Parcel deliveries to flats

[filletofishmeal]

I have moved into a flat from a house, and am now experiencing parcels being delivered and just dumped in the communal landing area. We have an intercom system, so I would expect to be buzzed so I can at least meet them downstairs as I appreciate they are on tight schedules so do not have the time to come up all the way to the first floor.

Am I being unreasonable for expecting them to let me know where they are leaving the parcel, personally I think it is quite lazy so not even spend 20 seconds to buzz my flat. I used to be a delivery driver so know it is time constrained, but there is also an element of customer service especially when there is a chance of theft by leaving it in a communal area.

I presume it really is just a time constraint on that particular route thing rather than a living in a flat thing. I live in a house and more often than not the courier just leaves the parcel on the front steps without ringing the doorbell. When you receive a delivery notification, if you do, you can try putting a delivery instructions request into that saying not to leave in communal areas.

Sorry, but I think YABU. This is how deliveries to my building are done. It’s far preferable to having to go downstairs to meet every single delivery that turns up whether it’s for you or not, or having to schlep miles to a depot to collect things because you weren’t there.

I sent a package to my brother and was horrified when the driver texted to say it had been left near the lift.
That's not ok. Anyone could have stolen it.
It's like leaving packages at the end of the street and expecting people to go and get them.

How are they getting into the building without a flat buzzing them in? Is there a concierge?

When I was in a flat- only 4 in the whole block, one of the flats had to buzz to let them in. Parcels were either left on the communal steps inside (behind a locked door), outside the door of the recipient or handed to the person that buzzed them in.

I lived in an upstairs flat with my dd for the first 3 years of her life. I never expected parcels brought up though was thankful when they were. If its not suitable then ask someone else to accept delivery at their home instead. Failing that just look out for the postman/courier when you're expecting a delivery. Hardly bloody rocket science.

Our parcels are always left in the communal areas. I just go down and get them once I get the delivery notification. I much prefer that than them just not bothering. We're doing the reverse move and I'm worried that we're going to miss so many deliveries our our new house.

I get the notification email on my phone when something is delivered usually. If a parcel is left inside of a building I think there's less chance of it being stolen than if it was left outside on a doorstep. I got a note from the postman once "thrown over fence" and found a parcel in my glass recycling box which was filled with rainwater.

I don't think you are unreasonable but it is standard practice where I am especially with the cheaper couriers. Some of them will go to the first floor but no higher. The drivers probably aren't paid enough.

But what really annoys me is the ones who dump stuff in the wrong stairway.

It is usually worse around Christmas so might be better in the new year.

This used to drive me mad living in a larger block, Amazon were the worst. They'd just leave parcels in the communal hall downstairs, not even bother to buzz the flat to say they are there.
We had parcels go missing more than once. Often in the few minutes between getting the delivery notification and going down one flight if stairs, the parcel wouldn't even be there.

It probably doesn’t work as well in big blocks, but it’s fine in a smaller one.

I live in a small block of flats (with a lift). Couriers buzz any random flat and dump packages inside the front door. Last week I wasn’t buzzed. Neighbour told me I had a package. Went downstairs and it was gone. Also another neighbour’s package.

Wow, I dream of delivery drivers leaving things in the communal area. Our Amazon guy round here just leaves it outside the main front door, on a busy street near the town centre. If I don't dash down immediately it goes missing.

Admittedly I’m in a first floor flat, but most deliveries are left right outside my door. The only exception is Evri but the driver always rings my buzzer and lets me know there’s a parcel on the stairs for me.

YABU. All flats I've lived in, delivery and post people have pressed the "trade" button and left parcels in the hallway. Would never expect them to hang around waiting for me to come down or to deliver straight to door

They kept doing this to us when we lived in flats.
They soon stopped when people was claiming they never received them and was getting the product refunded or delivered again for free. Amazon was the worst for it and Evri. Yodel always delivered to the door.

My sympathies OP. My non Amazon deliveries (eBay & M&E are the culprits here) they never bothered to press my bell just the first bell on the row. So flat 1 got so irate they wrote on my parcels "why arent you in, if you're expecting parcels. I'm going to start refusing them". I was in , the delivery guy just couldnt be arsed to press the right bell. I get everything click & collect now. Saves a fortune on delivery charges & the pick up point is literally a 1min walk. Put your postcode in on the click & collect option & see if there one close by home or work for you or your partner .

Ours get left in the communal hallway and it's not a problem but they do buzz first. The only problem I've had is when an enterprising courier left a note "parcel left with Sara". There are over 100 people in our block and I didn't know a Sara! It turned up eventually. Neighbour was waiting for me to go round not realising I didn't know where it was. Also she wasn't called Sara!!

They followed someone in.

Yes, I wish I could do that but I WFH and live rurally in a new build.

If the parcel gets stolen because you allow it to be left there, then the retailer will not refund you as you have authorised the delivery to be left there.

When they go missing after a few minutes, the cynical part of me suspects the driver might (not definitely) be stealing them.

Not asking for them to be brought up but they should buzz you to let you know they are leaving it downstairs. They just dump it, and the delivery email lags by 30 mins so the parcel is left unattended.

Tbh, I think they should be brought up - you are paying for delivery to your home - the communal hallway isn't your address! People living in houses wouldn't accept their parcels being left at the bottom of their street.

Exactly, I think people who live in houses think these types of complaints are unreasonable but by leaving it in the communal area, it is the equivalent of their parcels being left on the pavement.

When I was in my flat we were told parcels would be left at the main door so not inside or my front door. The main close door.

Check delivery t&cs because some of them do state that. Yodel don't have it in their t&cs but only ever delivered to the main door.