Taking in neighbours parcels?

If you don't want to take a parcel in, just say No.

If I accept a parcel for next door , I mostly wait for them to come and get it. I certainly wouldn't rush my shower over it, nor would I wait in until they came round for it. They'll knock again if I'm out.
If it starts to inconvenience you, Pixiel, just decline the parcels. Next door won't know!

Cautionary tale follows.
We experienced a wonderful fiasco once, with a microwave oven. A delivery man from a local Panasonic shop asked me to take it in for Number 10, which I did. He carried it in and put it on the hall floor. The box was enormous for a mere microwave.
Number 10 neighbour duly came for it but was puzzled as she'd not ordered anything. When we tried to lift it, we discovered it weighed a ton - too heavy for her to carry and awkward for two people to carry up her front steps. She left it, saying she'd send her husband over when he got home and they would phone the shop to query it. It must be for someone else in the street.
The husband at number 10 duly removed it. Unfortunately, the shop was shut until the next day .
Next morning, Number 19 came to the door asking for the oven (they'd just come off the phone to the shop, who'd said it was at my house). I told them it was now at Number 10 (who'd gone to work for the day). Number 19 was livid with the shop and left, intending to get blood from someone in the shop (they are a bit like that).
Half an hour later, as we were getting into our car to go out, the original delivery turned up to get the oven from us ! I had to give him the bad news that it was in Number 10's house and he then had to visit Number 19 to make peace.
Number 19 got into a strop and cancelled the order.

As the neighbours are new to the road, what an excellent opportunity to meet them!

I only take in parcels for neighbours I know well because a little while ago a resident from a nearby flat took advantage of us. It started with one small parcel which he promptly collected the same day then it became more frequent with deliveries of TVs and a bicycle when we were in the middle of house being rebuilt and being left for a week. My temper broke when he had live tropical fish delivered to our address and had already vacated the flat and by that time had stopped even giving his own address, everything had his name and our address on.

We take in our neighbours' parcels willingly, as most of them are working and we're retired and home more often. It is no hassle and I don't mind taking them round - we're all friends and it makes life so much happier. Our regular postie and couriers are lovely too!

Good gracious harrican. It would be good if deliverers could give a bit of notice re day and a.m or p.m so that people can arrange somewhere reasonably save to leave parcels. We never hear of deliveroo parcels being stolen from porches or garages, after all.

Our couriers have been known to deliver our children's and relatives' relatives to us, if they are not at-home.
Our grandaughters's car seats were recalled and as our son wasn't at home, a courier turned up at our door with three replacements in massive boxes, as they were taking up too much room in his van.
The thing is, he had only sent two. back to the manufacturer!?

We happily take in parcels for our neighbours. They remain in the hall until the neighbours pick them up. If there is any delay - maybe no card left? - one of us will take it round to them.
We don't see it as a problem and know the neighbours will take in our parcels, if necessary.

I take them in and take them to the owner. It takes 2 minutes. I do, however wonder why its so hard for some people to utter the words "thank you"!!!!

We are retired and happily take in parcels for our neighbours. The drivers don't always leave a note so we deliver the parcels when we see the neighbour's car.

We also all help out with putting bins out and getting them back on the paths. There is a mixture of retired couples and some hard working young people with families.

I happily take in parcels for neighbours but always check with the delivery driver that they will leave a note at the neighbours house. I tend not to deliver the parcels but wait for them to be collected.

Only once have I had a neighbour leave a parcel for almost a week. I knew it was bottles of wine so rang and left a message that I would be fining them one bottle of wine per day until it was collected (I was joking!) - they picked it up that night (and left me a bottle as an apology and thank you!)

Straight forward taking in and collection being prompt or not delayed for days and days or even dropping it round is fine and neighbourly obviously. For those going on about being neighbourly etc it's obvious that you haven't been taken advantage of or had to lift heavy or big bulky things two doors down in the winter or whenever, just to clear space in your own hall.

I'm having difficulty posting a message on this one. Perhaps I am an isolated case but is there a problem on the site?

I never mind taking in parcels for neighbours and usually wait for them to come and collect them. If I know I am going out, I take parcel to them. If you feel uncomfortable knocking at their door, put a note through their letterbox.

If several parcels were delivered every day, I would feel differently.

We don't know our neighbours particularly well but are always willing to take in their parcels - and they do the same for us. If we're not in when they come to collect then they try again or we take it round. What's the problem?

Your situation was so funny after the event Springychicken I can just imagine all the different reactions.
I am happy to take in parcels as is my neighbour but I can see it becoming annoying if people take advantage.

Turn and turn about, in our case. We sometimes take in parcels for our neighbours, who both work full time. When we are away, which we will take any parcels in for us delivered outside their working hours.

I’d take ir round but say you were just off to bed and ask pointedly if the delivery man left a note.

We often take in parcels and vice vests but the ‘owner’ always calls to collect.

We take parcels in for our fairly new neighbours - most are what she calls his ‘boys toys’ (the most recent being a bike, which had to go in our garage) - who work full time. I went round recently and asked if I could leave some contact details for DD, in case the roof blew off while we were away. I heard the husband call from the living room “you can’t possibly go away - who’s going to take in my parcels!!” .

A lot depends on the size of the parcel, the space available without being crowded out of your own hall, and how long it takes the neighbour to "pop round" and collect them, plus just how mobile you are and how far you have to carry a heavy parcel.

I wouldn't expect an elderly neighbour to bring a parcel to my door, and my younger neighbours wouldn't expect me to take one to theirs.

I accept parcels for neighbours but I will not sign for them. If you sign for them you are saying the item is not damaged so could be accountable if it turns out to be damaged.

In the old days I would sign but add "unopened" alongside my signature but nowadays they don't have paper just an electronic gizmo and also I am wary of anyone having my signature on an electronic device.
I have warned my neighbour's that I am happy to accept parcels but will not sign for them.

I take parcels for my neighbours across the road and vice versa. No problem with that.

They have a young adult son still living at home. Last December, I took in a largeish parcel which had the logo of a rather trendy clothing company on the outside of the box. I guessed it was a Christmas gift for the son and didn't want to walk the box across in case he answered the door. I texted his mum and said what I had. She said, yes, it was a surprise gift and would I hold on to it until she could get it into the house unnoticed. She brought me across a bottle of wine for being so thoughtful.

I have a lot of parcels delivered as I'm on crutches and pretty much housebound, so delivery drivers know I'm the one most likely to be in and it's no hardship to take in parcels for others. I do stress they have to leave a card and mostly they do, on the rare occasion they don't the neighbours tend to knock anyway to see if by chance I have their parcel. I've never not been thanked and people seem genuinely appreciative. The other day I had a couple of parcels for me, one for my son and 3 for various neighbours and I don't see it as them taking advantage. A lot of deliveries arrive up to 9 pm these days so the neighbours would be home, it's hardly their fault if the delivery happens at 10am. I don't deliver their parcels although if they've been sitting there a couple of days I get my son to take them round. Second time in 6 months? really? I take parcels in for others at least a couple of times a week.

Goodness, what a fuss! I'm a stay-at-home housewife but even so from time to time the postman will bring a parcel when I'm out & I'm glad to be on terms with neighbours so they'll store them for me! No big deal, is it??

I'm with Bluegal. Twice in 6 months is taking the p.

I forgot to add, how does anyone know if it was twice in 6 months?