Parcel deliveries for neighbours

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Andy
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Today, around 3PM we had a knock on the door, and it was yet another parcel delivery for our neighbours who moved in around a year ago. I haven't kept count, but it has been more than one a week so could well have reached the impressive century mark - never got one as a batsman so am envious.
I took it in, and realised that they were in next door (semi detached), so decided to just wait for them to ring the bell and ask for it.
Around 9PM, the guy rings the bell and basically asks me why I haven't given them their parcel. I explain that I am not a parcel delivery service, and as he obviously knows that I have his parcel he should come to me to request it.
He then says that it is up to me to deliver it, and I respond that he can F off and I will not be taking in any more parcels for him, and I shut the door.
He is around 30 years younger than me, and now I am wondering if I could have acted in a slightly more diplomatic manner, or would most of you have done the same thing in my situation.
 
lol

well the obvious question is, why was it delivered to you if they were in


Because the obvious answer is, that they didn't answer their door - next easy question to answer please, and stop trolling.
 
You could have acted more diplomatically but sometimes you've got to fight cheek with fire

I used to have an air conditioning engineer live next door to me, amongst the usual amazon/debenhams/currys parcels that I took in for him because he was never in, were a few work related bits and bobs, remote controllers, odd box of fixings, a fan blade, that sort of thing.
Anyway, it was 3 or 4 parcels a week and I got a bit balled off with being his personal goods-in department, the crunch came when I came home from work one day and in the hallway was stacked 10 lengths of steel unistrut and 3 air-con units, my so had taken them in while I was at work, there must have been a hundred kilos of kit.
I saw my arse and threw the whole lot out on his drive........we had a polite conversation and he doesn't live there anymore...:)


Yeah, we have had a couple of carpets for him.
Sorry for the previous reply about trolling, but that is down to the mood I am in since having a word with him. On previous deliveries I am sure that they are both in and haven't bothered to answer the door.
 
Maybe the delivery driver knows your in and didnt bother knocking next door as they are never home ?
 
I have to be honest, I'd smack the package off of his fat head, I have no time or patience for ignorance! I would have put a stop to it much sooner, you are a lot more patient and forgiving than you might imagine. He's lucky he's not my neighbour. I have taken in stuff in the past, not a bother, I know my neighbours are decent, and they have done the same for me too. I do deliver it to them once I know they are back home, and they appreciate it [my neighbours both sides are a fair bit more elderly than I am] But if I thought they were in each time, and were taking the p*ss, I wouldn't be long about cutting out the niceties.
 
Today, around 3PM we had a knock on the door, and it was yet another parcel delivery for our neighbours who moved in around a year ago. I haven't kept count, but it has been more than one a week so could well have reached the impressive century mark - never got one as a batsman so am envious.
I took it in, and realised that they were in next door (semi detached), so decided to just wait for them to ring the bell and ask for it.
Around 9PM, the guy rings the bell and basically asks me why I haven't given them their parcel. I explain that I am not a parcel delivery service, and as he obviously knows that I have his parcel he should come to me to request it.
He then says that it is up to me to deliver it, and I respond that he can F off and I will not be taking in any more parcels for him, and I shut the door.
He is around 30 years younger than me, and now I am wondering if I could have acted in a slightly more diplomatic manner, or would most of you have done the same thing in my situation.

Could you acted a little more diplomatic - possibly, but then really depends on that actual moment in time as I think if I'd have been hit with it's my responsibility to deliver to him, I could have said go away as well :)

It's not your responsibility to take it round - are you supposed to set up a check point and have it manned 24 hrs a day, so someone can report when they arrive home or a curtain twitches, so you can then stand at their door and wait to be answered...I think not ! He will have had a card, so as soon as he sees this, should pop round and see if your in, and if not, as soon as you're home, you pop round...Common politeness doesn't kill and a thanks very much means a lot - this is how we work here ???

Anyway, problem to be resolved, delivery driver comes round and just apologies and say, sorry, can't take it, your neighbour will then be put out and realise his arsy way wasn't the best (y)
 
ta hell with him! if they are mainly coming via Amazon, then contact them to have them blocked. we had the same ignorant display from a neighbour
 
Today, around 3PM we had a knock on the door, and it was yet another parcel delivery for our neighbours who moved in around a year ago. I haven't kept count, but it has been more than one a week so could well have reached the impressive century mark - never got one as a batsman so am envious.
I took it in, and realised that they were in next door (semi detached), so decided to just wait for them to ring the bell and ask for it.
Around 9PM, the guy rings the bell and basically asks me why I haven't given them their parcel. I explain that I am not a parcel delivery service, and as he obviously knows that I have his parcel he should come to me to request it.
He then says that it is up to me to deliver it, and I respond that he can F off and I will not be taking in any more parcels for him, and I shut the door.
He is around 30 years younger than me, and now I am wondering if I could have acted in a slightly more diplomatic manner, or would most of you have done the same thing in my situation.

I’d have done exactly what you did. I’m happy to take a parcel in but with an attitude like that, they can go to hell.
 
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Have you no feelings the next door neighbour who is a lot younger might have a wife who is a nympho and he was probably servicing her . Would you get up to answer the door mid shag . Take the next parcel round like a good neighbour but wait till you see him go out ,she might answer the door wearing next to nothing and invite you in to apologise .... :banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana:
 
Yeah, we have had a couple of carpets for him.
Sorry for the previous reply about trolling, but that is down to the mood I am in since having a word with him. On previous deliveries I am sure that they are both in and haven't bothered to answer the door.
Full disclosure:
Our neighbours take in tons of packages for us too, due to the fact they work shifts and we work 9-5 ish. But we're always grateful and on occasion we will take in stuff for them.

However, there have been loads of times when we've been in and our deliveries have gone to neighbours or elsewhere, often with 2 cars on the drive, we simply don't hear them, they certainly don't use the doorbell. So as with all things, don't jump to the conclusion that they 'haven't bothered'. There's nothing more frustrating than expecting a parcel - spending all day listening out and then finding it was left with a neighbour. I'm sure your neighbour was acting out of frustration, just like you were.

The world is a much better place if we can all have a little empathy.
 
I think taking in the odd parcel for a neighbour is all part of creating a community but taking in more than one every week is taking you for granted (sorry Phil), could they not arrange for the package to be delivered to an alternative address, perhaps where they work. As for you taking it to them, no not really, it's their responsibility to collect from you, how are you supposed to know when they are in. Maybe get some cards made up to say you tried to deliver and have left it with a neighbour (you) and what times they can collect, what I.D. they will need and that they will forfeit the goods if not collected in 3 days. :)
 
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We often take deliveries for neighbours and they do the same for us if we are out.
I would never expect my neighbours to then have to deliver it to me however some do.
I think you would not be unreasonable to decline future deliveries for this obliviously ungrateful neighbour and he may come to realise that it is his loss.
 
I'm home a fair bit so take in parcels for several neighbours. I just make sure I sign for any that need signatures with a "Not Examined" note. If we're both out, any neighbour who's in will take a parcel (or several!) for us.

A surprising number of delivery drivers simply don't ring the bell - possibly because that might involve putting a parcel down while kicking the bottom door panel lets them keep it aloft.
 
I'll happily take in a parcel for a neighbor, as they have to for myself some times. But I usually get in from work, see the missed delivery card and then pop to the neighbors house and retrieve it. Don't think I would ever expect them to deliver it to me.

Just do like some good delivery drivers do and launch it over there fence into the garden!
 
We are home most days, semi-retired/self employed working from home.We often get parcels for the neighbours, usually at least once a week. I don't have a problem with it, and they always come round to pick them up and are apologetic. I can understand Andy's anger and would probably have reacted the same way, if confronted by such an ignorant t***, but taking in parcels for others is the neighbourly thing to do.
 
think taking in the odd parcel for a neighbour is all part of creating a community but taking in more than one every week is taking you for granted (sorry Phil),
We have alternative locations on all our accounts, the drivers often ignore them and drop with the neighbours instead. Can't take them at work though.
 
A neighbour at my previous place was never in to receive a parcel so I would take them in for them. After the 4th time of not even thank you from them I stopped accepting their parcels.
Politeness costs nothing and no you did not over react. Just refuse parcels for them from now on.
 
I am so grateful We have good neighbours. Never a problem with either of us taking in parcels etc.
 
A neighbour at my previous place was never in to receive a parcel so I would take them in for them. After the 4th time of not even thank you from them I stopped accepting their parcels.
Politeness costs nothing and no you did not over react. Just refuse parcels for them from now on.

This got me thinking to another incident last year, when I did stop taking in parcels for them for a while (I relented earlier this year because I thought I was being a bit mean). We had been taking in parcels and we never received any thanks, but then one day the neighbour's missus came around and said (without saying hello or anything) - "I'm here to pick up the parcel". So I said - "what parcel?". So her response was a shake of the head, rolling her eyes around and then she waved the delivery ticket in front of my face. I then said "give it here and let me have a look" - no please or thank you, matching her surly attitude.
I had a look and said - "as I said before, what parcel", and then "do you mean the parcel which is over the road at number 42?". She was even less impressed with this answer and said - "I thought this was number 42", to which I replied - "you live at 41, I live at 43, over the road, opposite are 40 and 42, very easy to understand"
I gave her back the ticket, and she flounced off without saying anything.
I think this latest incident has made me realise that I will not be taking any more parcels in for them.
 
Could you have been more diplomatic, Andy? Yes, but given your neighbour's attitude I'm not surprised by your response.

I've no idea where your neighbour got the idea that you should take the parcel to him has come from. I reckon close to 100% of people would say the opposite.

Dave
 
This got me thinking to another incident last year, when I did stop taking in parcels for them for a while (I relented earlier this year because I thought I was being a bit mean). We had been taking in parcels and we never received any thanks, but then one day the neighbour's missus came around and said (without saying hello or anything) - "I'm here to pick up the parcel". So I said - "what parcel?". So her response was a shake of the head, rolling her eyes around and then she waved the delivery ticket in front of my face. I then said "give it here and let me have a look" - no please or thank you, matching her surly attitude.
I had a look and said - "as I said before, what parcel", and then "do you mean the parcel which is over the road at number 42?". She was even less impressed with this answer and said - "I thought this was number 42", to which I replied - "you live at 41, I live at 43, over the road, opposite are 40 and 42, very easy to understand"
I gave her back the ticket, and she flounced off without saying anything.
I think this latest incident has made me realise that I will not be taking any more parcels in for them.

Well, I'd have stopped last year after that episode... no need for plain rudeness !
 
I have always had amazon parcels sent to work to avoid this but with their switch to amazon logistics it is gettting a struggle to actually receive items, I cancelled one last week because they have tried to deliver it on five occasions outside the opening hours on the delivery instructions....

My record on a day off at home was taking in 5 parcels for 3 neighbours, one of whom turned out to be at home waiting for it and the courier hadn’t even rang their doorbell...but occcasional parcels are part of being a nice neighbour so we suck it up and keep it friendly. If I see them come home I will pop it round, if mine I will collect, if they don’t beat me to it.
 
I've taken in parcels for my neighbours and they reciprocate.
Mostly hassle free.
2 recent notable ones
1) a guy ( I don't know him) a few doors down and opposite, never came for his parcel,
so after 24 hours I took it over to him. "Hi, I think this is yours" I said, He looked at the parcel and shut the door, not a word was spoken, by him.
So like Andy ( @andy700 ) Never again!

2) I took a parcel to a guy, we are just nodding acquaintances, was very grateful,
he had no idea I had it, there was no card and it seems his home address is the invoice address,
NOT the delivery address, it was needed "On site" that day, As you can image he was not happy with the courier, as he'd now left work and come
home as he couldn't finish the job!
 
If they have so many parcels, you, or rather they, can buy a parcel delivery box, Amazon sell them, and parcels could go in there instead of expecting neighbours to take delivery.
We live in France and all post boxes are on the property boundaries. La Poste and other couriers have keys to them. No worries about being out / ignoring the doorbell, and expecting neighbours to put themselves out when a parcel is due.
Maybe you could have been more diplomatic, but even if you had been, with his attitude, I think your decision to not take in any more parcels for them is correct
 
If it's Amazon we always select a day when we're in, anything else the neighbours are pretty good. Only been the odd occasion where a card wasn't left and they bring it round after a few days. We've taken parcels in where the curiour is impatient and the neighbour literally follows them 2 seconds later. Wife had a few choice words once with our last neighbour who then refused to take anything in so we chose to do the same, no real loss there.
 
My first house was a small end terraced house in a council estate and everyone took post for each other, the family grew and we moved into a bigger house in a private development. Here we're the only ones that would sign for someone else. The first time I done it the guy across the street all but accused me of stealing it, that a******e now has to get his own. Any of my mail I miss goes back to the post office, no fecker signs for me. I now get my post delivered to my mums address.
 
I get stuff delivered to work, as does everyone else in our office. We get far more deliveries from amazon than actual work deliveries in fact! If I couldn't accept them at work, I'd use the amazon locker thing rather than put my neighbours out.

Big stuff I take a day off work and wait in.
 
I respond that he can F off ... and now I am wondering if I could have acted in a slightly more diplomatic manner
Houston, we have a coffee/keyboard interface situation.
 
I think you have a duty to inform them or take the parcel round. You’ve obviously entered into an implied contract with Amazon when you accepted someone else’s parcel. Also your acting for both parties over the past year clearly places you under an obligation.
:exit:
 
I think you have a duty to inform them or take the parcel round. You’ve obviously entered into an implied contract with Amazon when you accepted someone else’s parcel. Also your acting for both parties over the past year clearly places you under an obligation.
:exit:


Have you ever considered a career in the legal profession?:p
 
Have you ever considered a career in the legal profession?:p
Funny that, when I was a child people often suggested that :) . I did have a brief stint as a “barrack room lawyer” while doing my National Service ;) .
 
Your actions were perfectly justified. Some people will continue to take liberties while they continue to get away with it. If they do things for you or are good neighbours in other ways then by all means, continue to do favours for them, but this clown is just one of life’s parasites so he can learn the hard way when you refuse his parcels from now on.
 
I’ve had neighbors bring parcels around and I had no idea they had them. No cards left in my letter box or anything.

If I know I have one, I’ll go get it, but that’s not always the case.
 
I’ve had neighbors bring parcels around and I had no idea they had them. No cards left in my letter box or anything.

If I know I have one, I’ll go get it, but that’s not always the case.


In this case, both of them were home, and he was aware that there was a parcel for him, because he said - "why haven't you given us our parcel?".
 
Generally-speaking, I've accepted parcels for neighbours. Sometimes they're just dumped in our porch because it's unlocked and the neighbour's porch is locked. On occasion, I've had my deliveries (typically ones where you can't specify or predict a delivery date) handed to neighbours. All congenial and everyone's apologetic about it. I think that's acceptable.

Rude behaviour and demands IMO are unacceptable. I would specifically refuse parcels just for that neighbour.
 
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