Taking in neighbours parcels

@JenniferEccles Sent you a pm!

biglouis I would love to hear the story of the revenge you took on your thieving neighbour!

I take parcels in regularly. I don't find it any inconvenience. Equally my neighbours are happy to receive things for me.

I am at home more than working neighbours so often take in parcels which is fine but I object to being a delivery service. It’s up to driver to inform where parcel is so parcel can be collected.

I live in flats with security entry and some people put notices on outside door with where to deliver their parcel not realising that the driver won't do that as you have to do that online so it's on the hand held 'thing ' they they hold.

My NDN is a thief!

Shortly after I moved in a parcel was misdelivered to her house. Two weeks went by and she made no attempt to notify me it was there or bring it around. Eventually found out by speaking to courier who delivered it. Went round with nephew and she denied knowledge of it. Nephew informed her we have just spoken to couriet who identified her house. Gets out phone, saying he will need to call police and report it as theft if we have to leave without parcel. Advises her to speak to other family members to make sure its not been "put away and forgotten about".

NDN scoots in and there is a lot of yelling in their language. Returns with parcel WHICH HAD BEEN OPENED. It was quite clear that they intended to keep it. Nephew starts to dial police again and NDN bursts into tears claiming it was a "misunderstanding". She says "Its got a company name on it so I didnt know it was for you." Nephew tells her "well you bl***y well knew it wasnt for you." More tears.

I told her that I was taking no further action on this occasion but I was going to inform every postie and courier who called that my NDN was dishonest. I told her I would never accept parcels for her and ordered her never to take in mail for me. Before I got the ring type door bell and cameras I have even pinned notes on my door when I was expecting a parcel saying "Please bang loudly. Do not leave at no 3!" Nowadays I would simply print the story on the Next Door network that XXX was dishonest and never to have parcels directed there.

She still managed to steal another mail piece which the postie inadvertantly put through her door. I also enacted an elaborate trick to get revenge but that's another story.

Delivery drivers round here just ring doorbell and leave parcel on doorstep. So no longer need to take in for neighbours. Waiting for a spate in parcels being nicked 😳

I agree that large and heavy items are a pain, and as I say, I just don't understand why people don't want to pick them up, but I don't see it as a huge imposition to pop round with a parcel that's been delivered here, (if it's a book rather than a sideboard, that is ). It's two minutes out of my day.

I think a lot of people don't like being bothered in their own homes (I'm not a fan of 'droppers in' and cold callers myself) and others know that, so are worried that if they call for a parcel it will be when their neighbours are eating, or in the bath etc. If the recipient takes it over it is at their convenience. I can see both sides, really.

Nannina

I’ve no problem taking in neighbours’ parcels- they do the same for me. We don’t live in each other’s pockets but can rely on one another if we need help. People complain about a lack of community spirit these days but aren’t prepared to put their bit of effort in

I got the impression, reading through the thread, that posters were mostly happy to take in their neighbours' deliveries. What they objected to were those neighbours who didn't bother to collect their parcels (some of which are not infrequently large or heavy) putting the onus on them to complete the delivery process.

One of my neighbours whose deliveries I accepted multiple times never collected them. Ultimately I refused to accept them - I knew she was aware I had them because I watched the courier put a note through her door. Some of the parcels were rather large and awkward to carry and as I rely on a walking stick I didn't feel inclined to try to carry them.

... But if she needed help in an emergency - I'd still be there for her as I'm not lacking in community spirit!

I’ve no problem taking in neighbours’ parcels- they do the same for me. We don’t live in each other’s pockets but can rely on one another if we need help. People complain about a lack of community spirit these days but aren’t prepared to put their bit of effort in

I’ve no issue taking in parcels and tbh it’s not really your neighbours fault you had an awful delivery person with your jacket ‘

Yes, I'm happy to take parcels for my neighbours, but I always make sure the courier leaves a card letting the recipient know where their delivery is.
Having said that, it doesn't happen very often as my next door neighbour has an unlocked porch where she gets her parcels.
I expect I would get a bit fed up if it was a regular thing and it was not appreciated.Post

I live in units so usually home - postman knows I’m usually there so buzzes so I open door and he can safely leave parcels inside instead of on thoroughfare outside.. which other delivery drivers do. I’m 60 and decided I say no - I do what I hope others will do - but expect nothing . High expectations lead to disappointment in this busy, self centred works- only do what you feel like - you have the power to go - Nope!!! No more . I just try to do what I can but don’t be a doormat.

I will take in parcels happily, though it doesn't happen very often these days. Once a parcel for me was delivered to the house next door but one and no card was left. He didn't know me well so it sat in his hall for quite a while. As I didn't get a card through the door I was contacting the company to complain that it hadn't arrived. In the end he saw me outside and told me he had it! I was shocked he hadn't brought it round but he probably assumed I knew and was annoyed I hadn't been round to collect it! At least I know him now! I usually only order things to be delivered if I expect to be home.

I once had a parcel delivered by Hermes (Evri as they used to be called) It was addressed to a road about 1/4 of a mile away with the same name as the school which is in our road. The parcel was addressed to no 52 but our road only goes up to 35! I am no 25! I decided to deliver the parcel to the intended recipient (and they were very grateful) but notified Hermes what had happened so they could speak to the delivery driver, and in case the recipients tried to claim they hadn't got it. There then ensued the most ridiculous exchange of emails between Hermes and me. Their customer service department were completely unable to comprehend what had happened. They seemed to think I was complaining about a parcel of mine that hadn't arrived, not telling them that I had received one which wasn't for me! In the end I suggested that as I'd completed the delivery for them maybe they should pay me not the courier! At that point they offered me a 10% discount off my next delivery! As if! I get the impression the re-branding was due to their awful reputation and I haven't had any major issues with them since, though they regularly ring the bell and have driven off before I get to the door. I'm not particularly slow on my feet so it surprises me they don't give any time for me to answer. If I was out the parcel would be on the doorstep in full view of the road which is far from ideal. Perhaps the reason I'm rarely asked to take parcels in any more is that all the couriers simply leave them on the doorsteps.

As long as the courier drops a card through the neighbour's door I have no problem. They sometimes take in parcels for me!

I wonder why people don't want to take delivery of things they have ordered? I am quite impatient and when I order something I want it ASAP . If I know it's with someone else I want to go and get it immediately. I wouldn't go much later than 8.00pm though, as it seems more of an intrusion then.

We are the only oldies in our cul de sac and I am happy to take in parcels as long as the postman leaves them a note and they collect them from us. We had one neighbour ( happily now gone!) who never collected them and once I had a massive parcel in the middle of the living room. If I knocked her door she wouldn't answer though I could hear her there! She is the only one who went on my refusal list!

tattygran14

We used to take lots of parcels for next door, our doors are adjacent, small Victorian terrace. It became obvious that the son was listening behind their door, and not answering, we could hear his feet! (Supposed to be at college)
We stopped taking them, and his mother came and complained that we'd stopped, saying we know you have because 'George heard you tell the courier.'

Good grief! The sense of entitlement of some people is astonishing!

I hope you told the mother to tell George to open the door and take in their own parcels in future!

sweetcakes

I take in parcels for some neighbours but not others
If you know that your not going to be in when your ordering have it delivered to a lock up in a shop and pick it up on the way home.

You can do that if (a) you know when it is coming, and (b) have a car. The reliability of deliveries* is such that we really don't know when smaller items are going to arrive. Furniture etc is one thing, as they know you have to be in, but even then, I recently ordered a dining table and chairs, and specified a Friday delivery. They arrived in three separate parcels between Monday and Thursday! Luckily we were both in, but if we'd been working it would have been a different story.

My NDN is away on business a lot, and the nature of his business is that he gets quite a lot of parcels. It's no hardship for us to open the door to a deliverer now and then and drop them in the hallway until he gets back. Sometimes it's a few days, but usually he calls for it the next day, or if we see that he's in we take it round. If I needed a reciprocation for a small good deed it is that I know that when we are away he will take things for us.

*Having said that, it's not long ago that mail order catalogues asked customers to allow 28 days for delivery . It's hard to imagine that now, when we expect next day or sooner.

Royal Mail recently knocked our door with a parcel addressed to our son (who lives 5 miles away).

They had already tried to deliver correctly but there was no one in and as the postie was coming to our village he asked us if we would take it.

We were glad to receive such excellent service.

After living next door to the neighbour from hell - I very happily take in parcels for my nice neighbour .
I water her plants in the summer .
I replant the pots as well .
I've tidied and replanted her back garden .
Recently , we cut a tree down .
I've swept up her drive if she's entertaining .
I've cleaned maggots out of her food bin .
She's take in my parcels .
Put my bins out and back in again . Collected my prescriptions . Shopped for me ...
We sometimes go out to the cinema , for tea or shopping .
I'm invited to all her social occasions .

Having lived next door to Mr Hitler for years - it's sheer bliss .
He spied on me .
Eavesdropped on private conversations in the garden .
Interrogated me .
Reported me to council for nothing .
Threatened me and finally tried to drag me into his house .

I live in a condo complex where some of our front doors are close together. We always look out for each others packages. We text each other as soon as we notice a delivery at a door.

Trying to keep one step ahead of the porch pirates!

We have lived next door to our neighbours for over 30 years and they have both retired now, like we have, but they only speak to us when THEY feel like doing so, in fact, female neighbour walks around outside with phone to ear, so she's not spoken to..... parcels are left with us, cards are put through their door to tell them, but they already know because they have asked for parcels to be redirected to US.
That really annoys me because if she said before she goes out, that a parcel might be delivered to our address it wouldn't be so bad, and we could tell her if we would be in,or not, but she just presumes that we will take in her parcels.
And as it's coming up to Christmas it's probably going to be a few times a week. I just don't like being taken for granted !

I take in parcels for some neighbours but not others
If you know that your not going to be in when your ordering have it delivered to a lock up in a shop and pick it up on the way home.

I take in parcels and my neighbours reciprocate. I did once have to take an uncollected one because the dog had chewed up the delivery note. I guess the recipient could have knocked on every door to find her parcel but once in four years isn’t a big deal. The previous owner of our house wouldn’t take in parcels so we got brownie points from our new neighbours when we moved in.