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

What is clear from this thread is that everyone is different..some are friends with their neighbours and would rather pop round than trek to the sorting office, some think their neighbours (or all strangers?) are sex offenders and would rather risk theft from their doorstep than talk to a person, some would be annoyed to have parcels left in full view of potential thieves.

Whatever your situation, your postie or delivery driver is not a mind reader. Unless you give instructions on what to do they have to guess and mostly the best option is for your parcel to be near your house not miles away in an office. There are plenty of ways to manage this, specify a safe space, specify neighbours to choose or avoid, choose delivery to a locker etc etc. Take responsibility for your own shit.

You are being hugely unreasonable, redelivering all parcels would be massively costly and delivery prices would go up. Are you willing to pay and extra £2.50 - £5 per redelivery??
Because in addition to the additional delivery rounds the delivery drivers would have to do, all delivery companies would have to invest in extra storage to house all the parcels that couldn't be dropped off.
I'd get a safe delivery hatch if it bothers you so much.

We recently had a parcel left on our doorstep by Royal Mail for our neighbour who was on holiday and we were not in when it was left so not asked to take it, parcel was supposed to be signed for no idea who signed for it

Why not get to know your neighbours!

That's the nicest thing anyone has said to me for a while. I actually live in 1955, provincial town and it's lovely, village green cricket, roses around the door. I never lock the door and people are nice to one another.

So how does someone who works all week purchase something only available online, which in 2026 is most things?
Of course you can have things delivered to your house if you're not going to be in. If you really don't want it going to your neighbours RM can deliver to the sorting office, delivery drivers can deliver to lockers/local shops.

I agree with this.
I actively try to avoid using companies that use Royal Mail for deliveries, but sometimes you just don't know until you suddenly get a message saying they will deliver on such and such day between 9am and 11am. So you duly wait for it, only to get a message at 11.30am saying your parcel was inadvertently sent to a different town 200 miles from where you live and it'll be with you the following day.
So you wait in again, this time they said it'll be between 8am and 10am, but it isn't. It does eventually turn up at 5.15pm. And then they don't knock, so unless you were actively watching the app, they'll take it away again anyway. You know about that as you hear the slip coming through the door, but by the time you get to the door and open it, they have scarpered. Funny how you heard the bit of paper lightly rattling the letterbox but not then actually knocking. And you have to go through it all again the next day too...

I know that sounds ridiculous but that has honestly been my experience with Royal Mail over the last year. On more than one occasion. Everyone else manages to knock at the door at least roughly when they say they will!

Why not just use the lockers which are springing up like daisies everywhere. Quick and safe and your parcels dont get nicked!!

Some people are disabled but still need to go out to work (this has been my situation - it can be additionally difficult to bring things home as I only have on street parking, sometimes a long way from my house, and can't carry things easily when needing to walk with crutches)

Some people don't have cars (or even reasonable public transport) to get to shops to bring things home.

Some people moved to areas with great shopping opportunities, but then half the shops closed down and so now they can't buy the items they need locally.

Those people still may need to buy things!

If you know you aren’t going to be in, stop buying items that need delivering to your house!

Personally, I think it's fine, but I guess it depends on your neighbours.

Myself and my neighbours both sides work hybrid roles. I try to arrange for deliveries to arrive when I'll be at home, but often they don't arrive when they say they will.

We all take in parcels for each other if we're at home, and it's not a problem at all.

The alternative for all of us is for our parcels to just be left on our doorsteps, but our houses are straight out on to the street with no option for a safe space. We even take parcels in for each other if we notice they HAVE been left in the street, and stick a note through the door to let the other person know.

It doesn't work for everyone, but in some areas it's very difficult to have anywhere to put a parcel and I have no problem with helping a neighbour out when needed, I'll even take them in for neighbours further down the street that I don't even know if need be.

Totally agree, I refuse to take my neighbours as they can take weeks to collect. Last week amazon had a few parcels of mine and gave me my neighbours as well without saying anything.. well guess who still hasnt took their parcel! infuriates me!

It's a bit early, so my mental faculties are about 2 mugs of tea short of fully functioning, but this is pisstake, isn't it?

Bloody excellent, too!

What does "doing the step" mean?

ETA Oh! LEAVES THEM on the step.

Sounds quite an entitled approach. So you expect delivery companies to run round at their own expense just because it suits you.

How about if you're not in they return the item to sender instead. That way they haven't left it with your neighbour or impacted your ability to work

I was asked to take a parcel in a few years ago for the NDN so did and he never came around for it so I went to deliver it to him and tried a few times but he wouldn’t answer the door! In the end I had to give it back to the postie. I’ve never offered to help with a parcel since, even now I live elsewhere- it isn’t worth the potential hassle.

Aren't you concerned about parcels getting stolen from your doorstep?

This is really so easily resolved - just put a note on your door telling people where to leave parcels if you're not in.

So what do you expect the postie to do?
Stand outside your house all day until someone comes home?

The amazing world of MN strikes again! I don't want to be neighbourly with my neighbours and live in a community because...SEX OFFENDERS. SEX OFFENDERS EVERYWHERE!

Everywhere I've ever lived my neighbours have taken parcels for me and I've taken parcels for then and it's been no trouble whatsoever. If for whatever reason it is such a problem then it really is your problem and you should either be sure to be in when it's delivered, go out and get whatever it is yourself, or live in splendid isolation in the middle of nowhere.

Ann. Yes she's long suffering but has started an emotional affair with Paul, their new neighbour.

Why not take it back to the depot and give the option of collection or redelivery?

I had two parcels I wasn't expecting. I was in. The bell did not ring. The postie ignored my cupboard with its notice about putting deliveries in it, scrawled next door's number on a red card and then another number round the corner and put the card in the middle of a heap of junk mail. When I attempted to collect the parcels there was no one in. There has been no one there since November 28th. I have complained to RM. I don't know who sent them, what they are or why 37 took them in, knowing they were going,
The postie has continued not ringing, but does use the cupboard.

I don’t take parcels in for anyone. I have an intercom system and can see who’s there. If I’m not expecting anything, I don’t open.

I don’t get this. RM parcels are tracked from the time they’re received you get email and text updates, then you can the log in to their website and see exactly where it was last scanned in.

The text tells you when it’s coming in a 2 hour slot - it’s only as long as 2 hours because it’s with usually with your postie on their usual round so it’s not as time specific as a delivery driver. I don’t understands why you’re not getting this.

Whoever he is I feel sorry for his wife.