Delivery dilemmas? Your rights when deliveries go wrong
February 2, 2024
After ordering an item for delivery, you expect it will turn up at your door in good time and fit for purpose. But what if your eagerly awaited parcel arrives late, damaged, or not at all? The good news is that your consumer rights have got your back!
Your basic rights
Businesses must ensure the delivery gets to you on time and that you’re getting what you paid for. The delivery should be on the date you both agreed, or within 30 days if you did not agree a date. If there’s a problem, your contract is with the business you bought from rather than the delivery/courier service.
Delivery snags
What you do if you have an issue depends on the issue:
Late delivery
If a delivery fails to reach you on time, you have the right to cancel the contract immediately and get a full refund. If you asked for the delivery to happen later and it does not, the same rights apply. If the business turns around and tells you they cannot or will not deliver for whatever reason, you can also cancel the contract and get a refund.
Damaged or parts missing
The business arranging the delivery is responsible for any damage that might occur before it gets to you. This applies no matter which type of delivery service is used. If an item arrives damaged or with a part missing, your faulty goods rights kick in. It’s important to remember that any damage that might result from you misusing the delivered item or accidental damage/wear and tear is not covered.
Lost items
Your consumer rights kick in if an item goes missing en route. The business is responsible from the moment an item gets sent on its way until it reaches you.
Hidden charges
By law, you should be informed of the full extent of your delivery costs. The business selling to you must explain this in a clear upfront manner. It must include any hidden charges that apply. When buying online or at a distance, you must have all this information before paying.
If you buy from outside the EU however, there may be extra customs charges and taxes to be paid on delivery. Learn more about this on Revenue.ie.
Actions you can take
If your order does not reach you as expected, there are actions open to you. Your first step should be to contact the business directly. Send them a formal complaint in writing. Ask them to cancel the contract and refund you. If they do not agree to this, you might be able to get chargeback on your debit/credit card provider. Where chargeback is unavailable, you can use the small claims procedure for claims up to €2,000.
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