Delivery complaint letter

Late, lost, damaged or the wrong thing in the box? Fill in the order and the letter tells the shop what happened and what you want it to do.

General information, not legal advice. The letter states the facts politely and asks for a clear outcome by a date. Any law it mentions is a short, general statement; check the rules where you live.

Sam Rivera
8 Willow Court
Leeds LS6 3AB
sam.rivera@example.com

Friday 30 October 2026

Lantern Home Store

Re: Delivery problem: order LH-21877

Dear Lantern Home Store customer services,

On Wednesday 14 October 2026 I ordered a set of four dinner plates from you (order LH-21877). You told me it would be delivered by Wednesday 21 October 2026, but it has still not arrived (tracking number JD0002240 1937).

Please send the order again within 7 days of this letter, and let me know in writing what you will do.

I have kept my order confirmation and our correspondence. You can reach me at sam.rivera@example.com.

Yours sincerely,

Sam Rivera

Every detail is filled in. Read it through once before you send it.

Your details are kept in this browser only, so they are here next time. "Clear my details" removes them.

When a parcel goes wrong

Choose what happened (late, marked delivered but not received, damaged, wrong item, part missing or left somewhere unsafe) and what you want: the order sent again, a replacement or a refund. Add the promised date and tracking number if you have them; they make the letter harder to brush off.

Write to the shop, not the courier: your contract is with the seller. In the UK and the EU the goods stay at the seller's risk until they reach you, which is the line Mention consumer law adds for lost or damaged parcels. For late orders it adds the 30-day delivery default (UK, EU) or the FTC shipping rule (US). The rules are linked below.

Before sending, check with neighbours and any safe-place photo the courier took. Keep photos of damage and the packaging. If nothing happens by your deadline and you paid by card, see the chargeback timeline.

Sources for the optional law lines

Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 28: delivery without undue delay and within 30 days unless agreed otherwise.
Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 29: goods remain at the trader's risk until they come into the consumer's physical possession.
Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU, Article 18 (delivery) and Article 20 (passing of risk).
16 CFR 435.2, the FTC Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule: ship within the stated time, or 30 days if none, or offer to cancel for a prompt refund.

Questions

Should I complain to the courier instead?

Usually no. The courier works for the shop, so the shop is the one to put it right. You can still report a missing parcel to the courier as well.

How long should I wait before complaining?

Once the promised date has passed, or straight away if a parcel arrives damaged or wrong. Seven days is a fair reply deadline.

Is this legal advice?

No. It is general wording written for this site. Check the rules where you live, or ask a consumer advice service.