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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Landlords assistant fuming that I’ve had 3 parcels…

136 replies

animalscooby1 · 09/04/2022 17:35

I live in a flat complex with just 4 flats in it. I’m on the first floor and an elderly lady lives with her daughter (my landlords assistant) downstairs.

In the week I had two parcels delivered when I was at work, and there is no safe place apart from tiny postboxes. I’m assuming that they called their flat and they left them outside my door.

I then had another parcel come today, which I was in for- they buzzed my buzzer as usual (no one else’s) and I went down and collected it. The man said that apparently my neighbours were pissed that I’ve had “so many” parcels.
Anyway I took my parcel and went back up the stairs. As I went up, I heard their door open, the landlords assistant looked up at me angrily, turned around and shouted “fuck sake”.

This hasn’t affected her at all- it was my parcel, my buzzer went off and I went to collect it. Why was she fuming about that?! Our buzzers are quite loud and we can hear each other’s but that isn’t my problem and I hear theirs too and never complain. Especially in the middle of the day.

I just feel like I’m being made to feel extremely uncomfortable and can’t even order things to my own house where I live. I had 3 parcels this week and have rarely had any other deliveries.

I’m tempted to say something as I feel uncomfortable in my own flat… surely it’s down to them to get quieter buzzers or bigger postboxes, or a safe place - not my problem?

OP posts:
OutingHobby · 09/04/2022 18:09

@Itsbackagain

It's up to you to be in for your deliveries or to have them taken in by someone who is happy to do this. You're conveniently focussing on 1 delivery that you were available to take, not the two you weren't.
It's the 1 when she was available that caused the assistant to start swearing for no reason though
Nanny0gg · 09/04/2022 18:12

The neighbours are not obliged to take in your deliveries and have the right not to be disturbed by couriers trying to leave parcels with them

If you're in and the ringing disturbs them, that isn't your problem.

But if you know you're not going to be in you need to make different arrangemens

AlisonDonut · 09/04/2022 18:13

I'm a landlord and dammit I want my assistant.

You are entitled to have deliveries. If there is a specific process for this that avoids the landlord's assistant muttering swears up the stairs behind you then can they share it?

ChaToilLeam · 09/04/2022 18:17

I’d be having a word. You’re entitled to receive parcels and there is no reason whatsoever for the assistant to swear at you. If she is annoyed then she can use proper words to explain why.

Extragherkinsplease · 09/04/2022 18:18

Please ignore everyone telling you to get your parcels delivered elsewhere - this is ridiculous 😂

NeedAHoliday2021 · 09/04/2022 18:18

We take parcels for neighbours all the time - dh works from home. Never occurred to me to get annoyed about it. It is annoying when they don’t collect for a couple of days as it clutters the hall but even then it’s not that hideous.

SoupDragon · 09/04/2022 18:18

For a start don't have things delivered when you aren't going to be in. They've had to deal with 2 out of your 3 parcels this week.

It's not their job to have "bigger post boxes" it's yours to only order stuff for when you're in. It's probably not just you, it's the other 2 flats too.

I seem to be the local parcel drop shop for my neighbours and it is irritating.

SoupDragon · 09/04/2022 18:20

Yes, a neighbour can refuse to take a parcel in but by that point they've already been disturbed.

Oysterbabe · 09/04/2022 18:29

Yanbu.
I take in parcels for my neighbours all the time and don't think twice about it. People love an excuse to be miserable fuckers.

JosephineDeBeauharnais · 09/04/2022 18:33

I wfh, live in a small apartment complex and get buzzed half a dozen times a day by couriers wanting me to take in parcels for my neighbours. After complaining, it turns out that the couriers have figured out that I’m in and don’t bother pressing any buzzer other than mine Angry.
I’ve started ignoring it when I’m not expecting anything, I’m not fucking post restante for the whole building.

Shell4429 · 09/04/2022 18:34

I think they’re being very unreasonable. I regularly take parcels for my neighbours and am happy to help as I wfh and they don’t. It takes me less than 5 minutes to open the door, take the parcel and even less time when they collect it. When did people get so selfish?

lampygirl · 09/04/2022 18:36

I’ve never been able to choose a time for deliveries. You might be able to pick a day but if that’s a week away or whatever you can’t guarantee you’ll be in, what a ridiculous suggestion. The postmen could stop ringing everyone’s doors if the OP is not in and just return the parcel to the depot/collection office for you. If I’m not in the postman will take them back to the delivery office down the road and I can collect from there. He doesn’t try the whole street. That’s the real cause of this issue. I guess because it’s a block of flats it’s easy to ring multiple bells and maybe he assumes the other residents in the block are not total bell ends but neither of these things are the OPs problem.

MajorCarolDanvers · 09/04/2022 18:40

Swearing at you is appalling and intimidating behaviour and there is no justification for it.

I would complain.

Palloom · 09/04/2022 18:41

I'm intrigued by the role/title of "landlord's assistant". Sounds quite Parisian, you know - the little old lady/gent sitting in a little office by the door who watches the comings and goings. Sounds delightful.

What is her role then? Do tell.

bellac11 · 09/04/2022 18:45

@Tasteslikeregret

It’s not down to them to get bigger boxes or safe spaces. Have them delivered to a parcel shop & collect, delivered to your work address or a pay for a named delivery day when you are in.
Why on earth would she

You cant get everything delivered to parcel shops or pay for named delivery days and Im not allowed to get things delivered to my work (where I am every day anyway)

Honestly, are you the landlords assistant?

HaveringWavering · 09/04/2022 18:50

Yes, what on earth is a “landlord’s assistant” when it’s at home?

Of course she was being unreasonable to mutter about you answering the door to a delivery person. However it sounds like she was just using that moment to grumble about the other deliveries you had not been there for. What do you expect to happen when a delivery arrives at a time you are out? Do you expect your neighbours to take it in, or would you be happy with the delivery company taking it away again? I think it’s unreasonable to expect someone else to take your parcel in, so you should only order things if you can specify delivery when you know you will be in.

bellac11 · 09/04/2022 18:51

@Extragherkinsplease

Please ignore everyone telling you to get your parcels delivered elsewhere - this is ridiculous 😂
I can only assume tney dont shop online very much

I shop online with virtually everything we buy, there are products that are not possible to get in shops, or the shops dont have them, or they're more expensive in shops, or the shops are no where near me

I have around on average 3 parcels a week, my partner even more. We both work full time, often there is no choice to get a certain date or time or to have it in a safety box (sometimes they're too big or not available).
I have no way of knowing when something is coming.

If my neighbours dont want to take the parcel in, I have no problem with that I will pick it up from the post office or depot or sometimes its left behind a plant pot.

HaveringWavering · 09/04/2022 18:52

You cant get everything delivered to parcel shops or pay for named delivery days and Im not allowed to get things delivered to my work (where I am every day anyway)

So you take the risk that the delivery will have to be re-attempted another time. You don’t just expect your neighbours to take things in for you. (I actually think that delivery people are cheeky to ask this. If it was not allowed, the ability to choose a named delivery day would become a lot more common). In OP’s situation I would be stating on the notes not to leave parcels with neighbours.

NETSRIK · 09/04/2022 18:53

I'm petty as fuck too so now I'd be ordering stuff daily. All in separate deliveries.

bellac11 · 09/04/2022 18:55

@HaveringWavering

You cant get everything delivered to parcel shops or pay for named delivery days and Im not allowed to get things delivered to my work (where I am every day anyway)

So you take the risk that the delivery will have to be re-attempted another time. You don’t just expect your neighbours to take things in for you. (I actually think that delivery people are cheeky to ask this. If it was not allowed, the ability to choose a named delivery day would become a lot more common). In OP’s situation I would be stating on the notes not to leave parcels with neighbours.

I didnt say I did. And neither did the OP I think.

Her neighbours didnt have to take in the parcels and didnt take in the 3rd parcel but felt it appropriate to be verbally aggressive to her.

There is no way that the OP should be advised not to order things online or plan to be in. In my case that would mean giving up work.

NewandNotImproved · 09/04/2022 18:55

Tell your landlord his ‘assistant’ swore at you, and what he’s going to do.

doitwithlove · 09/04/2022 18:57

You pay your rent, if inconvenient to them.... Why are they taking your parcels in?!?

I would be knocking on their door to ask if there is a problem

TheNameOfTheRoses · 09/04/2022 18:57

And here I was thinking that taking in parcel for your neighbour’s was the norm and pretty normal.

Did I imagine that? Or has the last two years erased memories and no one is able to do anything helpful for their NDN anymore?

andysgirl22 · 09/04/2022 18:59

@viquesI was wondering that too @v

Crimeismymiddlename · 09/04/2022 18:59

Getting very angry about neighbours getting delivery’s is next level insane. I live in a complex and the couriers just buzz until they enter, or they leave the parcel outside, someone will always bring it in.
I can’t wait to see what else she gets annoyed about, you not getting delivery’s, walking past her flat, you paying rent, sharing the same air.