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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think taking in a package for a neighbour is a normal thing people do all the time?

59 replies

OstentatiousBreastfeeder · 23/12/2015 20:39

Because I'm starting to get the impression it's rarer than I think Confused

Took in a neighbour's package today. I do it all the time, I'm a SAHM so more likely to be called upon for this sort of thing. She called round earlier to pick it up and had a big tin of Quality Street and a lovely Christmas card as a thank you. How lovely is that? Never spoken a word to her before!

It's not the first time I've been really, properly, profusely thanked for taking in packages as though I've gone out of my way or something, and it's a bit confusing (as well as very nice, obviously)

The postman always looks vaguely surprised that I've said yes too, come to think of it.

...Do people ever say no when the postie knocks on the door and asks them to take a package? Like, "actually, no, take it away because it's bloody inconvenient for me to put it in my hallway for a few hours"? Confused

Or maybe it is a totally normal thing to do and I have really nice neighbours?

OP posts:
TennesseeMountainPointOfView · 23/12/2015 21:22

I take in parcels for one next door neighbour, for the lovely ladies who live opposite, and for the nice lady a few doors down. They will all do the same for me on the rare occasion I'm not in and something can't be left in my back garden. My nice neighbours across the road will also put my wheelie bin away next Tuesday because I'm away - I've just asked her, as I handed over her latest parcel!!

I won't take in anything for the other next door neighbours, because one of the two guys who share the flat is a wanker, who frequently parks across my drive, has loud parties that go on past midnight, leaves loads of litter on the road by his car and flicks his cigarette ends out of his living room window so they all end up on my drive. The other one is lovely, always stops to chat, but the parcels are never his, so I just say no, if I get asked to take stuff in for them. If the guy who gets the parcels stops being a wanker, I might think about it.

CwtchMeQuick · 23/12/2015 21:24

Totally normal here. I took in a parcel for my neighbour earlier, he took in one for me last week. Never had a neighbour take the piss though. If I know my neighbour is home and he's not come to pick up his parcel I pop round with it because we live in flats and sometimes the delivery drivers leave notes in the wrong post boxes

TennesseeMountainPointOfView · 23/12/2015 21:27

Oh, and I sometimes deliver parcels to next door (well, I send DS round with them) if I see her come home first because she's usually got their little DS with her, so it's easier for my DS, he isn't wrangling a toddler. If DD goes, she can be gone for ages because she gets talking...

M48294Y · 23/12/2015 21:28

Of course I mean I wah.

Potatoface2 · 23/12/2015 21:37

i used to take parcels for my ndn as he works nights.....but i dont anymore as he has become a nuisance.....small things yeah, but big rolls of carpet...i dont think so..many other reasons i dont do it now, mainly because he is a complete prat who thinks he knows best and what he says goes (what sort of person builds their decking so high they get a waist high view over the 6 foot fence we erected)....idiot!

Whatsername24 · 23/12/2015 21:57

I often take in parcels for neighbours, and they return the favour on occasions when I'm not in. I just thought it was a normal thing that neighbours do.
I took one in for the people next door the other day and when they postman knocked he firstly asked if we speak to them, and when I said yes he asked if I'd mind taking a parcel in for them.

abigamarone · 23/12/2015 22:03

I take parcels in for next door and they for me - and we barely tolerate one another. Just makes life easier all round really. Few words are exchanged when we pick them up though.

Original poster
OstentatiousBreastfeeder · 23/12/2015 22:04

Whats it sounds as though your postie knows the struggle of having shitty neighbours Grin

OP posts:
Vinorosso74 · 23/12/2015 22:06

I live in a flat ( house converted into two) and often take parcels for our upstairs neighbour. It doesn't bother me as he's fine and says thank you if there's been a few.
People two doors down get loads delivered and our mutual neighbour is fed up of taking them which I can understand as they're not very grateful.
Took a delivery for next door neighbour the other week of a huge roll of bubble wrap and the temptation to pop or jump on it.......

Iflyaway · 23/12/2015 22:11

Nope. Will not do this, unless they ring the bell and want to leave the post inside the door (flats).

Not my business.

No way am I signing anything for anyone or be their postie - to hold it when I come home.

Deal with your own stuff. I have enough of my own to deal with.

Of course, if you pay me while you're at work to deal with your personal stuff we can come to an agreement Grin

Whatsername24 · 23/12/2015 22:17

Ostentatious It certainly does! And you pointing that out has reminded me that before we moved here 4 years ago I wouldn't have taken anything in for the tosser and his family we had the misfortune to live next door to.

gamerchick · 23/12/2015 22:18

I do it, most companies know I'll take in a parcel even if my house is like a warehouse at times and I have to ask for the card to check its for them.

The husband is in the parcel game though and I understand how much stress the drivers are under. Especially at this time of year.

I don't get pressies from the neighbours.

Jux · 23/12/2015 22:19

We do often. We started saying no to things for one guy as he would just leave things here, until he could be bothered with. He runs an online shop so the things he tended to leave were bulky things he didn't want to store himself.

Now he's moved, I have no qualms about taking deliveries as no one takes the piss. They do it for us, too.

Sanchar · 23/12/2015 22:35

I wish my neighbour would take our parcels if necessary, our sorting office is in the next town, 8 miles away and we have no car at the moment. My heart sinks if I see the red card on the doormat as it means a 3 day wait for redelivery😦

I always accept parcels for the nice neighbours, but not her next door, harrumph!

amicissimma · 23/12/2015 22:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Keeptrudging · 23/12/2015 22:49

I take parcels in for everyone except the one who didn't collect it for 2 days, we tried 4 times to get him in (he was in at least 2 of those times), he then had a go at husband when he finally caught him saying he'd been waiting for it. Delivery man had posted a card with my name/address on it and got me to sign, we're in the middle of nowhere. Rude man!

53rdAndBird · 23/12/2015 22:49

Yeah, it's basic neighbourly decency. We take in parcels for neighbours, neighbours take in parcels for us, and nobody has to trek to the sorting office that's bloody miles away.

I did get a bit Hmm with some previous neighbours, though - their buzzer broke (communal entry system), and rather than a) get it fixed or b) stop ordering parcels all the time, they just relied on the rest of us to deal with their parcel deliveries, even though they both worked from home. For years. Not the best way to sow good feeling among your neighbours, that.

FoxInABox · 23/12/2015 22:52

I would say it is normal, I often take them in for mine and they do for me too. However, my husband is a courier and he repeatedly gets told no. They normally ask which neighbour and then when he tells them they say 'oh no not for them. Anyone else but not them'. Seems a lot of people don't get on with their neighbours!

Hulababy · 23/12/2015 22:58

I always take any in if I'm around and the postman knocks.

I occasionally have to go and collect a parcel from a neighbours but I don't have much delivered to home - normally send it to Dh's work instead. Infact I collected one today from someone down the road - flowers I didn't know we're coming.

I think most of our neighbours take their turn at taking in parcels from what I gather. A couple work from home and have said many times that they are more than happy to do so.

Hulababy · 23/12/2015 22:59

However I have to say that some times people don't know they have parcels to collect or where they've gone. Not all delivery companies are good at filling in details on cards or even putting cards through the door!

Toughasoldboots · 23/12/2015 23:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MistressoftheYoniverse · 23/12/2015 23:09

I always take parcels...and my neighbors take parcels for me too..even neighbors I'm not too sure of because I know how hard it is to sort a re-delivery or collection ...we both work but DH is usually home by early afternoon...my neighbors are really cool actually, they even bring them over sometimes and we do too...

MuddhaOfSuburbia · 23/12/2015 23:10

I just got a present from my lovely neighbour for taking in her parcels all year (she works all the hours god sends and I'm a sahm)

Its absolutely no problem for me to take them and I've told her so. I was proper touched Smile

Toughasoldboots · 23/12/2015 23:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

longingforfun · 23/12/2015 23:16

We usually take in our neighbours parcels although I once refused when asked if we could take in parcels from about half a dozen neighbours at once.
Today a courier knocked on our door with a turkey for the ndn but we were going out for the evening and away tomorrow til after xmas. My dh gave me a Hmm but I told him the ndn wouldn't thank us if their turkey was languishing in out house over the christmas period and the courier would have either found another neighbour to leave it with or the ndn would have to collect it from wherever the ordered.