What are your rights if your parcel is lost, late or damaged?

Indeed, we can how order items to arrive at specific time slots or even leave instructions for couriers in case we are not going to be in when the parcel arrives.

Yet this, in itself, can open a whole can of worms if the delivery is late or does not arrive at all.

With some help from packaging contractors PACK & SEND, have taken a look at what your rights are when something goes amiss with your delivery and how to put it right.

Damaged goods

While it’s not particularly good news if an item you have ordered does not arrive in one piece, it’s not all bad news either.

In fact, from the moment you place an order until the item is delivered it’s the retailer’s responsibility to ensure the product arrives in an ‘acceptable condition’.

Mike Ryan, chief executive of PACK & SEND, explained that even if it’s the fault of the courier that your item is damaged – for example if they tried to squeeze it through the letterbox or it is dropped – you can contact the seller to fix the problem.

He added: “If an item arrives damaged, it’s your right to ask for a refund or replacement. Contact the retailer as soon as possible and take a picture as evidence of the damaged item, including one of the delivery packaging.”

Paying for a specified delivery date

Lots of us choose nominated delivery days to ensure we don’t miss a parcel. It’s a great way of avoiding missing something important and having to make a trip to the depot to pick up a item.

The problems arise, however, when you pay the extra money for a next-day or time-specific delivery and the parcel doesn’t arrive when it should.

In this situation, if you have paid for a specific delivery day or time and it does not arrive when it supposed to you can request a refund for the additional cost.

Ryan said: “You may have ordered an item with nominated delivery for a special occasion. If it doesn’t arrive on time, you should be entitled to a full refund.

“Either cancel the order if it’s not been dispatched yet, or send the item back if it has, and request a refund for the product and delivery costs.”

Not in to accept your parcel?

In most situations, if you are not around to collect your parcel and no signature is required, couriers will leave it with a neighbour or in a ‘safe place’.

If, however, they leave the parcel in a location you have not agreed to and the package is missing or damaged as a consequence of this, it’s the retailer’s responsibility to replace the item or offer you a refund.

Meanwhile, if a parcel is left with a neighbour and signed for, neither the retailer nor the courier are responsible and it will be deemed to have been delivered safely.

Ryan explained, if you don’t know your neighbours or are worried about the package being left with someone else you can contact the Royal Mail and let them know you don’t want your parcels left with others.

A no show

It can be very worrying if no parcel arrives at all. But if this happens, it’s the seller’s responsibility – even if you have been notified the parcel has arrived but you have not received it.

This is also the case if you have received the wrong product. Ryan said: “If you don’t receive the item you ordered, you can ask for the item to be delivered again or cancel the order and ask for a full refund.

“If the seller sent you the wrong item, send it back and ask for a full refund for any posting costs you have to foot.”

What’s more, if you take receipt of someone else’s parcel by mistake, hand it back to the courier. If you aren’t at home when it arrives or fail to notice straight away, don’t open the parcel – just contact the courier to notify them of the wrong delivery.

Ordering from abroad

If you have ordered an item from abroad you will most likely need to pay an additional customers fee. This will be additional on top of the postage you already paid and must be paid before you sign for the package.

Products imported from outside the European Union (EU) will be come with a customs charge which includes £8 handling from Royal Mail plus 20% VAT if the item is worth more than £15 or, if it’s a gift, if the item’s value is more than £39.

PACK & SEND said Royal Mail or a courier company will normally hold your parcel for three weeks. If you haven’t paid the fee by then, it’ll be sent back.