacement or giving you a refund.
When the Seller Is Responsible
- The parcel is lost or stolen in transit
- It is left in the wrong place or with the wrong person
- It arrives damaged
- Tracking says delivered, but you never received it
When It May Be Different
- You agreed a safe place or a neighbour and it was left there
- You chose and booked your own courier, not one the seller offered
- You bought from a private person, not a business
What to Do
- Check first. Look around the property, check with neighbours and look for a card or a photo in the tracking.
- Contact the seller, not the courier. Say the goods have not come into your possession and ask for a replacement or a refund.
- Put it in writing. Keep the order confirmation, tracking screenshots and any messages.
- Do not accept "contact the courier". Politely remind the seller that the goods are at its risk until delivered to you.
- If the seller still refuses, and you paid by card, ask your card provider about a chargeback or, for items over £100 on a credit card, a Section 75 claim.
Our guide parcel marked as delivered but not received has a letter you can copy.
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 29 (passing of risk) (legislation.gov.uk)
- How chargeback and Section 75 work (MoneyHelper, checked 18 October 2026)
Ready to Take Action?
Tell us what happened. Our initial case review is free.