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What to do if…
you receive notice that goods, property, or a parcel have been seized or held for verification

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy UK guide

Short answer

Keep the notice, verify who sent it using independently found official contact details, and check whether the item is delayed, detained, formally seized, or retained as evidence. Note any response deadline immediately and do not pay or provide sensitive information through an unverified link.

Do not do these things

  • Do not ignore a genuine notice, especially if it gives a response date.
  • Do not assume that a tracking delay means the parcel has been formally seized.
  • Do not click links, scan QR codes, install software, or call a number in a suspicious message before checking the sender.
  • Do not make an unexpected payment by bank transfer, cryptocurrency, gift card, or another unusual method.
  • Do not send original identity, ownership, purchase, or import documents unless the verified organisation says originals are required and provides a secure route.
  • Do not alter receipts, declarations, tracking records, messages, or descriptions of the goods.
  • Do not guess about the contents, value, ownership, or reason for the hold.
  • Do not attend a police station or collection point unless collection has been confirmed.
  • Do not let discussions with a seller, sender, or courier cause you to miss a deadline in a formal seizure notice.

What to do now

  1. Save the notice, envelope, email headers, text message, tracking page, reference number, sender details, and the date and time received. Make a copy before returning or uploading anything.

  2. Read the exact wording and identify whether the goods, property, or parcel are:

    • delayed while information is checked
    • detained temporarily
    • formally seized
    • retained by police for an investigation
    • awaiting customs information, tax, duty, or documents

  3. Verify the sender independently. Find the organisation’s official website yourself and use the contact route listed there, rather than a link, QR code, email address, or telephone number in an unexpected message. Ask it to confirm the reference number, item description, current status, and required response route.

  4. If the notice is from HM Revenue and Customs or Border Force and says the goods were formally seized, check the date immediately. Challenging whether a customs seizure was lawful and asking for the goods to be returned through restoration are separate processes.

  5. If you may challenge the legality of an HMRC or Border Force seizure, seek legal advice promptly. A notice of claim must generally be received within one calendar month of the seizure date shown on the seizure information notice or the date shown on the notice of seizure.

  6. If you want HMRC or Border Force to consider returning seized goods, follow the restoration instructions in the notice. Provide your name and address, the seizure reference, a clear list of the goods, your reasons for requesting their return, proof of ownership, and any supporting import or purchase documents. Act promptly because some goods may be sold or destroyed before a late request is considered.

  7. If police are holding property, contact the officer in the case or the property contact shown on your paperwork. Ask for the property reference, whether it is still required, whether release has been authorised, what proof of identity or ownership is needed, and how collection will be arranged.

  8. If a courier or postal operator says a parcel is held for verification, contact the operator through its official website. Ask exactly what is missing, such as proof of purchase, identity, the sender’s details, an accurate description of the contents, the value, or customs information.

  9. Contact the sender or seller in writing. Ask for the invoice, proof of dispatch, tracking details, an accurate description and value of the goods, and any customs declaration they completed.

  10. Send only the information requested through a verified channel. Keep copies and record when it was sent, how it was sent, and any confirmation of receipt.

  11. Seek prompt advice from a solicitor or Citizens Advice if the goods are valuable, essential, prohibited or restricted, connected to an investigation, owned by someone else, or covered by a deadline you do not understand.

What can wait

You do not need to decide now whether to complain about staff conduct, claim compensation, replace the goods, pursue the seller, or begin court or tribunal action. First confirm who holds the item, its formal status, any deadline, and what information is required.

A detailed account of everything that happened can also wait unless the verified organisation has requested it or a legal adviser recommends providing it. Preserve the records and avoid filling gaps with guesses.

Important reassurance

A notice that goods or a parcel are held for verification does not necessarily mean they have been permanently confiscated or that you are accused of an offence. Some holds are resolved after ownership, contents, value, identity, or import information is confirmed.

A formal seizure requires quicker attention, but the notice should identify the organisation involved and the available response route. Verifying the notice and protecting any deadline are useful first steps.

Scope note

This guide covers immediate first steps only. Decisions about challenging a seizure, requesting restoration, responding to police questions, seeking a review, appealing, recovering losses, or starting legal proceedings may require specialist legal or customs advice.

Important note

This is general information, not legal advice. The correct process depends on who is holding the item, the power used, the wording of the notice, the type of goods, and where in the UK the matter arose.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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