UPS Lost or Damaged Parcel? How to Claim Compensation
UPS is a major international courier with a significant UK presence, delivering for businesses and online retailers. If a UPS parcel is lost, damaged, or marked as delivered when it never arrived, UPS's terms of carriage want damage reported in writing within 14 days of receipt and a loss within 60 days of the goods being consigned, and guaranteed-service refund claims need to be raised quickly.
Start your UPS claimFree · No signup · UK consumer rights
Jump to: not received · damaged · late delivery · return lost · stolen
UPS complaint steps at a glance
- 1Track your parcel on the UPS website or app using your tracking number. Look for delivery confirmation details and any exception notices that explain delays.
- 2Contact UPS customer support by phone on 03457 877 877 or use their online support portal to file a claim for lost or damaged items.
- 3If UPS delivered on behalf of a retailer, contact the seller directly. Under UK consumer law, the retailer is responsible for your order until it reaches you.
- 4Keep all tracking screenshots, correspondence, and photos of any damage. You'll need this evidence if you escalate to your bank or Citizens Advice.
UPS compensation at a glance
| Type | Limit / Timescale |
|---|---|
| Standard liability | Where no international convention applies: proven loss only, capped at the greater of £60 per shipment or 8.33 SDR per kilo (UPS terms of carriage, clause 9.2) |
| Declared value cover | Up to declared value (purchased by sender at shipping) |
| Damage / part loss claim deadline | Written notice within 14 days of receipt |
| Loss claim deadline | Written notice within 60 days of the goods being consigned |
| Guaranteed-service refund deadline | Within 15 days of scheduled delivery |
| Who claims? | Sender files the claim (retailer) |
| Section 75 (paid on credit) | Applies to a single item (or a set sold together) with a cash price over £100 and up to £30,000, paid for wholly or partly on credit, most often a credit card (some point-of-sale loans and store or catalogue credit also qualify; paying through PayPal or some marketplaces can rule it out) |
UPS liability varies by service and convention (Montreal/Warsaw for international). Verify the cap for your service on the UPS website.
UPS claim route at a glance
| Question | Practical answer |
|---|---|
| Who should a shopper contact first? | The retailer, because the seller usually owns the delivery obligation. |
| Who usually opens the carrier claim? | The sender or contract holder, often the retailer for online orders. |
| What evidence matters most? | Tracking, delivery photo or signature, proof of value, packaging photos for damage, and written retailer replies. |
| When should you escalate? | After a refusal, weak proof of delivery, or repeated delay without a clear refund or replacement decision. |
Specific UPS problem guides
Retailer guides using UPS
These retailers commonly list UPS among their delivery services. The courier can provide evidence, but the retailer usually handles the refund or replacement.
Your legal rights
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, the goods stay at the retailer's risk until they reach you. If UPS loses or damages your parcel, ask the retailer for a refund or replacement. You can go directly to the retailer rather than waiting for UPS to finish its investigation.
What compensation can you get from UPS?
UPS's liability is service-dependent. International shipments fall under the Montreal or Warsaw Convention caps unless the sender purchased declared-value cover at the time of shipping, which extends liability up to the declared amount. UK domestic services are governed by UPS's terms of carriage for the service used. These figures sit in UPS's terms and conditions of carriage and are updated periodically, so verify the cap for the specific service used before quoting a figure. As the recipient you cannot claim from UPS directly because the contract is between UPS and the sender. For retailer orders the sender is the seller, and your real route is the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which makes the retailer responsible until the goods reach you regardless of UPS's cap.
UPS claim deadlines, don't miss them
UPS's terms of carriage set two windows: damage, including partial loss, must be notified in writing within 14 days of receipt, and a loss within 60 days of the goods being consigned. For guaranteed-service refund claims, UPS requires notice within 15 days of the scheduled delivery date. Act fast either way: screenshot the tracking page as soon as a scan looks wrong, photograph damaged packaging before unpacking, and email the retailer the same day. If a retailer arranged the shipment, ask them to open the courier claim inside those windows while you pursue your consumer-law route.
How to file a UPS complaint
First, gather evidence: UPS tracking number, order confirmation, proof of value (invoice or order email), photos of damage, and any delivery photo or safe-place note. Second, if a retailer arranged the delivery, email them citing the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and request a refund or replacement, their liability runs separately from UPS's claim. Third, if you booked the delivery yourself, open a claim via the UPS guest claims portal at ups.com or call 03457 877 877 with your tracking number ready. Fourth, if either party stalls, escalate through your card issuer: chargeback for debit-card purchases or a Section 75 claim if your purchase on credit qualifies (see the table above).
What if UPS rejects your claim?
Rejections typically trace to a missed deadline, often the 14-day damage window, missing proof of value, or UPS treating a scan as conclusive proof of delivery. A UPS rejection does not end your case for retailer orders. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, the retailer remains responsible until the goods reach you: Section 29 puts the risk on the seller, not the courier. Write to the retailer citing Section 29 and request a full refund. If they refuse, open a chargeback with your bank, a Section 75 claim if your purchase on credit qualifies, or escalate to a relevant ADR scheme, if the retailer belongs to one, as a last resort.
Frequently asked questions
How do I report a lost UPS parcel?
If your parcel hasn't arrived by the scheduled delivery date, contact UPS on 03457 877 877 or file a claim online at ups.com using the guest claims portal. UPS's terms want a loss reported within 60 days of the goods being consigned and damage within 14 days of receipt, so don't delay. If a retailer sent the parcel, also ask the seller to raise the UPS claim.
UPS tracking says 'delivered' but I haven't received my parcel, what now?
Ask UPS for proof of delivery, the scan, signature, and any photo. Check with neighbours and any authorised safe place. If the evidence does not show delivery to you, contact the retailer and request a refund or replacement under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Under section 29 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 the goods stay at the retailer's risk until they reach you.
Can I claim compensation from UPS directly as the recipient?
Usually not. UPS compensation is normally paid to the sender, which for online orders is the retailer. Ask the retailer to raise the claim and refund or replace your order. Your consumer-rights route sits with the retailer regardless of whether UPS accepts fault.
How long do I have to claim from UPS?
UPS's terms of carriage (clause 12) require claims to be notified in writing as soon as reasonably practicable and in any event within 14 days of receipt for damage, including partial loss, and within 60 days of the goods being consigned for a loss. For UPS guaranteed-service refunds, UPS requires notice within 15 days of the scheduled delivery date. Check the terms that applied to the shipment before relying on a deadline.
How much compensation does UPS pay?
UPS's standard liability is service-dependent. International shipments are governed by the Montreal or Warsaw Convention caps unless the sender declared a higher value at shipping. For higher-value items, senders can buy declared-value cover. As a recipient your claim route is the retailer, their Consumer Rights Act 2015 liability isn't capped by UPS's limits.
In-depth UPS guides
- parcel marked delivered but not received, What to do when tracking says delivered but you have nothing
- retailer says contact courier, What to do when a retailer redirects you to the courier
- Consumer Rights Act 2015 delivery rights, Your rights when a UK delivery goes wrong
- what to do if refund refused, Escalate a refused UPS refund
Sources checked
- UPS terms and conditions of carriage (UK)
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, Section 29
- Citizens Advice consumer service
Carrier terms change. The table above is a guide to current public terms, not a substitute for checking the carrier's live policy before filing.
Common UPS delivery problems
Free route check · Full plan £2.99-£9.99 · UK consumer rights
