You paid a courier to deliver your parcel. It arrived broken, went missing, or was "delivered" to a place you never agreed. Their claims process offers a fraction of what it is worth, or rejects you outright on a technicality.
When you pay a courier directly, you have a contract with them — and that contract carries a legal duty to take reasonable care of your goods. If they breach it, you can recover your loss in court.
First, the key question — who did you pay? If you booked and paid the courier, your contract is with the courier and you claim against them. If you bought goods online and the seller arranged delivery, your contract is with the retailer, who is responsible until the goods reach you under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 — claim from the seller instead.
When You Can Claim Against the Courier
- You booked and paid for the delivery yourself
- The parcel was lost, stolen, or never delivered
- The contents arrived damaged through poor handling
- It was left in an unsafe place against your instructions and went missing
- The courier's offer is far below the actual value of the contents
Beating the Compensation Cap
Couriers routinely limit compensation in their terms and push paid "extra cover". A limitation term is only binding if it was clearly brought to your attention before you agreed, and it must be fair. Where it was buried or unreasonable, you can argue it does not apply. Either way you can claim up to any valid limit, plus the postage you paid.
Claim the real value of your parcel
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Start Your Claim NowHow to Claim: Step by Step
Lodge the courier's claim. Submit their internal claim and keep the reference and any rejection — it shows you gave them the chance to put it right.
Prove the value. Gather receipts or listings for the contents, photos of any damage, the booking confirmation and tracking history.
Send a letter before action. Set out the loss and a deadline to pay before you issue proceedings.
File your claim. Issue an N1 at the county court for the value of the contents, the postage, interest and the court fee.
What You Can Claim
- The value of the lost or damaged contents
- The postage and any extra cover you paid
- Reasonable related losses flowing from the failure
- Interest and the court fee
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sue a courier for a lost or damaged parcel?
Yes — if you are the person who paid the courier. The contract of carriage is between you and the courier, and they must take reasonable care of your parcel. If it is lost or damaged, you can claim the value of the contents plus the postage you paid in the small claims court.
My online order was lost in transit — who do I claim from?
If you bought goods from a retailer and the courier was arranged by the retailer, your contract is with the retailer, not the courier. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 the retailer is responsible until the goods are delivered to you, so you claim a refund or replacement from the seller — not the courier.
What about the courier's compensation limit?
Couriers often cap compensation unless you paid for extra cover. A cap can be challenged if it was not properly brought to your attention before you booked, or if it is an unfair term. Even where a cap applies, you can still claim up to that limit, plus the postage, and argue the term is unenforceable in court.
Do I have to claim through the courier's own process first?
It helps to lodge the courier's internal claim and keep the reference, but you are not bound by their decision. If they reject it, lowball you, or go silent, you can send a letter before action and then issue a county court claim for the full loss.
How much does it cost to take a courier to court?
Court fees start at £35 for claims up to £300. The fee is added to your claim and normally recovered from the courier if you win. Most parcel claims are small claims, so no solicitor is needed.