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Original poster

New owner sending parcels to a house they do not own yet

105 replies

coffeeneeded · 01/12/2022 20:39

We complete on the house next Tuesday.

I have just received a sizeable package for the next owners. It came from overseas and the only option for the courier was to send it back.

My conscience got the better of me and I took it in. But I will have to give it to a neighbour to look after so it doesn't get packed up with our stuff.

House house is small- no room to store things.

Would it be awful of me to refuse any other packages that happen to arrive for them?

WWYD?

OP posts:
Joyfuljolly · 02/12/2022 08:04

Maybe the stress of moving house and Christmas is getting to you and making you mean ? It’s one parcel. Sure if plenty more arrive speak to them, but I’d contact rhe agent and say a parcel has arrived for them, if they are near they can collect. It’s likely just arrived early.

Stripedbag101 · 02/12/2022 08:17

Good idea to leave it with neighbour - even mention to estate agent that you have a parcel for them. It is hard to move just before Christmas with parcels arriving all the time.

for all you know it could be a housewarming gift sent by someone else.

once the fifth package arrives you can get stroppy!

ButterCrackers · 02/12/2022 08:21

They don’t live there yet so it’s a return to sender. You also don’t have the space for their stuff. They could have it sent to a parcel receiving service instead of your address.

Maray1967 · 02/12/2022 08:26

I’d take it as a good sign that they intend to complete and not dick you about at the last minute.
It’s probably just arrived early - just label it not to be moved. In the grand scheme of things this is not a problem.

FaazoHuyzeoSix · 02/12/2022 08:30

I can't believe how many posters are saying things like 'get a grip' and 'this is a non-issue' - it's a small house and a large item that there is no physical room to store. OP can't 'get a grip' to the point of magically creating an extra room in the house. maybe the mumsnetters who think this is a non-issue don't actually understand how difficult it is to move around an actually very small building when there's an enormous box blocking one of the access routes (and in a small house every bit of space that isn't furniture is an access route).

ywnbu to refuse any further parcels OP. one could be a genuine mistake with the delivery happening earlier than expected, so your kindly arranging a safe place for it was good. more than one indicates deliberate CFery so shouldn't be indulged.

pilates · 02/12/2022 08:33

I would take it in and think nothing of it. Just put it somewhere safe with a big sign on it please leave. What with it being Christmas and postal strikes they did the sensible option. It would be mean to do anything else 🤨

Piffle11 · 02/12/2022 08:38

gannett · 02/12/2022 08:04

Gawping at the paranoia level needed for your first thought about this to be it might be drugs or guns.

I quite like the idea of some drugs Lord sitting with a copy of Royal Mail strike dates, trying to work out whether his parcel should be sent to his courier's old address or the new one Grin

SeasonFinale · 02/12/2022 08:38

2bazookas · 01/12/2022 23:56

I'd never accept unsolicited parcels from strangers abroad; could be drugs, guns.... just tell the courier "they don't live here".

Ask yourself why your buyer doesnt use the one they currently live in, or the conveyance lawyer who is acting for them.

Or it could be a child's Christmas present from their grandma and with post strikes here and it coming from abroad they sent it slightly too early.

Seriously if you are that petty about less than a week definitely give it to a nice neighbour to hold onto or give the buyer a call to see if they can collect it. Otherwise stick on on the kitchen side for when they arrive - like a normal person.

SeasonFinale · 02/12/2022 08:40

FaazoHuyzeoSix · 02/12/2022 08:30

I can't believe how many posters are saying things like 'get a grip' and 'this is a non-issue' - it's a small house and a large item that there is no physical room to store. OP can't 'get a grip' to the point of magically creating an extra room in the house. maybe the mumsnetters who think this is a non-issue don't actually understand how difficult it is to move around an actually very small building when there's an enormous box blocking one of the access routes (and in a small house every bit of space that isn't furniture is an access route).

ywnbu to refuse any further parcels OP. one could be a genuine mistake with the delivery happening earlier than expected, so your kindly arranging a safe place for it was good. more than one indicates deliberate CFery so shouldn't be indulged.

A parcel that has suddenly become the size of a shed - when did that happen 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Footballmyarse · 02/12/2022 08:45

I had the same but in reverse - we moved in Nov last year and previous owners kept getting packages delivered here as they had moved to a flat and didn’t feel safe getting things delivered while they were at work. They had the audacity to shout at me that I was being unfair when they came to collect for the third time and I told them it was next door as I was refusing anymore deliveries for them - the neighbour who took it in (they agreed to but said they were going to tell them it was the only time and they would refuse after that), had gone on holiday and I was accused of ruining a birthday. Now, that was fucking cheeky!

I’d be contacting the estate agent and getting them to tell them to collect it. I wouldn’t want to be responsible for that while packing/moving, boxes get misplaced so easily.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 02/12/2022 08:49

onlythreenow · 02/12/2022 06:22

You would think at age 63 I would be beyond being surprised by how strange people can be, but every few days there is a thread on MN which shows me that there are indeed some very strange people in the world. This is such a non issue and yet there are posters who seem to think this is terribly inconvenient, and that the new owners have done this just to be annoying (or to cover their criminal activities ffs). Mind boggling. How on earth do some of you navigate life if something like this sends you into such a spin Confused

I know!!

Stangerthings · 02/12/2022 08:50

Don't be so petty!

  1. It is probably not that big.
  2. Its probably a present.
  3. The receiver may not have known it was coming.
  4. Its Christmas!
  5. I hope you never have a parcel delivered to someone else for you.
WakingUpDistress · 02/12/2022 08:51

Crazy thing to do Imo.
everything can happen as the contracts haven’t been exchanged so the new owner actually has no idea if they will get the house or not. Yes probably 90% it will happen but…. Why on Earth did they already give that address as their new address??

i would have taken it in.
I would also ask the new owner to come over and collect it on the grounds it might get lost or damaged during your move and you can’t be held responsible for it.

Spanielsarepainless · 02/12/2022 08:53

Give it to the estate agent and get them to tell the new owners this is happening.

LaurelGrove · 02/12/2022 08:53

I'd message them to tell them and ask them to avoid further deliveries. This could be a one off, a mistake or a pattern that I would not want to continue.
When we sold our last house, our buyer was a huge pain in the neck. She had no idea what she was doing and was full of entirely unreasonable requests (could we move the day before completion so she had time to unpack before the weekend, would we accept a lower deposit as one of her investments was in a 90 day notice account).
Two days before we moved a sofa and two armchairs arrived for her. It was an absolute mess - my mum let the delivery guys bring them in and signed for it, while I was at work, then I spent the next two days climbing over them while trying to pack up the house.

Hobbesmanc · 02/12/2022 08:54

Are we talking hamper size big parcel. Or washing machine size big?

Given it's Christmas and they're moving into a new home, it's probably a gift that's just arrived earlier. Unless they've been particularly awkward buyers, I'd be generous of spirit. It's only a few days. You've probably already emptied cupboards etc. Just pop it under a bed or on a wardrobe

If it's seriously a problem, are they local? Could you ask the estate agent to get them to collect.

Loving those posters who were speculating it might be guns or drugs.

WakingUpDistress · 02/12/2022 08:57

onlythreenow · 02/12/2022 06:22

You would think at age 63 I would be beyond being surprised by how strange people can be, but every few days there is a thread on MN which shows me that there are indeed some very strange people in the world. This is such a non issue and yet there are posters who seem to think this is terribly inconvenient, and that the new owners have done this just to be annoying (or to cover their criminal activities ffs). Mind boggling. How on earth do some of you navigate life if something like this sends you into such a spin Confused

On thé other side, moving is one of the most stressful experience people go through.
Its also around Christmas, aka the new owner (who doesn’t own anything yet) might be trying to get ready, didn’t know whatever but so is the OP. Maybe she doesn’t want yet another thing in her house? Or to be responsible for someone else parcel in the middle if her move - when things are more likely to get lost, damaged etc… or simply out in one if her boxes by mistake.

Its not the same than taking a parcel in fir the NDN in normal circumstances.
(even though seeing the number if threads in here, it seems many people have an issue with that anyway, WO à move in the middle)

BecauseICan22 · 02/12/2022 08:58

I complete next Friday. My sellers will be receiving parcels for me. It's December, there are postal delays - I'm moving there in 7 sleeps. I'm not risking getting presents etc lost/delayed.

YABU.

WakingUpDistress · 02/12/2022 09:00

@Hobbesmanc I have said that something was suddenly found in an empty cupboard (or nearly empty which is more likely) is more likely to end up in the boxes for the move.
DH would have done that.
Anyone helping on the day of the move is very likely to do that.

QuestionsFromThePublic · 02/12/2022 09:01

It is rude and a pita.i would not send my delivery to someone else's house. Certainly not without asking first or at least mentioing it. Moving house is chaotic and stressful.

I would go through estate agents or solicitor. I would say there was a parcel delivery without checking first and please could they not send anything else.

I would probably leave it in the garage at the parcel owners own risk. We are lucky to have a garage. When we moved from our flat into a house we had very little space.

Thisbastardcomputer · 02/12/2022 09:01

A buyer (who pulled out) applied for planning permission on our last house, mind boggling you can do this without ownership.

WakingUpDistress · 02/12/2022 09:03

@BecauseICan22 I hope you’ve asked the current owners if they were happy with your arrangement.
Otherwise it’s just as cheeky and rude than sending your parcels to someone else Wo asking them first.

I hope none if your parcels get missing …..

Rightsraptor · 02/12/2022 09:03

Most of us have moved house and will know what a stressful time it can be. I suspect OP is in that state and it's one more thing to deal with that she really doesn't need right now.

Just put the parcel in the safest place you can, @coffeeneeded, don't worry about it and just get through the next days.

I hope your move goes well.

FaazoHuyzeoSix · 02/12/2022 09:10

@SeasonFinale the OP clearly describes it as "sizable" and 'there is nowhere for it to go" - but you are one of the blissfully unaware whose advice was to "stick it on the kitchen side" - so ignorant of how small some homes are. some kitchens have literally a sink, a stove and one cupboard unit's worth of "side" where a large box renders the kitchen unusable. it's only in your imagination that the OP has plenty of spare space, despite her saying that she hasn't.

Magentax · 02/12/2022 09:14

I’m having a really shit day but the idea that you shouldn’t take a parcel in “in case it’s guns” has properly tickled me. I think OP should destroy the package in a controlled explosion just to be safe.