Am I right to be cross or just overreacting?

[Livingtothefull]

On Thursday morning we took in a delivery of several very large boxes which we thought was for the next door neighbour...it turned out that they were not for the current but the former neighbour who moved out nearly 2 years ago.

We asked the current neighbours when back home, if they had a contact no for the ex neighbour. It turns out they did as they regularly got deliveries for the ex neighbour, who runs a business from home & hasn't bothered to inform her suppliers of her new address.

We & also current neighbour texted ex neighbour several times, she has not replied or come to collect the boxes.

I should add that DS is still recovering from recent major surgery, he is wheelchair bound, our house is extremely small with no storage, and the boxes are very large, dominate the house & block the path of the wheelchair. Also MIL passed away a few weeks ago and DH is off sick with stress and depression. In fairness, ex neighbours don't know about the bereavement or DH though they do know about DS situation.

It so happens that DH is visiting same town as ex neighbours new address so he is going to drop the boxes off today. He will just dump the boxes on their doorstep if they are not there, and text her to let her know. Too bad if it rains. I am just so cross about us having to deal with this and I don't think DH should have to drop them off but we are desperate to be rid of the boxes now.

Tell me if you think IABU, overreacting & selfish about not wanting to do somebody a favour. I appreciate that our situation may be skewing my perceptions, am trying to get my head straight. Have I got the wrong perspective on this?

I'd be tempted to text the ex neighbours and tell them if they don't pick them up themselves at a date and time convenient to you, you are going to dispose of them.

The problem with texting is that you don't know whether the recipient has read the text. Is there a landline number you can ring?

I would want to know what's in the boxes before I started carting them around. You don't know what you're handling otherwise, could be dodgy.

The fact that they don't give their actual address is suspicious.

Hang on..the neighbours whose address the boxes were addressed (who have been taking deliveries for nearly 2 years don't want them? I would say tough and leave them on their doorstep.

As your neighbours they should know the situation with your DS, and it's their fault you now have no space in your house - they should have refused to take any more deliveries a long time ago!

We tried that Funky but current neighbours don't want them....they are fed up enough with situation. We know for sure their address is the new one& can't put up with these boxes any longer.

Kinda tough don't you think?

You took delivery for that address. You take them round, ring the bell, say you took them in for that address and you turn around and walk away.

Many thanks to everyone. In the end DH dropped the stuff off to them & they were at home. She sent a 'thank you' text so we have proof they received it OK. So it seems that this little saga is over.

BUT I will follow the advice of many of you in the future. Firstly, we will not be accepting any future deliveries for them. I feel it is up to current neighbours what they are willing to do…I wouldn't be happy if I were them but it is their concern so don't think it is my place to influence them….am not really into starting any sort of 'campaign' against ex neighbours.

If we ever inadvertently take a delivery which turns out to be for ex neighbours (hopefully won't happen but just in case) we will contact suppliers and tell them to arrange to collect the goods immediately.

I am interested that some of you were convinced there was something dodgy going on. Am I just not cynical enough? Just assumed that ex neighbour had just not got her act together re passing on address. But something vaguely similar happened to us when we first moved in…ex owners told us they were emigrating to Australia. We then received bundles of debt collection letters/court summons etc addressed to them. We contacted debtors who asked for our help in tracking them down. It transpired that they had actually just moved down the road - no intention ever, apparently, of moving to Australia, presumably that was just an attempt to 'lose' their debts?!!

Fair point edward and Funky, just that the price of that may be a fallout with the neighbours. Not to say that you are not right, however we get on with them and don't want to jeopardise that. In the scheme of things, good friendly ongoing relations with neighbours are more valuable to us than making our (albeit valid) point.

It's not the fault of the current neighbours. They can't force ex-neighbours to sort it out.

Our previous occupants didn't sort anything out. 6 years down the line we rarely get stuff now. But 2 years we were receiving medical appointment, council stuff and other important things. We had no forwarding address so could do nothing other than return everything.

OP - yes, just refuse to take these things in in future. I cannot understand why your NDN would continue to take mail in for them.

The former occupants of our house never did anything to forward their mail. DP stopped me from taking their mail to the estate agents and said just return it to sender. Glad I took his advice - after I sent it all back it came to light they hadn't paid a single bill in the time they'd lived there. Wonder if anyone caught up with them?