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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

postman and WFH

51 replies

amazeandastonish · 02/12/2021 12:32

I know this has been discussed before but can't find previous thread

My postman would not stop knocking earlier and the dog was going nuts.

I work from home and I was in the middle of a v important presentation to a client so I ignored the door.

for info, postman knows I work from home. If I can answer, I do, but I also have a parcel box and a sign on door saying to leave parcels in parcel box.

He ignored this today. Kept knocking. Dog getting more and more barky. Had to make apologies to the client to go an answer. Very big client, huge company, biggest deal in 3 years if we got this client.

The parcels didn't need to be signed for. Nothing valuable or mega expensive. Could have gone in parcel box.

I was also working upstairs at back of house. All lights downstairs off to make it look like no one at home. So not like he could see there was someone at home.

But he kept knocking and knocking and knocking.

AIBU to be really pissed off?

I know he's doing his job but his job includes putting parcels in a parcel box surely!

OP posts:
RedskyThisNight · 02/12/2021 14:30

There's another active thread complaining that the postal delivery person moves on too quickly. Perhaps you could swap?

girlmom21 · 02/12/2021 14:33

Stop ordering parcels if you can't answer the door.

SleighbellsZ · 02/12/2021 14:35

Order parcels to a shop to collect when it suits you.

thevassal · 02/12/2021 14:36

@colourfulpuddles

YABU. He’s doing his job and the world can’t stop just because you decided to set up office in a home environment.
Who said op decided? I would love to go back to the office. We haven't been allowed, in line with government advice. So if I want to work (which I do as I quite like having a roof over my head) I have to 'set up an office in a home environment.' Or should I just quit my job to be available for the odd parcel?

What if Op wasn't working but was ill or sleeping from a night shift? Would that be an acceptable reason to not answer the door?

WomanStanleyWoman · 02/12/2021 14:45

@BeeDavis

Why order parcels to your address if you aren’t going to answer the door??? Can’t understand why anyone would blast a postman for trying to deliver something. Do you realise how much stuff they have to deliver since covid and the fact it’s Christmas time?
This is ridiculous. The OP didn’t answer the door on one occasion because she was busy and had left instructions for what to do with her delivery. She’s not in a castle refusing to lower the drawbridge.

What do these poor downtrodden postmen do if someone is just out? People do occasionally leave the house. Surely at some point they have to give up and stick a card through the door.

GrumpyLivesInMyHouseNow · 02/12/2021 14:53

I'm with you op, 3 dogs and have worked from home for years. It's got to the stage now that if I know I'm doing a presentation to my largest customer, I either put my dogs in their crates or in the back garden and shut all the doors, so even if the postman is insistent I can't hear him or the dogs (or it's quiet enough that noise cancelling headphones means the customer can't hear it)

LordEmsworth · 02/12/2021 14:57

@colourfulpuddles

YABU. He’s doing his job and the world can’t stop just because you decided to set up office in a home environment.
But if the OP were working out of home, in an office elsewhere, the postie would be no better nor worse off, surely? She's not working at home in order to improve the postie's life Confused
NotMyCat · 02/12/2021 14:57

@BeeDavis

Why order parcels to your address if you aren’t going to answer the door??? Can’t understand why anyone would blast a postman for trying to deliver something. Do you realise how much stuff they have to deliver since covid and the fact it’s Christmas time?
How else do I get stuff then? I WFH and can't answer the door. The postman leaves stuff outside my door for me as he knows I can't answer as I'm working Amazon know to come to the window where I'm working and put parcels through there If you don't know when stuff is being delivered then it's hard as I can only accept deliveries at weekends
girlmom21 · 02/12/2021 14:59

How else do I get stuff then?

Go to the shops? Get it delivered to a relative who can answer the door? Get it delivered to a parcel shop?

thevassal · 02/12/2021 14:59

@BeeDavis

Why order parcels to your address if you aren’t going to answer the door??? Can’t understand why anyone would blast a postman for trying to deliver something. Do you realise how much stuff they have to deliver since covid and the fact it’s Christmas time?
Because. She. Doesn't.Need. To. Answer. The.Door. she has a parcel box and the parcels weren't recorded or special delivery. Would you not be annoyed if the postie made you open the door for every single letter/junk mail that would have easily fitted through your letterbox? Yes I realise how much they have to deliver (although people being busy around Christmas isnt exactly exclusive to posties) so you'd think he'd make his own life easier and quicker by just dropping items off?
Willthewashingeverend · 02/12/2021 15:05

You need to swap posties with @Thunderpat

Leftbutcameback · 02/12/2021 15:25

Can't you just put a sign up saying you have covid? I did that when I did have covid and no-one knocked!

NotMyCat · 02/12/2021 15:33

@girlmom21

How else do I get stuff then?

Go to the shops? Get it delivered to a relative who can answer the door? Get it delivered to a parcel shop?

Yeah my issue is slightly more complex / no postbox outside, nobody else in the apartment block lets the postman in so we get no post whatsoever (helpful) I can't have bills etc to a parcel shop, no relatives nearby and I am avoiding shopping in person totally I'm only allowed to leave my desk for so long/so many times in a day and I tend to use that for toilet breaks and getting a hot drink!
EgonSpengler2020 · 02/12/2021 15:38

When I used to work nights this sort of behaviour was soul destroying. I could sleep through a normal short knock, or drift easily back to sleep, but not after that sort of sustained knocking or worst having to get out of bed to shut them up. After a disturbed sleep the next nightshift would at best be exhausting and at worst be downright dangerous.

nannybeach · 02/12/2021 17:31

We've just waited in for a parcel,got texts e mails giving 3 hour timings waited an hour after first,then had to go out. Yesterday, nothing, delivered a while ago,Royal Mail didn't knock,dog didn't hear him/her

Offmyfence · 05/12/2021 07:35

@Willthewashingeverend

You need to swap posties with *@Thunderpat*
GrinGrinGrin
Glitterblue · 05/12/2021 07:46

YANBU. We have a sign up saying to leave parcels in the porch if we are out, and all the couriers and the postman do this - except for one. We also have a sign saying I'm disabled, please give me time to get to the door. There is one courier who rings and rings the bell then hammers on the door straight after ringing the bell. I struggle out of my chair if I'm sitting, which takes ages, or come slowly from wherever I am in the house, and every single time as I reach the hall, I see the door opening and him putting the parcels in. It's so difficult for me to get to the door and I'm always in pain by the time I do so I really wish he'd just put them in. I've asked him to in person as well as having the sign on the door.

NextChristmas · 05/12/2021 07:48

I have to try to hide my anger when I get an over zealous one that bangs on the door unnecessarily violently while ringing the door bell over and over. I know that for many deliveries right now it's going to be with companies who pay by the delivery so I just remind myself how important it is to them that they get that parcel in the door!

Flamingolingo · 05/12/2021 08:12

I get it, it’s stressful. I do agree that most people on a call are ok with answering the door, but you can’t do that if you’re presenting. It’s not the knocking, it’s the repeated hammering on the door. It’s very off putting.

Our postie rings the bell super aggressively (leans on the button for ages, before MN asks me how a bell can be rung aggressively). Other couriers try to barge their way into the porch if I don’t answer (old door, quite delicate, always locked). I think there is a conception that when wfh people can be interrupted. I think unless you’ve had a wfh type office job it’s hard to understand that people are busy and not interruptible.

dropitlikeitsloth · 05/12/2021 08:34

@idontlikealdi

Wish my postman would knock more than once. I was on a very (not) important board cal the other day and the window cleaners turned up and were actually laughing through the window at me. You're at home, everyone else at home on the call would understand it's life.
Mine knocks and runs I think. Often I’m up working in the office on the 3rd floor and by the time I’ve flown down 2 flights of stairs and opened the door he’s half way up the street! I end up trying to flag him down!!

Amazon are the worst though, I can see their skid marks and tyre dust as they’re zooming out of the street by the time I open the door Grin at least they leave it on the door mat though!

dropitlikeitsloth · 05/12/2021 08:40

I think there is a conception that when wfh people can be interrupted. I think unless you’ve had a wfh type office job it’s hard to understand that people are busy and not interruptible.

Yes I once ran down to answer the door thinking it was a parcel and it was a charity canvasser. I think my annoyance showed on my face as I said, ‘sorry I’m on a call, I thought this was important’ and they kept trying to chat so I just shut the door Blush I swear they thought it was an excuse but interrupting my work for parcels is one thing (as I ordered them) but when it’s charity workers or political canvassers, sorry haven’t got the time to chat Grin

smilingthroughgrittedteeth · 05/12/2021 08:59

Im a sahm and which apparently means i am the neighbours PA and all parcels for everyone in the street get delivered to me. My doorbell goes all day with deliveries and only 10% of them are for me Hmm i lost my temper last week with a delivery driver and now refuse to take parcels for anyone unless its mine. DS was ill and was sleeping on the sofa when this amazon driver started hammering on the door, it was honestly so loud i could hear it from the back garden, DS woke up screaming and the parcel was for number 2 (im number 41 so nowhere near the intended recipient he just knew id probably be in). I know have a note on the door saying I will not be taking parcels for anyone else so do not knock.

RachelGreep87 · 05/12/2021 09:53

Put the dog in daycare on days you are WFH

Nanny0gg · 05/12/2021 13:02

@BeeDavis

Why order parcels to your address if you aren’t going to answer the door??? Can’t understand why anyone would blast a postman for trying to deliver something. Do you realise how much stuff they have to deliver since covid and the fact it’s Christmas time?
God the level of comprehension on this site is absolutely woeful at times!!

She has a PARCEL BOX for PARCELS
Therefore making it quick and easy for the postman to do his job without any hanging around.

So perfectly reasonable for the OP to arrange deliveries to her own home

Nanny0gg · 05/12/2021 13:03

@RachelGreep87

Put the dog in daycare on days you are WFH
Why?

Dog is perfectly fine when people do what they're supposed to do