To think postmen etc should not be allowed to deliver parcels to neighbours without explicit permission

Well no, the population of the UK in 1952 was considerably less than what it is now!
1952: 50.4 million
2026: 69.3 million

More people = more sex offenders

No. There are different parcel delivery services. Tracking is technically provided. It's just essentially useless. I did mention that the tracking updates AFTER the parcel arrives. The "7am till 5pm" style deliveries are also a real thing It's nothing to do with geography. It's about which service the sender bought. I've had several different types over the years. Most larger companies use the 48hour tracked which gives updates because they have a contract with RM which makes it worth their while. Smaller sellers use cheaper options.

Arguably, sex offenders are the most reliable people to leave a parcel with. They're only interested in porn, so won't be fiddling with your parcel.

I provide the information I'm asked for.

it makes no sense that you don’t though. I haven’t anything special to get it. Do you not provide your number when you order goods maybe?

@ElenOfTheWays if it’s not tracked that surely just means the sender sent it by normal second or first class delivery? That’s not a courier service, that’s the same as letters. Your letters aren’t tracked either.

This is not necessarily the case. It depends on which service the sender has paid for.
I often get parcels that the tracking only updates after delivery. Fairly useless.
I'm talking about RM here

I work from home sometimes and I always end up signing for at least 2 parcels for other people. I don’t mind tho and people do it for us too.
I’m not getting the whole “private parcels” rubbish tho - that makes no sense to me whatsoever. What are you ordering?????? Most stuff comes in plain cardboard or Amazon boxes so nobody will have a clue about what is in there anyway!!!!

Lucky you. I don't get those.

If you live in an area where you have no idea who your neighbours are (but are certain they’re possibly sex offenders) then you don’t live in an area where leaving a parcel on the doorstep is the best option.

I get these texts and corresponding emails for every parcel (image being approved) If I follow the link I go to live tracking and can see exactly where it is. This is being delivered 10.40-12.40 because it’s with my postie on his round.

i find RM excellent. Their infrastructure means things are moved quickly and when there are mistakes ie sent to the wrong sorting office they are rectified next delivery.

I have to say I am completely bamboozled by this post/thread. I cant for the life of me understand why knocking at a neighbour's door to retrieve a parcel they have kindly accepted on your behalf is problematic. Maybe it's my age. I'm 62 and see this as further evidence of the breakdown of society. Just something else to feel deeply saddened by.

Yes, which is what I meant by, "if you really don't want it going to your neighbours..."
This was in response to a PP saying you should always be in when parcels are due to be delivered, which is impossible for many.

Had a bit of a tussle with Royal Fail on Wednesday (failed delivery). Ordered a redelivery fro Friday and it came 8pm thursday.

My safe place is the kitchen door (on camera) and out of view of the street so I sometimes direct parcels to be left there. Mostly I watch for them and am out by the gate as the van draws up.

She thinks her neighbours are on the sex offender register. Apparently.

Really?

YABU

I get a day with a 2 hour window. Perhaps it differs geographically.

I have a box at the gate for mail and small parcels because our postie is strict and says they are not permitted to leave parcels at the door. My previous postie was happy to do this so he was maybe a rebel.
We have an outhouse that is a preferred safe place now, its actually more open and visible than the front door 😂
I was constantly being asked to take parcels for neighbours by DPD at my old address, I ended up putting a note on the door.

They need to make proper arrangements then if they don’t want it delivered to a neighbour.
As a neighbour who WFH, I’d rather not be frequently interrupted by delivery drivers trying to deliver to people who aren’t in and don’t make the arrangements.

But the original poster is complaining about RM leaving things with neighbours.
If you order online and know you won’t be home then delivery companies will inevitably try neighbours if instructions haven’t been left for lockers and safe spaces etc.
From a neighbour’s point of view, some people don’t particularly want to be the default delivery point for every one else who knows they’ll be out but can’t be arsed to make arrangements for their deliveries. I don‘t mind the odd item here and there but it gets annoying when I’m trying to work.

I've never had this with RM. I usually get an email with a day on, the parcel always comes the day before that says. The app never gives anything more than a "7am-5pm" window with no updates anywhere.

It depends on the area. Around here we take in a neighbour parcel and they have taken in mine. I’m the main taker, it isn’t daily or weekly so I don’t mind doing it in December.
There are people who follow the van to steal parcels.

I had an incredibly rude DPD delivery man the other week. We ask for all deliveries to go in our parcel box, and Royal Mail and all the delivery companies generally do this without any issue. This bloke though didn’t read our delivery instructions on the app and decided I wasn’t in (I actually was). I answered the door when he shoved a non-delivery card through it. He told me very rudely that he’d rung the bell 5 times and knocked 5 times (unlikely - my house is very small) and he’d tried my neighbour. This is what annoyed me the most. Our neighbour is reclusive (or perhaps she just politely doesn’t like us 😄) and I don’t want her to be bothered with our parcels.

😂😂😂😂

Then leave a not on your door telling delivery drivers to ‘take my shit back, do not leave it at random neighbour’s houses’. Easy!

Leaving parcels with neighbours just sounds wild to me, wouldn't happen in my country. If parcels are delivered to your home (but usually you just get them delivered to a parcel locker in the supermarket so you can pick up at your own convenience, or to the corner shop) you either get a reasonable time frame (within two hours) with courier companies and sometimes a map to follow the van so you can see estimated time of arrival and where it is, or if its the postal service the postie always calls me to check if I'm home or then I put a note in the app saying to just leave the parcel in my designated spot (in the porch). But if you're not there when things are delivered and you haven't designated a spot to leave the parcel they will just take it to the post office (if its delivered by the postal service, not sure about other couriers but you wouldn't pick home delivery if you couldn't guarantee being home at that time so you'd pick parcel locker or shop instead), which is open from 7-10 every day so you can pick up easily when you're able to.