To refuse to accept my neighbour's parcel?

[CheeseStrawWars]

Delivery man just came and asked me to take a parcel as next door are out. I said that's fine, but when he got the box out of the van it was very badly damaged so I said I couldn't accept it in that condition. Delivery man a bit grumpy and said he'd try redelivery tomorrow. WIBU?

I would have just signed 'unchecked' and taken it in.

I do think people tend to over think the simplest things sometimes

You sound very sensible to me.

It wouldn't be the first time I've over-thought something.

I'll pop round to let the neighbours know later, so they know I wasn't being funny about it - but with the box in the state it was, I don't know whether they'd want to just send it back anyway. It was a high-value item, I'd want it to have been looked after a bit better in transit if it were mine...

I would have signed for it but ONLY if there was the ability to make a written comment that it was severely damaged before it came to me. You never know, your neighbour may have thought you damaged it, especially if they complain later and the delivery company say it was fine when they dropped it off.

I think yabu tbh. Of course there is the chance the item was a gift for someone in which case your neighbour would have had to return it. However, when I buy something online it's what's in the box that matters and I couldn't give a rats tiny one what the box is like. I can't imagine (if your neighbours are normally reasonable) that they'd be paranoid enough to think you'd bashed the box around on purpose and that it was your fault!
I think you should have accepted it. I'd find it a bit odd if my neighbour refused a parcel because the box was a bit battered.

And besides, if he's re delivering tomorrow then they'll probably end up with the same one anyway, battered box and all!

YADNBU

If you sign for delivery the sender/delivery company can deem it as having been received in good condition. Obviously as it's not your item, you shouldn't vouch for that when it was clearly damaged.