Royal Mail tracking status

Royal Mail says delivered but no parcel: what to do

The short answer

Take action

Royal Mail scanned your parcel as delivered, to your address, a neighbour or your Safeplace, but you do not have it. Check the proof of delivery and your neighbours, and allow an extra day: a rare scanning error can mark it delivered before it arrives.

When to act: If it has not turned up by the end of the day after the delivery scan, file a complaint and we send it to Royal Mail.

Also shown as: “Delivered” · “Your item was delivered” · “Your item was delivered on [date].” · “Your item was delivered to your Safeplace on [date].” · “Your item was delivered to your requested Safeplace” · “We delivered your item to your neighbour [neighbour] at [time] on [date].”

What to do now

Check proof of delivery on Track your item: enter the delivery postcode to see the signature name, photo or a map of where it was scanned.
Ask everyone at home, check your Safeplace and ask your neighbours, especially any neighbour named in the tracking or on a card. For a work address, check with the post room and colleagues.
Check the delivery address on your order confirmation.
If it was scanned as delivered today, allow an extra day.
Save the proof of delivery and screenshots of the tracking, with your order number, for your complaint.
Still not sorted? File your complaint here. We write it with you and send it to Royal Mail, so you do not have to chase it yourself.

Start my complaint

Says delivered, but it is not here with another courier

Tracking says delivered but nothing arrived: who is responsible? →

What is going on

The delivered scan records where Royal Mail left the item: at the address on the label, with a neighbour, in your Safeplace or at a business post room. If it went to a neighbour, the tracking names them and Royal Mail leaves a card. Tracked 24 and Tracked 48 parcels usually get a photo on delivery, and Track your item shows proof of delivery once you enter the delivery postcode.

Royal Mail delivers to the address on the item, not to the name. If the address on your order was wrong, the parcel went to that address.

Why it happens

Left with a neighbour
Left in your Safeplace
Taken in by someone else at home or by a post room at work
A wrong or incomplete address on the order
Scanned as delivered by mistake before it arrived
Taken from the doorstep after delivery

What usually happens next

Royal Mail asks you to allow an extra day in case the parcel was scanned too early. If you bought from a business, UK consumer law (the Consumer Rights Act) makes the seller responsible until the parcel reaches you, or someone you named to take it.

Other Royal Mail statuses

Fee to payTake action
DelayedKeep an eye on it
Delivery attemptedTake action
Tracking not workingNormal
In transit or We've got itKeep an eye on it
Item retentionKeep an eye on it
We're expecting itKeep an eye on it
Ready for deliveryNormal
Returned to senderTake action

All Royal Mail statuses →

Who is responsible for a late or missing parcel from Royal Mail?

If you bought it online from a business, the seller is usually responsible until the parcel reaches you. Under UK consumer law (the Consumer Rights Act) the goods stay at the seller's risk until they are in your hands, or with someone you named to take them, unless you chose and booked the courier yourself. The Act does not mention safe places, so if you asked for a Safeplace, the seller may say the parcel was delivered.

If you sent the parcel yourself, your contract is with Royal Mail, under its terms for the service you bought. Standard cover for loss or damage is up to £20 for 1st Class, 2nd Class and Signed For, up to £75 for Tracked 24 and Tracked 48, and up to £750 for Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm.

Questions about “Delivered but not received”

What can I do if Royal Mail says delivered but I have not received it?

Check the proof of delivery, your household, neighbours and Safeplace, and the address on your order. Allow an extra day for a scanning error; if it is still missing, file a complaint on Complain.biz and we send it to Royal Mail.

Royal Mail delivered my parcel to the wrong address. Who is responsible?

Royal Mail delivers to the address on the item, not to the name, so first check the address on your order. If it was right, a business seller is responsible until the parcel reaches you, under UK consumer law, and you can file a complaint on Complain.biz that we send to Royal Mail. If you gave a wrong address, the seller may ask you to pay for a new delivery.

Can Royal Mail tracking say delivered when it is not?

Occasionally. Royal Mail says an item can be scanned as delivered by mistake, so it asks you to allow an extra day for it to arrive.

Royal Mail says it was signed for, but I don't know the name.

The name is given by whoever accepted the item, which may not be the person on the label. Ask your household and neighbours.

What if the delivery photo or map is not my house?

Save a screenshot of the photo or map straight away, because it is your best evidence, and ask your neighbours whether they recognise the place. A photo of somewhere else suggests the parcel was left at the wrong address.

Based on

Royal Mail: What does my tracking message mean? (postage tracking terms explained)
Royal Mail: My item is shown as delivered but it hasn't been
Royal Mail: Track your item (status categories and on-page messages)
Royal Mail: UK delivery services and compensation cover
Royal Mail: Help with Something for you cards
royal-mail-tracking library README: Royal Mail tracking event codes and messages (secondary)
Royal Mail: Automatic redelivery and Something for you cards
legislation.gov.uk: Consumer Rights Act, section 29 (goods stay at the seller's risk until delivered)
Royal Mail: Non-account terms and conditions (holding periods, tracked product terms)