Common DPD complaints and how to handle them

Waiting for a parcel can be frustrating enough without tracking that doesn’t update, a delivery that never arrives or a notification claiming you weren’t home when you were. When a DPD delivery goes wrong, knowing who to contact can save you a lot of time. If you’ve ordered something from a retailer and it chose DPD to deliver it, the retailer is responsible for getting your order to you.

Here are some of the most common DPD delivery problems, and what you can do about them.

Your DPD parcel hasn’t arrived

Start by checking your parcel number on DPD’s tracking service. This should show where your parcel is and, on the day of delivery, you should usually receive a one hour delivery window. If the delivery date has passed or the tracking hasn’t moved for several days, contact the retailer.

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, goods generally remain the retailer’s responsibility until they reach you or someone you’ve nominated to receive them. So don’t let the retailer simply tell you to chase DPD.

What to do

Take screenshots of the tracking information and contact the retailer. Explain that you haven’t received your order and ask it to investigate. You can contact DPD too, particularly if the tracking doesn’t make sense, but keep pursuing the retailer if your order hasn’t arrived.

Your parcel says ‘delivered’,  but you don’t have it

DPD says your parcel has arrived, but there’s no sign of it. First, check around your property, your nominated safe place and with other members of your household or neighbours. Look at the tracking too, as there may be a delivery photo or details of where the parcel was left.

Still can’t find it? Contact the retailer promptly.

What to do

Save the tracking information and any delivery photo. Tell the retailer that the parcel is showing as delivered but you haven’t received it, and ask for proof of where it was delivered. Make it clear if you didn’t nominate the person or place where DPD says it left the parcel. Don’t accept a ‘delivered’ scan as proof that the matter is closed. Where the retailer arranged delivery, the goods generally remain its responsibility until they reach you or someone you’ve nominated.

DPD says it attempted delivery, but you were home

You’ve waited in for your parcel, only to receive a message saying DPD tried to deliver it and nobody was home. Check your tracking to see what happens next. Depending on the parcel and the sender’s instructions, you may be able to choose another delivery date, nominate a safe place or neighbour, or send it to a DPD Pickup shop. DPD says its drivers can’t normally return later the same day.

What to do

For a one off missed delivery, rearranging it may be the quickest solution. If it keeps happening, save each attempted delivery notification and make a note of when you were home. Complain to DPD and tell the retailer too, particularly if repeated failed attempts are stopping you from receiving your order.

Your parcel was left somewhere unsafe

Finding your parcel sitting in the rain, next to your bins or in full view of the street can be worrying, particularly if you never agreed to it being left there. DPD allows you to nominate a safe place for some deliveries, so check whether you’ve previously given any delivery instructions. If you didn’t authorise the place where the parcel was left, make that clear when you complain.

What to do

Photograph where the parcel was left and save your tracking information and any delivery photo. If the parcel is missing or damaged, contact the retailer and explain exactly what happened. Don’t accept an automatic rejection simply because DPD’s system says it was delivered.

Your parcel arrived damaged

If your parcel arrives battered, crushed or torn, take photographs before opening it if you can. Then photograph any damage to the item itself and keep the packaging. For something you’ve bought online, complain to the retailer. Your consumer rights are with the business that sold you the goods, so you shouldn’t be left to sort out damage with its courier.

What to do

Contact the retailer promptly, explain what’s damaged and send clear photographs of the item and packaging. If you booked and paid DPD yourself to send the parcel, the situation is different. You’ll usually need to make a claim through the delivery service you booked.

You can’t change your DPD delivery

DPD gives you several ways to manage eligible deliveries, although the options depend on the parcel and the sender’s instructions. You may be able to change the delivery date, nominate a safe place or neighbour, or redirect your parcel to a Pickup shop. You can’t choose a different one hour delivery slot.

Changing the delivery address is different. DPD advises customers who need to do this to contact the sender.

What to do

Enter your parcel number and postcode into DPD tracking to see which options are available. If you’ve spotted an incorrect address or can’t make the change you need, contact the retailer or sender as soon as possible.

You’ve sent a parcel with DPD and it’s lost or damaged

The situation changes when you booked the delivery yourself. If you paid DPD or a parcel booking service to send something and it goes missing or arrives damaged, check the terms of the service you bought and start a claim promptly. Keep your booking confirmation, tracking information, proof of the parcel’s value and photographs showing how you packaged it. Don’t delay making a claim. Courier services can set deadlines for reporting lost or damaged parcels.

DPD customer service isn’t resolving your problem

When you’re chasing a delivery, it’s easy to end up explaining the same problem to different people. Keep your complaint clear and organised. Have your parcel number, tracking screenshots, photographs and previous correspondence ready. Explain what happened, what you’ve already been told and what you want DPD to do.

DPD provides a complaints route through its website and has a Complaints Charter setting out how it handles complaints. Remember, though, that complaining about DPD’s service and getting a retailer to resolve a missing order aren’t necessarily the same thing. If the retailer chose DPD, keep pursuing the retailer too.

What if the retailer still won’t sort it out?

Don’t let yourself get passed back and forth between the retailer and DPD. Where the retailer arranged delivery, your goods generally remain its responsibility until they reach you or someone you’ve nominated to receive them.

If the retailer still won’t resolve the problem, you may have other ways to recover your money. For purchases made by debit or credit card, ask your card provider whether chargeback is available. Paying directly by credit card may also give you additional protection under  Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act where the cash price of an individual item was more than £100 and up to £30,000.

Payment services and Buy Now, Pay Later providers may have their own dispute processes too. Don’t leave it too long. Different payment recovery and dispute routes have deadlines, so act as soon as it becomes clear that your complaint isn’t being resolved.

How Resolver can help

DPD isn’t currently on Resolver, so you can’t send your complaint to DPD through our service. But, you can use Resolver to check your consumer rights, find complaint letter templates and keep your complaint, correspondence and evidence organised in one place. If your problem is with an order and the retailer chose DPD to deliver it, you may also be able to complain directly to the retailer through Resolver.

Keeping everything together can be particularly useful with delivery complaints, where tracking information, photos and conversations with both the retailer and courier can quickly become difficult to follow.

For more help with deliveries, online shopping and your consumer rights, sign up to the Resolver Newsletter.