Swell Sport · Practical guide

Sauna parts missing on arrival: a calm next-step checklist

When a sauna part appears to be missing, reconcile the delivery against the supplied list before changing the build. Keep “not yet located” separate from “confirmed missing” so the supplier can solve the right problem.

Swell Cedar Cube 2 in a home setting.

Establish the list you are checking against

Use the packing list supplied for your order and its exact cabin and heater package. If no list is present, request one rather than borrowing a list from another sauna. Write the order reference, list revision and consignment references at the top of your reconciliation sheet. Ask whether the order includes separate shipments before assuming that an unopened delivery is incomplete.

Prepare columns for supplier item code, description, expected quantity from that list, quantity found, package location, condition and question. Copy codes exactly, including suffixes. Leave unknown quantities blank and label them awaiting supplier confirmation. A blank is honest; a guessed expected quantity can turn a straightforward support request into a misleading one.

Sort information before sorting the build

Check accessible packaging and supplied paperwork without taking apart electrical equipment or disturbing unsafe loads. Mark where each located item is stored, so a second person does not count it again. If an item looks similar but its code differs, record it as an identity question rather than treating it as an acceptable substitute.

Use separate statuses: located and matched; identity uncertain; damaged; not located; supplier confirmed separate shipment. This prevents a damaged item from disappearing into the “all present” total. Keep loose labelled fixings associated with their original packaging until the installer has identified them. Do not buy a visually similar replacement simply to keep a booking on schedule.

Make the stop-work decision specific

Ask the assembler which planned activities depend on the unresolved item. Put those activities on hold until the supplier has confirmed the correct part and the installer has reviewed the response. If the issue concerns the heater, controls or electrical components, send the same discrepancy to the electrician. An owner inventory is not authority to substitute equipment or alter an installation sequence.

Other administrative work can continue: gathering manuals, updating contacts and checking delivery correspondence. Keep this distinction in the programme so “waiting for a part” does not obscure which work is actually blocked. Ask affected contractors about revised availability rather than promising that a replacement will arrive before their existing appointment.

A concise missing-part report

Use this message structure: “Order [reference], packing list [revision], item [exact code] is not located after checking [packages]. The attached register shows what arrived. Please confirm whether this item is separately shipped, packed under another identifier or requires replacement. Please also confirm whether affected assembly should remain on hold.” Attach the list and relevant label photographs.

The ACCC explains that the next step when a product has a problem is to contact the business you bought it from. ^[1] In a hypothetical case where a listed fitting is absent but an unfamiliar bag is present, ask for identification of the bag before declaring a shortage. Close the register only after the correct item is identified or received and the assembler confirms the blocked task can resume.

Your practical checklist

Obtain the order-specific packing list.
Keep expected quantities sourced, not invented.
Log uncertain codes separately from missing parts.
Identify which booked tasks are dependent on the unresolved item.
Update the register after the supplier response and physical receipt.

Can I use a spare from another project?

Do not substitute on appearance alone. Request written identification and acceptance from the supplier, with the relevant installer reviewing any technical implications.

Should I cancel every appointment immediately?

First identify the affected scope and ask each contractor about it. Rebook work that cannot proceed; do not assume an unresolved essential part can be worked around.