Evri Lost Your Parcel (Again): Your Complete Delivery Rights

Evri, DPD, Yodel, Royal Mail: whoever delivered (or failed to deliver) your parcel, there's one thing most people get wrong: your contract is with the retailer, not the delivery company. The retailer owes you the refund. The retailer is responsible for the parcel until it's safely in your hands. Here's your complete guide to delivery rights in the UK.

The Golden Rule: It's the Retailer's Problem

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, the retailer is responsible for getting your goods to you. If the parcel is lost, damaged, stolen, or delivered to the wrong address, it's the retailer who has to put it right, not the courier.

This catches people out constantly. You phone Evri, sit on hold for 40 minutes, get nowhere, and give up. But Evri doesn't owe you anything. The retailer does. Go straight to the shop or website you bought from.

Why This Matters

The retailer chose the delivery company. They have a commercial contract with the courier. If the courier loses your parcel, that's a problem between the retailer and the courier, not between you and the courier. You paid the retailer; the retailer owes you the goods (or a refund).

Your Delivery Rights

Right to Delivery Within 30 Days

Unless you agreed a specific delivery date, the retailer must deliver within 30 days of your order. If they don't, you can:

1. Give them a final deadline - a reasonable additional timeframe to deliver
2. If they miss the deadline - cancel the order and get a full refund
3. If the delivery date was essential (a birthday present, for example, and you made this clear), you can cancel immediately without giving extra time

Right to Goods in Good Condition

The retailer is responsible for the condition of goods until they're delivered to you. If a parcel arrives damaged, that's the retailer's problem to fix, whether by sending a replacement, arranging a repair, or giving you a refund.

Goods Left in an Unsafe Place

If the courier left your parcel outside your door, in a bin area, or with a neighbour you didn't nominate, and it goes missing:

• If you gave specific delivery instructions (e.g., "leave in porch"): the risk transfers to you once the courier follows your instructions
• If you didn't give instructions and the courier left it in an unsafe place without your consent, the retailer is responsible

"Signed For" by Someone Else

If the courier shows a signature that isn't yours (a neighbour, another household member, or a scribble):

• If you nominated the person as an alternative recipient: the delivery is complete
• If you didn't authorise them to accept on your behalf, the delivery isn't complete, and the retailer must either redeliver or refund you

Photo "Proof" of Delivery

Couriers increasingly take photos as "proof" of delivery. But a photo of a parcel on your doorstep doesn't prove you received it. If the parcel was stolen from your doorstep after the photo was taken, the retailer is still responsible (unless you specifically asked for it to be left there).

Step-by-Step: What to Do When Delivery Goes Wrong

If Your Parcel Is Lost

1. Check tracking - confirm the parcel shows as "delivered" or is stuck in transit
2. Contact the retailer (not the courier): request a redelivery or refund
3. Give them a reasonable deadline - 14 days is standard
4. If they blame the courier and refuse to help - remind them of their obligations under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and escalate to their complaints team
5. If they still refuse - use chargeback (debit card) or Section 75 (credit card) through your bank

If Your Parcel Arrives Damaged

1. Take photos of the damaged packaging and contents immediately
2. Contact the retailer with photos and a description of the damage
3. Request a replacement or refund - your choice (within the first 30 days for a refund under the Consumer Rights Act)
4. Don't return the damaged goods until the retailer tells you how and pays for return postage

If Delivery Is Late

1. Check your order confirmation for the expected delivery date
2. If no date was agreed - the retailer has 30 days from your order
3. Contact the retailer and ask for a specific delivery date
4. If they can't deliver - set a final deadline, and if they miss it, cancel for a full refund

The Specific Courier Problems

Evri (formerly Hermes)

The most complained-about courier in the UK. Common issues:

• Parcels marked as "delivered" when they weren't
• Left in random locations (behind bins, in hedges)
• Damaged items due to rough handling
• Difficulty reaching customer service

Your action: Don't waste time fighting Evri directly. Go to the retailer. If you're selling on eBay or Vinted and using Evri, their Buyer Protection or seller policies may help.

DPD

Generally more reliable, but issues with:

• "Safe place" deliveries without clear instructions
• Missed delivery windows despite live tracking

Yodel

Similar issues to Evri:

• Lost parcels
• Incorrect delivery photos
• Poor communication

Royal Mail

• Missed "red cards" (attempt to deliver notifications)
• Items stuck at sorting offices
• Damaged Special Delivery items

For Royal Mail specifically, they have their own complaints process and a compensation scheme for damaged/lost items sent via tracked or insured services.

Sellers on Marketplaces (Amazon, eBay, Vinted)

Amazon

For items "sold and fulfilled by Amazon", contact Amazon directly. For Marketplace sellers, start with the seller, then use Amazon's A-to-Z Guarantee if they don't respond.

eBay

Contact the seller first. If no resolution within 3 days, open a case through eBay's Resolution Centre. eBay's Money Back Guarantee covers items not received or not as described.

Vinted

Use Vinted's "I Have an Issue" button within 2 days of delivery. Vinted's Buyer Protection covers items not received, damaged in transit, or significantly not as described.

When to Use Your Bank

If the retailer refuses to help and you've exhausted their complaints process:

• Chargeback (debit or credit card): contact your bank within 120 days of becoming aware of the problem
• Section 75 (credit card, purchases £100–£30,000): stronger statutory protection with a 6-year time limit
• PayPal dispute - within 180 days of payment

The retailer bears the delivery risk, not you. Don't accept "the courier says it was delivered" as a final answer. If it didn't reach your hands, it wasn't delivered.