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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to stick this Royal Mail sticker on my letter box

29 replies

PrettyHairClips · 03/01/2013 10:50

So Royal Mail are now legally permitted to leave your post with a neighbour (hah! like that's stopped them in the past!) I have an eBay addiction so I don't want my many, many parcels left with my neighbours (who I don't know very well). So I've requested this opt-out sticker which Royal Mail say I need to stick on my letter box. When they see it, will my neighbours think I'm being rude? Are these stickers a sign of an unfriendly neighbourhood?

OP posts:
slartybartfast · 03/01/2013 10:53

mm, i shoudl think they think it is a good idea. and i dont spose many people know of the legalities of leaving post with neighbours.

BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 03/01/2013 10:53

I wouldn't think anything of it to be honest. I don't want my neighbours parcels delivered to me, I reckon those stickers are a good idea!

DoubleMum · 03/01/2013 10:54

I think that's fine TBH. I wouldn't be offended to see that on my neighbour's door.

HoneyDragon · 03/01/2013 10:56

No. Your neighbours won't be offended.

Because we have our own business and I'm at home know just about every local courier. This is good for one neighbour as he often receives sensitive documents. He has specified that the couriers can leave them with me but no one else. However he has one of those stickers for RM, simply because they are not as reliable to pursue if stuff goes missing and he cannot specify who they deliver too if not him. I am not at all offended by this Smile

eightways · 03/01/2013 10:59

I have opted out and have the sticker. For me, it's being considerate as it means my neighbours won't be bothered by an early knock on the door, plus a late knock to collect it (as I often get home late), and won't have parcels cluttering their hallway.

I am rarely at home during the day so it's also difficult for me to reciprocate by taking in my neighbours' parcels too.

I am moving to a new apartment block though soon which has a concierge service which will take care of deliveries, so it will save me trips to the sorting office.

Original poster
PrettyHairClips · 03/01/2013 11:00

I live in a small block of 6 flats (maisonette?) and a new couple have just moved in next door. One of them knocked on my door with an armful of my parcels the other day (which prompted me to apply for the sticker). Will said new neighbour be offended? I obviously don't want to offend new neighbours that were just being friendly.

OP posts:
Original poster
PrettyHairClips · 03/01/2013 11:02

To anyone who already has the sticker: have you found that the postman doesn't bother trying to deliver to you anymore and instead just puts a red card through your door? I'm worried about this possibility. They can be lazy fuckers.

OP posts:
feellikearubbishmummy · 03/01/2013 11:03

You may want to look at getting a parcel safe to have out the front.
I know someone with one and also a note door to say underno circumstances should parcels be left with neighbours.

TheMonster · 03/01/2013 11:04

I should think your neighbours will be pleased.

penguinplease · 03/01/2013 11:06

Use the sticker.. and I hope there is one available that says something along the lines of - just because I'm in doesn't mean I want every fucker in the streets parcels cluttering up my hallway for days until they can be arsed to come and pick them up.

Pascha · 03/01/2013 11:06

We have the sticker and I never get a card if I'm in to answer the door. It hasn't made any difference at all to the service we get from the postman.

Zingy123 · 03/01/2013 21:19

I got one and it's a waste of time. I got home the other day to three of my neighbours parcels left in my porch. What a bloody cheek. I caught the postie the next day and made it clear I didn't want other peoples post left there ever again. He looked at me like I was being awkward.

oldpeculiar · 03/01/2013 22:16

Unfriendly neighbourhood? No I would think a respectful one!

Boomerwang · 03/01/2013 22:23

PrettyHairClips I don't have this sticker, but on numerous occasions I've found a red card on the doormat and watched the van drive off when they haven't even bothered to ring the doorbell. I have no idea why they do this, since they've made the journey to my house, why don't they just knock or ring the bell?

tiffinbaker · 03/01/2013 22:30

We've got the sticker. It's our only option as one of our neighbours has dementia and before the sticker came would regularly accept parcels for us and then get confused - either openning the package, or throwing them away, or coming round to us and leaving them on our doorstep as we still weren't in. We'd be happy to receive neighbours' parcels and happy for our parcels to be left with any of our other neighbours but none of these options are allowed.

WildWorld2004 · 03/01/2013 22:52

I have had my sticker for a while and its good because now i dont need to wonder which one of my neighbours i will have to visit when i get home from work.

VictoriaPlum01 · 03/01/2013 22:57

I've stuck a note on my door specifying which neighbours I don't mind post being delivered to. I have one set where I would rather report the item hadn't been received than knock on their door to collect it Grin ...I send DH instead.

VictoriaPlum01 · 03/01/2013 23:00

PS, I don't think YABU. Think of it as being considerate - you don't want to trouble your neighbours un-necessarily Wink

whathasthecatdonenow · 03/01/2013 23:00

I've got the sticker up. There is usually someone in our house, but my neighbour on one side refuses to answer the door - I had a parcel for her and could actually see her moving around through her glass door but she would not answer the door for 3 days straight, even when I shouted through the letterbox who I was and that I had her parcel. In the end I put it in a carrier bag and left it on her doorstep. The sticker went up after that. I'd rather go to the delivery office for my own parcels if need be than be made to feel responsible for someone else's post if they can't be arsed to even open their door.

NewYearNewNagoo · 03/01/2013 23:00

can someone link me to where you get the sticker please?

Lilymaid · 03/01/2013 23:15

I have a sticker. We are normally out of our house 12 hours a day during the week and although I don't mind stuff being left with our nearest neighbours (though they might not be so keen!) We don't know all the others around as several houses are rented. Our local post office is two minutes walk and keeps the parcels for two weeks.
So far, the sticker has worked for us.

QueenStromba · 03/01/2013 23:16

We live on the top floor of a house that's been divided into two flats. Royal Mail are the only delivery service that don't ring both doorbells before putting a card through the letterbox. I'll normally answer anyway if I hear their doorbell going and don't hear them answering. Having other people in the house who can take in packages and just leave them in the hall is the great bonus of this sort of set up.

Lilymaid · 03/01/2013 23:17

Here's the sticker: Delivery to Neighbour Opt Out Form

ILoveSaladReallyIDo · 03/01/2013 23:21

I don't think that any nice sane neighbours would think twice about it, any neighbour that reads too much into it about you probably isn't actually that friendly and neighbourly towards you anyway!

InLoveWithDavidTennant · 03/01/2013 23:34

never heard of these stickers... but will defo be getting one. we are mostly surounded by students and wouldnt trust them with our post. the only thing they like posting through our door is half eaten takeaways and containers, rubbish and drink cans Angry

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