Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Neighbour refused to take in a parcel

114 replies

FishFingerSandwiches4Tea · 28/08/2022 22:09

Obviously it's their right to refuse, but I'm a bit miffed! We've been neighbours for 10 years, and they have taken in parcels for us in the past, as have we for them, although as they are retired and we both (were) working outside the home they've done it more than we have iyswim.

Since lockdown we're home 95% of the time so they've not needed to take one for us for a while. Today we were out for 2 hours, and during that time a small (a4ish size if that's at all relevant) parcel turned up from amazon. The neighbours refused to take it. I only know as the next neighbour along took it and the delivery driver told them.

I know there's bigger problems etc, but I feel... slightly annoyed and unsettled by it! It seems like a really petty thing to do, ans now I'm worried we've unknowingly upset them in some way. Obviously I'm not going to make an issue of it, but wtf?

OP posts:
NeverDropYourMooncup · 29/08/2022 00:06

Maybe they got caught out by dpd like the poor bugger did two streets away at Christmas when the driver left him barricaded in with £247 of cat food for us and when DP got there, he had deliveries for 8 other people including a seven foot area rug. Fluke I recognised the plants by his front door in the photo, as it didn't say what number 43 it had been left at.

The most annoying bit of that was the driver (dpd display a photo of the driver on the notifications) was parked up outside our house when DP dragged the 3rd box round the corner.

Aretheyhavingalaugh · 29/08/2022 00:07

I took in a parcel a few months back for a neighbour across the road.i dont know them and have never spoken to them. The postman said he'd leave a note for them, 3 weeks later, it was still sitting in my porch. I got fed up and took it over there, they opened the door and I said I have a parcel for you, they snatched it out of my hand without so much as a thank you and closed the door in my face. Last time I'll be taking in any parcels for that neighbour. The reason I hadnt taken it across before was because I was actually in hospital giving birth when it arrived and another family member accepted it and then I was so busy with the new arrival, I just hadn't got round to it.

pimlicoanna · 29/08/2022 00:09

Maybe they felt unwell and didn't want to be bothered by you knocking or a hundred other reasons. If I'm busy or am I n and out or don't want to be disturbed I say no too, but sometimes I say yes if it's convenient

Ladybyrd · 29/08/2022 00:23

@Aretheyhavingalaugh we had the same from a neighbour with DP. The neighbour mistook DP for the delivery driver and spoke to him like shit. Funny thing is, DP is a delivery driver and has zero tolerance for rudeness. If a real life customer does that, forever more he will say "delivery attempt failed" and take them back to depot. Serves them right.

Superduper02 · 29/08/2022 00:28

MissMaple82 · 28/08/2022 22:15

It's petty that you're so annoyed that you're taking to mumsnet !!

Agree with this ☝️

Aretheyhavingalaugh · 29/08/2022 00:33

Ladybyrd · 29/08/2022 00:23

@Aretheyhavingalaugh we had the same from a neighbour with DP. The neighbour mistook DP for the delivery driver and spoke to him like shit. Funny thing is, DP is a delivery driver and has zero tolerance for rudeness. If a real life customer does that, forever more he will say "delivery attempt failed" and take them back to depot. Serves them right.

That's a good point actually, maybe they thought I was delivering the parcel, still no excuse to be rude. Haha good on your DP, should teach them a lesson or probably not if they are that rude and ignorant in the first place...

Flatandhappy · 29/08/2022 00:35

I would imagine that you aren’t the only people who these neighbours get deliveries from. The assumption (not necessarily yours) that because they are elderly with mobility issues and at home most of the time they don’t mind being disturbed is unreasonable.

Ladybyrd · 29/08/2022 00:36

@Aretheyhavingalaugh Some people are just waiting for someone to have a go at for ringing the doorbell/not ringing the doorbell/knocking too loud/not knocking loudly enough. I wouldn't dream of saying anything other than "thank you".

formulatingAresponse · 29/08/2022 00:39

My old neighbours took the piss and when I asked the Amazon driver, or whatever driver it was, he told me they'd put my house No down as someone who's ok to collect their parcels.

That pissed me right off so I handed the package back and never received a delivery for them again.

New neighbours in an other house have also now just done the same, so I've banned anyone in our house from accepting any future packages and to just hand them straight back to the driver

TheOnlyBeeInYourBonnet · 29/08/2022 00:39

FishFingerSandwiches4Tea · 28/08/2022 22:54

Well no, as I said it's their right to refuse. However personally I would not make a delivery drivers life more difficult by just responding 'no' and shutting the door in their face for no good reason. I think it's odd behaviour. I don't think I'm overreacting in being surprised and wondering at their motivation. But hey, we're all different. Clearly.

Show quote history

How on earth can you possibly know whether or not they have 'no good reason'?

Honestly, this is a ridiculous amount of overthinking and very self centred.

formulatingAresponse · 29/08/2022 00:44

formulatingAresponse · 29/08/2022 00:39

My old neighbours took the piss and when I asked the Amazon driver, or whatever driver it was, he told me they'd put my house No down as someone who's ok to collect their parcels.

That pissed me right off so I handed the package back and never received a delivery for them again.

New neighbours in an other house have also now just done the same, so I've banned anyone in our house from accepting any future packages and to just hand them straight back to the driver

Only of this new CF neighbour. Happy to take in the occasional one for others if forewarned

formulatingAresponse · 29/08/2022 00:45

I did not mean to quote myself Confused

Soapboxqueen · 29/08/2022 00:50

There's a million and one reasons why they could have refused. It's pointless speculating.

I have a box to put stuff in if we are out. I don't bother watching for deliveries because we get so many.

The only time I've refused was for a neighbour of my mum. She was bloody rude when I took a parcel down to them. No mistaking me for a delivery driver as I literally said 'hi the delivery guy dropped this off with us cos your were out'

Snatched it out of my hand and slammed the door 🤷🏻

HippyLife · 29/08/2022 01:06

Maybe they have rona or something 😷

99redballoonsgobyy · 29/08/2022 01:15

I stopped taking neighbours parcels in as I got totally fed up of being the default parcel drop off house. It was daily often several times. I'd even get knocked up out of bed at 7am on a Saturday morning by Royal mail with neighbours parcel. one Saturday morning neighbours were in but delivery man didn't even knock on neighbours and just brought their parcel to me that was the last straw. perhaps your neighbours have had enough too.

OhPissOffPlease · 29/08/2022 01:34

I take them in for my street all the time. I've had six parcels in my hallway at one point with the longest being two weeks sat there, the drivers knew I'd be home and I'd have someone knocking to take parcel a few times a day and then having someone knocking to pick it up a few times a day too. I didn't mind most of the time but it's disruptive and when I have things to do myself it's inconvenient too because it's not just one neighbour.

I said no to an Amazon parcel near Xmas and and didn't hang about at the door giving him reasons to pass on the rest of my neighbours, my reason is no fuckers business, I'd just had my dh diagnosed with cancer and I didn't want to be interrupted by drivers over the following weeks when dh would be having radiotherapy and when I had more important things on my mind than my neighbours shopping. I was in the middle of a call to macmillan when a courier knocked and I said "no I can't" and closed the door. I'd like to think if he then went moaning about me to a neighbour they'd say it's out of character rather than repeating it to the person whose parcel it was.

If I found out my neighbour immediately went to thinking I was being petty, was questioning my motives, or saying I had no reason because I didn't explain to the driver why I said no I'd just stop taking all their parcels in forever. It wasn't a bout my neighbours and this might not be about you. If you feel awkward now then maybe put your Amazon special instructions and other deliveries to not leave at their house anymore. But if they've been ok with you all this time and then said no just once, I wouldn't assume it's about you personally.

They could have been in the middle of something very important that isn't any of the drivers, yours or your neighbours business.

SeasonFinale · 29/08/2022 01:49

The stock answer on MN when someone says my neighbour is never in to receive their parcels is to say just don't keep accepting them. My guess is she posted on MN and was told to refuse to take them in anymore

Zippedydoo123 · 29/08/2022 06:50

It is perfectly understandable that a neighbour with mobility issues cannot take in parcels.

MrsDThomas · 29/08/2022 07:13

What is it with finding a reason for everything on MN?

covid/holiday/bereavement?

they can just say no. They’re not bothered .

TigerRag · 29/08/2022 07:22

MrsDThomas · 29/08/2022 07:13

What is it with finding a reason for everything on MN?

covid/holiday/bereavement?

they can just say no. They’re not bothered .

Exactly. I once refused (it was 9pm) and the driver got arsey with me.

I'll happily take in parcels for upstairs and they've done the same for me.

xiaoxo · 29/08/2022 07:23

to be honest they could just be fucked off with it y’know? how often are parcels being dropped off at their house? i’d be pissed off is my door is knocked daily, and i have to get up and stop what i’m doing just to answer it. i wouldn’t care if it’s ‘neighbourly’ if it’s only on rare occasions, but consistently? nah no way

KangarooKenny · 29/08/2022 07:24

I wouldn’t take your parcel in either.
Most parcels can be tracked, so be in for it, or have it delivered to one of those lockers.

Zingy123 · 29/08/2022 07:35

I'm a postie, loads of people won't take in their neighbours parcels. We just try another neighbour or return it to the depot.

2Rebecca · 29/08/2022 07:40

Agree the lockers are good for small amazon parcels. We do it for next door but not beyond that and ususally one of us tries to be in plus we use the lockers or ask them to put parcels in our cardboard bin

Herja · 29/08/2022 07:57

I ended up as a local sorting office for a while. I'd have up to 10 parcels for the street and one delivery driver gave up even trying and just brought them to me (she told me). I still didn't mind too much.

Then one neighbour went away for over a week and had their new dining table delivered to mine while they were away. I accepted 'a parcel', then saw them dragging that accross (and was a traumatised pushover at the time...). I didn't have a clue about this and it took over my sitting room for a week... And they were rude about it when they eventually returned home. After that, I only accepted them for the disabled, elderly lady I knew couldn't get to the door in time for 6 months, because I was so irritated. Now I rarely have more than one or two parcels for others, which I'm fine with. It might be nothing to do with you, just other neighbours taking the piss.