Sooner or later a box lets you down: forty-nine fittings where the manifest says fifty, a split panel, or two left-hand sides and no right. Annoying — but there’s a well-worn process, and the law is squarely on your side. Work through it in order.
Step 1: Identify exactly what’s wrong
Open the manual to the parts manifest and identify the piece precisely — every part has a number (IKEA’s six-digit fitting codes, or “panel C” in generic instructions). Photograph the problem: the damage itself, the part number in the manual, and the box label with its product and batch codes. Two minutes of photos makes every later step easier.
Don’t keep building past a problem unless the build genuinely can continue without that part — and never force substitutes into structural joints.
Step 2: Pick the right route
Missing small fittings (screws, cams, dowels). The fast route is the manufacturer’s spares service, not a return. IKEA hands out common fittings free; most other brands post fixing packs on request. Cheap generic packs online cover the truly common sizes if you’re in a hurry — match dimensions from the manual.
Damaged or missing panels. This goes to the retailer — not the courier, and only via the manufacturer if the retailer’s process says so. Contact them with your order number and the photos; ask for a replacement part where the brand supports it (much faster than replacing the whole item) or a full replacement where it doesn’t.
Wrong item or wrong quantity in the box. Retailer again — this is a straightforward “not as described” issue.
Step 3: Know your rights (UK)
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, furniture must be of satisfactory quality and as described. Within 30 days of delivery you can reject faulty goods for a full refund; after that, the retailer gets one chance at repair or replacement before refund rights kick back in. Delivery damage is the retailer’s problem even if the courier caused it — you contracted with the shop.
Two practical corollaries:
- Check deliveries within a few days, even if you won’t build for weeks. Rights don’t expire at 30 days, but everything is smoother inside the window — and courier-damage claims are hardest when the box sat unopened for a month.
- “Sign for it unchecked” doesn’t waive anything. Signing “unexamined” or just receiving a left-in-porch delivery doesn’t cost you your rights.
Step 4: If an assembler is booked
Tell them as soon as you know. A good assembler would far rather move the visit than arrive to an incomplete kit — and if the problem only surfaces mid-build, the professional response is to identify the part number for your reorder, complete everything that can be completed, and agree a short return visit. (What that return visit costs is one of the ten questions worth asking before you book.)
Reducing the odds next time
Buy from retailers with real spare-part support, check boxes for crush damage before the courier leaves when you can, and store boxes flat and dry until build day — a surprising amount of “delivery damage” is actually hallway damage. And count everything before step one, as our mistakes guide insists: the manifest check is the cheapest insurance in furniture.
Frequently asked questions
Who pays when flat pack furniture arrives damaged?
The retailer you bought from. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 goods must be of satisfactory quality, and your contract is with the retailer — not the courier, not the manufacturer. They must resolve it at no cost to you: replacement part, replacement item, or refund.
Can I get spare cam locks and dowels without a receipt?
Usually yes for small fittings. IKEA’s spare parts service supplies common fixings free (in store at the exchanges desk or via its online spare-parts ordering), and most major brands send fixing packs if you quote the product name and part number from the manual. Generic cam locks and dowels are also cheap online if you match the size.
Should I keep the packaging until the build is finished?
Yes — flatten it, but keep it until every item is built and checked. A return or replacement is far easier with the original packaging, and some retailers ask for damaged goods to be returned in it.
Prices and timings on this page are indicative, based on typical quotes we see across the UK. Your job may cost more or less — the only way to know is to get quotes for your specific items and location. This site earns a fee when we pass enquiries to assembly firms; this never changes what you pay.