Mat leave and taking in neighbours delivery's

[LunaNightSky]

Just started mat leave and waiting for
baby.

Over the last week every day I've had loads of delivery drivers turn up asking me to take in parcels for our neighbours.

I usually don't mind but one of them didn't collect four days and it was a huge box blocking most of our door way. They apologised and said they went away for a few days. Fine.. I've had my own delivery's for the baby so the box was a pain in the arse to negotiate around.

Another had an amazon parcel delivered yesterday and the CF was banging on my door at 10pm last night just as I started dozing to sleep. I was so annoyed I didn't answer the door so they can just come back today.

Another delivery driver just turned up with an outer of wine for next door. Asked if I would take it in, fed up I said "I'm going out I won't be in" driver got arsey with me and said "well they won't get it until Monday then and I'll probably have to ask you to take it again" I said "right fine" so he just leaves this huge heavy box on the door step that I've had to drag in.

Arghh!

Amazon ask you to designate a neighbour and don't normally leave it with anybody else.

My neighbour has always been lovely about this but I've decided to take his name off the list now. He's not been too well and I don't want him to be bothered by parcels for us.

Keep the wine. We got a box of 12 bottles left by accident once (intended for number 21 and we are number 221) and I couldn't carry it that far. I went to their house three times and knocked and left notes and nobody came so I rang the wine company and they told me it had been reported missing and replaced so I could keep it.

And then put a big sign on your door saying you won't accept parcels for any other address.

tbh you also need to tell your neighbours to make alternative arrangements, CF.

Also meant to say. If people know they won't be in for a delivery they should either arrange for it to be delivered to a work address or get it dropped at a click and collect drop off point. I get most of my Amazon deliveries sent to my local post office.

You need to nip this in the bud before baby arrives and you are busy. You wont want delivery men disturbing you if you and baby are trying to sleep.

Put a letter through your neighbours door advising him to change his Amazon delivery preferences as you will no longer be accepting any more parcels for him. Then put a note on your door stating you are not accepting any parcels for neighbour at number *. If you can see who is at your door then ignore any delivery men when they knock.

But mostly, stop answering the door.

Er, no - just say no to the delivery drivers

Surely ignoring delivery men just means anything for her will be left at her neighbours' - the ones she's no longer accepting parcels for.

I never take parcels for neighbours as I don't know them and don't really want to take responsibility for their property. Just say "I'd rather not, sorry!" and start shutting the door... They'll soon stop asking.

I never understand all these rude neighbours with huge amounts of parcels. We all take the odd parcel in for each other. But it's only now and again and whoever takes the parcel is always profusely thanked by the person receiving the parcel. I can't get my head around the idea that neighbours will be arsey with the person taking the parcel. The turning up at 10pm thing is astonishing too. In our case, it's either a very "normal" time or a text is sent in advance...

Whats wrong with you woman,,get your big girl pants on and say no.!!
The Amazon guy's working practices are'nt your problem,,they're his and how he runs his deliveries is up to him.
I like the way the CF said he would probably knock at your door again on monday with the wine, If it was me he could knock until he's blue in the fucking face i wouldn't be answering the door.
Dont feel sorry for him,,he didnt feel sorry for you dumping the wine on your doostep and you being pregnant had to drag it in..The twat.

Sorry,,having a menopausal moment,,

This was me when I was on maternity leave! I didn’t mind before the baby was born - then once they started waking the baby up I snapped and told them NO my neighbor was most put out...

When I went back I went back part time so the bloody cheeky fuckers used to say on their notes delivery to 59 if on a Monday/Friday that was very shortly stopped!!!

Unless you know and like the neighbour, say no. If the parcel is very big also say no.The delivery company can't make you take in other people's parcels. If the driver gets stroppy, report them.

I'm also on Mat leave and have a 5 month old. I've had to start putting a note on my door saying "PLEASE DO NOT KNOCK, BABY SLEEPING" because all the couriers know I am in and I've lost count of how many times my baby has been disturbed during his nap.

There is one neighbour who works until 6.30 every evening but gets an amazon parcel most days, when we've taken them in for them in the past they end up coming round at about 9pm to collect it and thus waking the baby. Its not the door knock - its the fact that our dog barks like mad if somebody knocks. We even get our parcels delivered to DS's work for this reason! So basically now I always say no unless I know its a neighbour that gets home early / I see regularly!

If there's a parcel I don't want to take I just say "sorry but we really don't get on with X neighbour" - they've never tried to argue with that one.

I take a fair few parcels too as I mainly work from home. I don't mind though as inevitably my own parcels arrive when I nip out for half an hour and a neighbour has to take it... I only take them for near neighbours I at least know by name, not some random person 10 houses away I've never spoken to. Could that be an option - take NDNs parcels to stay on good terms but refuse any for further away?

@LighthouseSouth even if you have a designated neighbour who doesn't mind the CFs leave it with neighbours you mind having your parcels either because you know they are very poorly or you don't get on with them.

One of my neighbours who I do get on with so we take delivery of parcels for each other tends to know when I'm in and vice versa,so if new delivery drivers try that on she makes them ring my door bell.

OP if you get on with one or two neighbours who aren't always out, then get it agreed that you will take delivery of their parcels and vice versa then for the rest simply refuse. That way you can ensure you get your emergency supply of Amazon baby goods if you realise you have to go out for a short period.

Tell your neighbour that his wine delivery was dumped on your doorstep and could have been stolen, and suggest he makes a complaint to the suppliers and delivery company.

I don’t respond to knocks !

He put a note saying deliver to you? And he never thanks you?Personally I’d be keeping that box in the hot hot sun all day. Happy drinking neighbour!

@BlueBug45

sorry I didn't understand that.

I do think OP should tell all neighbours to make alternative arrangements because when the baby comes, it will be a nightmare for her. but then I'm someone who would always rather collect from PO even with a baby in tow. Just so much easier not to get involved in parcel stuff!

When I was on maternity leave I took deliveries for everyone on my street (only 6 houses in total to be fair!). I’d call in or pop a note in their door to let them know and a good time to collect it. I understand it can be difficult as a lot of places won’t give a more sensible delivery window than Monday 7am-9pm. I do try to have things delivered to a collection point where possible.

When I went back to work one neighbour retired and has been happy to take parcels for us. It can work well!

If you don't want to then don't, whether it's through not answering the door or putting a sign up or telling the neighbours not to nominate you.

You could ask neighbours if they would mind doing something in return like mowing your lawn or bringing groceries when the baby comes.

I think it's probably unreasonable to just be annoyed about them buying things online generally.

I got so many parcels for my next door neighbour when on mat leave then working from home that I just got a door key and I drop them in there. Maybe I'm a soft touch. It's a terrace so only a few steps to the door anyway.

Sign on the door - PARCELS FOR THIS ADDRESS ONLY

Works for us.

As a SAHM I’m basically a post office sorting station for the rest of the street, it’s a pain! Get used to it or refuse the parcels.

Note through the door:

Dear CF Neighbour

Please do not arrange for parcels to be delivered to our house as we are unable to accept them.

Regards

No 37

In my area the delivery drivers are always the same people.
The postie got into the habit of leaving everything with my neighbour, who is housebound as they used to chat. He must take in parcels for the whole street which was deeply unfair.
The point was, I was on maternity leave and was in the house, so I had to keep popping next door to collect parcels I was waiting in for. I even called and told them not to leave with a neighbour, made no damn difference!
I think start refusing or not answering the door now, as once baby is here this will get very annoying, very quickly.
As for dragging heavy parcel in whilst pregnant, not bloody way!
Time to start being selfish I think!