Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Neighbour won’t give me my parcel

334 replies

Cheeseboardandmincepies · 13/01/2021 11:25

I ordered some things from a friend who accidentally sent my parcel to the wrong address (she put 1 in front of my actual number).
I know the neighbour has it as it’s been signed for on Hermes, I’ve knocked and knocked and I know they’re in but they won’t answer the door to me so I can’t get my parcel.
I can’t ask the seller as they have personal things going on and a very poorly DC so it’s not fair to put this on them. Anyone know where I stand please other than mailing them an envelope full of glitter? It was a lot of money and I’m very pissed off!

OP posts:
Washingmyself · 13/01/2021 13:40

Lots of people are like this.
I had my parcels for me delivered to wrong addresses as Royal Mail misdelivered them. When I check the tracking number it showed me where was delivered so I went there and people refused to give it me, saying if delivered to their door, it must be theirs.

Pikoty · 13/01/2021 13:42

Op, put on a high vis vest, and go to the front door with a cardboard box. They'll assume you're another delivery driver and answer the door

SoupDragon · 13/01/2021 13:45

The neighbours have taken delivery of unsolicited mail addressed to their property meaning they are allowed to keep it.

This is not true.

For example, an item that should have gone to a neighbour, but the house number on the package is wrong, or a mistaken duplicate order are not unsolicited.
You can only keep hold of an item if it is addressed to you, there has been no previous contact with the company, and it arrives out of the blue. This is a genuine unsolicited item and is usually used as a marketing tactic, explains Citizens Advice.

Mamanyt · 13/01/2021 13:45

@LakieLady

This is little more than stealing!

Try a friendly note through their door, explaining that they have received and signed for some goods of yours and can they ring/text you to arrange a time for you to collect them from their gate.

If you haven't heard from them in a couple of days, follow it up with another note asking them again and explaining that you really don't want to have to get the police involved to get your things back.

This. Push a polite note through, then follow up, mentioning police. There is no reason to drag this out longer. And if you haven't heard back in 24 hours following the second note, call the police.

But do make sure you leave contact info with the first note. It is just the sort of thing that I might forget!

GreenAppleFruit · 13/01/2021 13:46

I would contact the police non emergency, they might be able to give advice. It is theft after all.

WhereverIGoddamnLike · 13/01/2021 13:55

You dont contact the police. You dont continue to go round to the neighbour. That is up to the seller to sort out.

You ask for a refund or replacement. The seller can do what they want to retrieve the items she sent to the wrong place

Ismellphantoms · 13/01/2021 13:58

New note through their door: if I have not had my parcel returned in the next hour, I'm phoning the police and reporting you for theft. This should galvanise them.

Oldbutstillgotit · 13/01/2021 14:04

For those who asked , the NDN who refused to hand over my correctly addressed hamper was charged by police .
The company in question replaced with an even better hamper !

wildraisins · 13/01/2021 14:05

Gosh your neighbours sound awful.

It's good that you've put a note through the door.

Did Hermes take a picture of the parcel (they sometimes do this now) to prove where it was delivered? If you can access that then you have evidence that is was delivered to their house.

If they don't respond to the polite note, try knocking again a few more times, if still no response then you will have to write a more formal note saying that you know they have your package, you have photographic evidence from Hermes, perhaps even say what is inside in case they've opened it. Threaten to contact the police if they don't return your property.

Other posters are right, it is just thievery if this is what they are really doing! Awful :( Sorry you're having to deal with that!

The normal way to do it would be to go back to the seller and get a refund (which you'd be legally entitled to as she wrote the wrong address) but it sounds like you really don't want to do that. So try the above and see if you get anywhere.

123becauseicouldntthinkofone · 13/01/2021 14:06

@SaltyTootsieToes

Post a letter through their door explaining what’s transpired and you know from Hermes that they have signed for the package and have GPS tracking, give your mobile number to please text you when they put it outside their door so you’ll pop by right then to collect so a) no inconvenience on their part b) no need to hand over in person so you’ll be socially distanced. Ask them to text you if they dispute Hermes tracking so that you can contact the police for mail theft as a crime reference number is required to lodge a claim with Hermes.
This
Dizzy1234 · 13/01/2021 14:07

I'm weirdly invested in this thread

BuntysTwinkle · 13/01/2021 14:07

It was addressed to their house so it is a little more ambiguous than the usual wrong address situation. They may even think you've tried to involve them in something fraudulent.

If it was expensive I'd go with phantoms suggestion, note through the door explaining that an extra digit was added by the seller, that you need the parcel today, and that is they are isolating they can knock and leave it outside your door. If the parcel is not returned today, I will consider it theft and phone the police.

And then do call the police.

wildraisins · 13/01/2021 14:07

Chances are you will not actually have to go to the police - the threat of it could well get the result you want.

sofiaaaaaa · 13/01/2021 14:08

Report to 101 if they continue to ignore you. You’ve tried to resolve it, they’ve refused to engage.

wildraisins · 13/01/2021 14:10

@Angeldust2810

Your only recourse is to the seller who wrongly addressed the parcel.

Hermes delivered it to the address on it so have fulfilled their contract.

The neighbours have taken delivery of unsolicited mail addressed to their property meaning they are allowed to keep it.

Your contract is with the seller. The seller made a mistake. They have to correct it.

If you don’t want to bother them that is your choice but then you have to take the loss.

The neighbours have taken delivery of unsolicited mail addressed to their property meaning they are allowed to keep it.

A key point here is whose name was on the parcel.

OP did the seller write your name on it? If so then they are not entitled to keep it, even if it has the wrong address.

sofiaaaaaa · 13/01/2021 14:11

The neighbours have taken delivery of unsolicited mail addressed to their property meaning they are allowed to keep it.

@Angeldust2810 where in law does it state that?

Beautifulbonnie · 13/01/2021 14:13

If it was ebay say

It’s the sellers responsibility. So they would refund you and then claim it off Hermes. However she wrote the wrong address. Hermes haven’t done anything wrong. IMO it’s the seller that either sends it again. Or refunds you. End of.

Or you could ring 111 and say it’s been stolen. The problem is the neighbour could just say. Well it was addressed to me. Which it was. So it’s not really theft.

This is all on the seller

sofiaaaaaa · 13/01/2021 14:14

To clarify my above post, I think you’re using the concept of “unsolicited goods” too freely in this situation. It’s clear an error has been made and that the addressee isn’t the rightful owner.

helpfulperson · 13/01/2021 14:15

I'm not sure how it is a police matter. It was delivered to the correct address as requested by the seller and that is the neighbours address. The fact that that address was wrong is down to the seller.

SoupDragon · 13/01/2021 14:16

The problem is the neighbour could just say. Well it was addressed to me. Which it was.

Except it wasn't.

Beautifulbonnie · 13/01/2021 14:17

@GoldenLabbie

It’s not theft though. It was posted to the address on the label. It was the seller who wrote the address wrong. The onus is on the seller to correctly see it goes to the right address. Or at least the address they were given. Which they’ve not done. They’ve put the wrong address.

Same4Walls · 13/01/2021 14:17

@helpfulperson

I'm not sure how it is a police matter. It was delivered to the correct address as requested by the seller and that is the neighbours address. The fact that that address was wrong is down to the seller.
Because they know it's not theirs and despite it having their address on it they know it doesn't belong to them and yet they are choosing to keep it. Taking and keeping something that doesn't belong to you is theft.
Beautifulbonnie · 13/01/2021 14:18

@SoupDragon

Yes it was. The name might be wrong. But the address was right. Hermes will say we gave it to the correct address.

sadcatdiary · 13/01/2021 14:18

Cheeky beggars.

Perform a 15 minute Phil Collins drum solo on their window, that should sort 'em right out.

WhereverIGoddamnLike · 13/01/2021 14:18

@Angeldust2810

It would have to either have the neighbours name on it (which it isnt going to have) or no name on it at all and just the address for them to be able to legally claim it as theirs and keep it as "unsolicited mail".

If it has the OP's name on it, then they arent even allowed to open, nevermind being allowed to keep the stuff.

However, it is not up to the OP to sort this out. Her friend, the seller, needs to issue a refund or send replacements and then sort out the lost items herself

Swipe left for the next trending thread