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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask what to do with this parcel?

69 replies

DoomPoodle · 03/02/2020 14:22

DD took a parcel in about 3 weeks ago for a neighbour a few doors down. Neighbour has not collected the parcel. We have knocked on at various times of day/evening and no answer, and also put a note through the letter box asking them to collect it.
Mutual facebook friend has sent neighbour a message which was read but not replied to.

There's no return address. It's in packing for a particular parcel company, but I've messaged them twice with the tracking no. and they've not replied either.
Parcel is big enough to be in the way, and has a strange smell emanating from it. (Smells a bit like dog treats, but it's quite strong).

Any suggestions as to what I should do with it?

OP posts:
OpportunityKnocks · 03/02/2020 14:23

Open it to try and return to sender?

MrsMozartMkII · 03/02/2020 14:24

Can you get to the person's back garden?

Either send a note round saying collect or contact in next 48 hours, and if no contact then it either goes over the garden gate or is returned to sender.

CatToddlerUprising · 03/02/2020 14:25

Knock on the door again, then if no response leave it on the door step. Take a photo so it proves you left it there

TulipCat · 03/02/2020 14:25

Just leave it on their doorstep. They have had plenty of opportunity to collect it.

Marshmallow91 · 03/02/2020 14:25

Leave it outside their front door. Not your problem.

MrsExpo · 03/02/2020 14:25

Just leave it on their doorstep. Dread to think what’s in it if it’s started to smell ..... eek!!!

covetingthepreciousthings · 03/02/2020 14:30

Was the message definitely read? Do they live alone? I'd be a bit concerned incase neighbour was laying dead in their house since it's weird to not respond to a letter etc and come collect it. But I'm probably over thinking it!

I'd leave it on the doorstop.. but maybe check neighbour is OK, or if other neighbours have seen them about.

Original poster
DoomPoodle · 03/02/2020 14:33

Ooh, back yard is a good idea, I could sling it over the back fence. Given the odour the local wildlife will probably rip it open, but...ah well.

If I left it on the front step it would be gone in minutes!

OP posts:
cologne4711 · 03/02/2020 14:36

f I left it on the front step it would be gone in minutes

Is that your problem? You've given them ample chance to collect. Anyway maybe the smell will put the thieves off.

PersephoneandHades · 03/02/2020 14:40

Simply put it on the curb, why should you go to the trouble of delivering it to their house for them?

You asked them several times to take responsibility for their parcel, they are refusing, it's essentially fly-tipping IMO. Just ensure that you have ample proof of trying to contact them in case they kick up a fuss.

Original poster
DoomPoodle · 03/02/2020 14:41

@covetingthepreciousthings
I'm sure neighbour isn't dead/injured in the house. She's my age, and has an older teen DC and a dog. I can see in the window. There's no sign of anyone, but the furniture is still there.
Mutual friend says message is definitely read.

OP posts:
BiBiBirdie · 03/02/2020 14:47

We had this. Was knocking twice daily in the end.
Eventually I had enough and dumped it outside their door. Took a photo and put note through saying as she was too rude to respond/collect, I've now left on doorstep.
She then, 4 weeks from it being delivered, knocks on the door. No apology, nothing. Where is my parcel.
I said no idea love. She gets the arse saying she has had a note from delivery company. I said yes, you did, 4 weeks ago. You then had several other notes through the door, and ignored my knocking several times when you were in as your car was there and I could hear your terrible music through the wall. I said I'd she had checked my last note was it's on the doorstep, I'm not a Royal Mail sorting office.
She got the right arse, I've stolen her parcel, she's reporting to Police. I shut the door in her face. Never heard from Police so assume they told her she was bonkers and an entitled twat as well
Since the, we've had more parcel knocks for her from companies and I refuse everytime. One told me she had actually used my address as her safe place so I told them they could sodding remove it.
Some people are just cheeky twatbadgers of the highest most entitled order.

PumpkinP · 03/02/2020 14:49

This is why I don’t take in parcels anymore, seems to be quite common for people to do this. Its posted on here quite a lot and has also happened to me with one of my neighbours

Lovemusic33 · 03/02/2020 14:52

I’m having the opposite problem, I had a parcel delivered to a neighbour and every time I go around there they are not in so I can’t collect it. I would be happy if the left it on my doorstep or in my garden.

CakeandCustard28 · 03/02/2020 14:52

Maybe she has social aniexty? Sounds it. I’d just leave it on her doorstep.

Lovemusic33 · 03/02/2020 14:53

It annoys me that they are delivered to neighbours, I have a “safe place” registered on my amazon account but they refuse to use it.

IntermittentParps · 03/02/2020 14:54

I'd leave it on the front step (can you put it in a plant pot or similar if it's likely to be nicked?). Write a note saying so, photograph them together and then post the note through.

Or chuck it in the back garden but, again, do a note and take a photo. Then forget about it.

ToastandCheese · 03/02/2020 14:55

Leave her a note saying you’re fed up of trying to get her parcel to her for three weeks so you’ve chucked it over the fence and will no longer be accepting her post. Or leave it on the doorstep, it’s really not your problem.

Original poster
DoomPoodle · 03/02/2020 15:00

I don't usually mind taking stuff in, most of the neighbours are nice enough, and they often take parcels in for me.
I don't particularly want to ditch the parcel or leave it on the front because I don't want a load of hassle, but I've sent the parcel co. a final message, and if I don't hear back in a couple of days, I'll put it over her back fence.

OP posts:
victoriashleigh · 03/02/2020 15:01

We’ve just had the same thing for the past 10 days! Fiancé accepted a huge parcel with FRAGILE written all over it for some neighbours. I was a bit miffed when I saw who it was for as they don’t live in the house atm (renovating) and I probably wouldn’t have accepted it to be honest.

Knocked various times, every day, and put notes through their door. Had to keep moving this huge fragile parcel from room to room when cleaning and bringing in the shopping as we have a really narrow hallway.

Anyway, put a final note through the door saying we’ve knocked x amount of times and this is the third note, please collect your parcel in 48 hours or we are going to leave it (semi hidden, at least) in your garden.

Came round the next day, totally blasé, no apology, nothing. I just really can’t get over how entitled some people are!

GiveHerHellFromUs · 03/02/2020 15:07

Maybe she has social aniexty? Sounds it.

How can you possibly assume that that's that most reasonable explanation?

I can say, fairly confidently, that if her anxiety was that bad she'd never had ordered the parcel or would've posted a note through OPs door in the middle of the night asking her to leave it somewhere

ShesGotBetteDavisEyes · 03/02/2020 15:10

She wants you to take it round the lazy cow!
Leave it on her doorstep, knock on the door and if she doesn’t answer just leave it.

AdobeWanKenobi · 03/02/2020 15:16

Is that your problem? You've given them ample chance to collect.

I believe legally once you take in the parcel you become responsible for it, so if you left it on the doorstep and it was stolen it might come back to you.
Of course the chances of Karen suing you for the loss of her stinking parcel are minimal, but do check your legal position before you leave it somewhere.

CharityDingle · 03/02/2020 15:16

If it's at the point where it's starting to smell, drop it at her door and sit on the bell until you get an answer or sling it over her fence.
Not your problem.

DontCallMeShitley · 03/02/2020 15:24

Return it to sender, neighbour may have claimed for it going missing and had a refund.

Contact the sender and explain the situation and ask them to collect it.

People like this put prices up for other people if it has already been refunded and the company miss out.

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