The tracking says "delivered." The photo shows a step that isn't yours, or no photo at all. Your instinct is to fight Evri directly — but if this was something you ordered from a shop, that's the wrong target entirely, and knowing that from the start saves you days of arguing with the wrong company.
The rule that changes everything: who you actually complain to
Under Section 29 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015, goods stay at the retailer's risk until they physically reach you. If you ordered something online and Evri lost or misdelivered it, your contract is with the retailer, not Evri — they chose the courier, and they're responsible for getting your order to you regardless of what went wrong in transit. Contact the retailer first and ask for a refund or replacement citing Section 29 directly.
The exception: if you personally paid Evri to send a parcel — a private sale, a gift to a friend — then you are the sender, and you're the one who needs to open the claim directly with Evri.
Evri's cover is lower than most people expect
Evri's standard included cover is around £20 per parcel, including the cost of postage — the same regardless of what was actually inside. Enhanced cover, if purchased by the sender at the time of booking, can raise that ceiling significantly (up to roughly £999 under current terms), but it has to be bought in advance; you can't add it after a parcel goes missing. If you're the one shipping something valuable through Evri, this is worth knowing before you post it, not after.
The Denial of Receipt process, explained
If tracking shows "delivered" but you never received anything, Evri's dispute process for this specific situation requires a formal Denial of Receipt (DOR). In practice this means:
- A physically signed paper declaration stating you deny receiving the parcel (a clear photo of the signed document is accepted)
- An automated text message DOR sent directly to you when the claim is opened, which you typically need to respond to within about 5 days
- A statement confirming you've checked with your household and neighbours and searched your property thoroughly
Both the paper and text DOR are generally required for delivery disputes specifically (where tracking shows delivered but you say otherwise), so respond to the text prompt quickly rather than assuming the paper form alone is enough.
Timing matters — the claim window is shorter than it sounds
Evri's guidance points to a claim window of around 28 days, measured from the relevant delivery date rather than from when you first noticed a problem — don't wait for an "investigation" to run its course before opening a formal claim, as support teams sometimes suggest. If you've reported an issue and been told to "wait and see," open the claim anyway; you can always update it with more evidence later.
If the retailer won't help and Evri's cap isn't enough
- If you paid over £100 by credit card, a Section 75 claim against your card provider holds the retailer and the card issuer jointly liable
- For debit cards or smaller amounts, request a chargeback through your bank
- If the retailer issues a "deadlock" letter or 8 weeks pass without resolution, you can escalate to the Postal Redress Service (POSTRS), the independent alternative dispute resolution scheme for postal complaints