Guides › Delivery Problems › Wrong Item or Missing Items Delivered
Wrong Item or Missing Items Delivered
If a business sends you the wrong item or part of your order is missing, contact the seller, not the courier. Goods must be as described, and risk stays with the seller until the goods reach you. You can ask for the right item, or reject the wrong one and get your money back.
At a Glance
Your Rights
What the rules say, with a link to the official source for each.
Your Rights
What Goods Must Be
Goods you buy from a business must be as described, of satisfactory quality and fit for their purpose (Consumer Rights Act 2015). Your contract is with the seller, not the manufacturer, so the seller is the one to complain to. source
Reject Within 30 Days
Within 30 days of delivery you can usually reject faulty goods and get a refund. You will normally need to show the fault. source
Risk Stays with the Trader
Risk stays with the trader until the goods come into the physical possession of you or a person you nominate to receive them, so a lost or damaged parcel is usually the seller's problem (Consumer Rights Act 2015 s.29). source
Getting It Sorted
Who to Contact First
For online and phone orders, Citizens Advice advises contacting the seller before the delivery company, as you will usually get a better result by asking the retailer for a refund or redelivery. source
30 Days to Deliver
Unless agreed otherwise the trader must deliver without undue delay and within 30 days of the contract (s.28); if not, you can set a reasonable new deadline, then end the contract and get a refund, or end it straight away where delivery time was essential or the trader refuses to deliver. source
Section 75 and Chargeback
Section 75 and chargeback can help if the retailer will not refund: credit card (over 100 pounds and up to 30,000 pounds, bought directly from the trader) or debit/charge card chargeback; PayPal disputes must be opened within 180 days of payment. source
Time Limits to Know
Miss a deadline and you can lose a right. Check the dates on your own paperwork.
- 30 daysReject a faulty item for a full refund30 days from delivery, or from when any installation is finished
- 30 daysDefault delivery time for goods bought from a traderWithout undue delay and within 30 days of the contract unless agreed otherwise
- 14 daysRefund once agreedWithin 14 days of the seller agreeing you are entitled to one
Steps to Take
Step 1 of 5
Take photos of what arrived, the packaging and the delivery note.
Step 2 of 5
Contact the seller (not the courier) and say what you ordered and what arrived or is missing.
Step 3 of 5
Ask for the right item to be sent, or for a refund for anything you reject. Our free letter templates can write it for you.
Step 4 of 5
Do not use the wrong item. Ask the seller how to return it.
Step 5 of 5
If the seller will not help and you paid by card, ask your card provider about Section 75 or chargeback.
(Tap the numbers to reveal steps)
Where to Go If It Is Not Put Right
Your options, in order, and when each one applies.
Card Provider: Section 75 or Chargeback
The retailer has not refunded; then Financial Ombudsman Service if the card provider refuses.
Retailer's ADR Scheme / Citizens Advice Consumer Service
The retailer will not deal with the problem; Citizens Advice can help identify the right scheme.
County Court Small Claims
Last resort after complaints and ADR have failed.
Good to Know
Small things that make your complaint stronger.
Check deliveries when they arrive. The sooner you report a wrong or missing item, the easier it is to show it was the seller's mistake.
Want Help?
If you would like one of our team to look at your problem, our initial case review is free. We cannot guarantee any outcome and we do not give legal advice.
Lead reviewer
Luke Marley
Founder and Lead Reviewer
Luke founded CPUK in 2026 after seeing how hard it is for ordinary people to get problems with companies put right. He oversees our guides and checks them against official sources.
Research by Katie Burt, Co-founder and Operations Lead (17 years in the care sector, including managing services for vulnerable adults), and the CPUK Research Team. Researched with AI-assisted research tools, then checked and corrected by our team.
Last checked: 12 October 2026. We are not paid by the companies we write about. Adverts never affect our guidance. Read our editorial policy.
Sources and official links
- nibusinessinfo.co.uk/content/what-do-if-problems-arise-supplied-goods Checked 12 October 2026
- legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/15/section/29 Checked 12 October 2026
- citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/post-and-parcels/damaged-lost-delayed-post-or-parcel Checked 12 October 2026
- legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/15/section/28 Checked 12 October 2026
- citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/somethings-gone-wrong-with-a-purchase/getting-your-money-back-if-you-paid-by-card-or-paypal Checked 12 October 2026
- citizensadvice.org.uk/law-and-courts/legal-system/small-claims/deciding-whether-to-make-a-small-claim Checked 12 October 2026