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AIBU?

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Original poster

Delivery driver leaving rat poison in my hallway

110 replies

lonelylou09 · 14/10/2025 22:46

AIBU to complain to Amazon about their delivery driver today? It's really freaked me out.
I was home during my lunch break today and was in the kitchen seeing to our new weeny rescue pup. I heard the front door open and a male voice and thought it was my other half home early from work.
I went into the garden to see to the pup and when I came back in I saw 2 Amazon parcels on the floor in the hallway and I then had delivery notifications on my phone saying 'parcel handed to resident'.
My OH was no where to be seen and didn't come home til much later so it wasn't him.
I then concluded that the driver opened my front door and put the parcels there without even knocking or leaving them in the safe place as is noted.
I'm really freaked out that someone opened the front door...one thing is he could of let the pup out who isn't allowed out yet as too young and also one of the boxes contained rat poison which the pup then could of gotten hold of.
I'm guessing it wasn't our usual guy as he knows where to leave them and I've never had anyone just open the door before.
I can't see any way to complain to Amazon online but I can escalate it to a phone call.
I guess lesson learned to lock the door either way but as I was going back out shortly I don't usually bother.
But surely that's just so unprofessional?

OP posts:
Tubestrike · 15/10/2025 09:28

I think the leave in a safe place option is for when you are not home. Maybe the delivery driver could tell you were in.

GingerPaste · 15/10/2025 09:31

Lock your door and if it’s unlocked and you hear someone in the house go and check who it is.

I can understand that you’re annoyed but you need to taken more care with your security.

No harm was done and you’ve learned a couple of lessons.

GoBazGo · 15/10/2025 09:33

fluffiphlox · 15/10/2025 09:15

Delivery drivers can’t win on here this week.

I know, poor b*ggers.

RubySquid · 15/10/2025 09:36

OhFeyreDarling · 15/10/2025 06:39

I'm so glad I live in a place where I don't feel the need to lock myself in my house at all times. But having said that it's very normal for delivery drivers to just pop parcels in front doors here. I used to be one and would always just put parcels into hallways.

Though I would always knock first or check for safe spaces so I don't think you're being unreasonable there OP

I don't feel unsafe either but if I go in my front door and shut it behind me then anyone else coming in from the outside needs to use a key. They can't just push it OP. Thought most doors were like it Never had one that isn't in over 50 years

RubySquid · 15/10/2025 09:38

lonelylou09 · 15/10/2025 09:20

Not saying he should..I'm asking if it's considered ok for him to just open the front door without even knocking when instructions are leave in safe place and there is a note taped to front door saying leave in a safe place!
Obviously everyone on here thinks it my fault for not locking the door whilst being 5 steps away.
Even if the door was locked he would have startled me by hearing someone trying the door when not having heard it knock

Show quote history

Where is your " safe place"then? Is that Information given to the driver

?

sittingonabeach · 15/10/2025 09:41

Delivery drivers have such short time to make a delivery, I'm guessing trying to open the door and if it opens throwing parcel in, is quicker than knocking, waiting for a response, and then trying to find the safe space if no-one responds.

Our local driver seems to knock and drop (leaving parcel on front step), certainly doesn't give you time to answer the door before they are off on to the next delivery

Original poster
lonelylou09 · 15/10/2025 09:46

Tubestrike · 15/10/2025 09:28

I think the leave in a safe place option is for when you are not home. Maybe the delivery driver could tell you were in.

We have 3 vehicles and only 2 were outside at the time..I'm not sure how he would 'Know'
We've many times had parcels left in safe place when we've been home as it saves the drivers time than knocking the door and that's fine.
My main issue is he didn't even knock the door

OP posts:
Imlyingandthatsthetruth · 15/10/2025 09:49

Should you lock your doors when you're in your house? Maybe, your choice.

Should delivery drivers let themselves into your house? No way!

Stop conflating the two issues. Not locking yourself in may be stupid, misguided, unsafe, choose your perrogative, but it doesn't trump unknown people letting themselves in.

Original poster
lonelylou09 · 15/10/2025 09:50

RubySquid · 15/10/2025 09:36

I don't feel unsafe either but if I go in my front door and shut it behind me then anyone else coming in from the outside needs to use a key. They can't just push it OP. Thought most doors were like it Never had one that isn't in over 50 years

Show quote history

My door locks with a catch on the inside that has to be turned and from outside you need to use a key to lock and unlock it. My previous door automatically locked when it was shut. This one doesn't.

OP posts:
CarterBeatsTheDevil · 15/10/2025 09:51

I live semirurally and it's quite common to leave your front door unlocked if you're in. But the answer obviously is to lock your door. It's never happened to me but we instruct all delivery people to leave parcels inside the garden door at the back.

Original poster
lonelylou09 · 15/10/2025 09:52

RubySquid · 15/10/2025 09:38

Where is your " safe place"then? Is that Information given to the driver

?

Show quote history

Safe place is parcel box. This is listed with Amazon and also a note taped to the front door so it's pretty obvious. Never had an issue before and never had anyone just open the door. I was 5 steps away in the kitchen but out of sight from the door. Even if door was locked I would have been alarmed if he had tried the door without knocking

OP posts:
CinnamonBuns67 · 15/10/2025 10:43

I don't think it's alright the delivery driver opened your front door without your permission. However please learn from this and lock your door, that could have been someone nasty opening your door who could have seriously harmed you. Its not a safe world sadly. The driver wasn't to know it was rat poison so he didn't leave poison in your hallway deliberately for someone or puppy to be harmed.

Original poster
lonelylou09 · 15/10/2025 11:41

Just as an update...I've filed a complaint with Amazon and they said it's not acceptable for the driver to have done that.
Yes I will change my habits and start locking my front door from now on as god forbid I get burgled, raped or murdered by an axe murderer in my own home behind my unlocked door as that would most obviously be my own fault according to most of you! 🤣

OP posts:
Terfedout · 15/10/2025 13:22

I do not understand the people on these threads who say it's fine for people to let themselves into your house! Amazon have done it to me twice and it has pissed me off. Not enough to complain about it, but enough to have an internal whinge! Locking your door is irrelevant to the subject.

SadOldLadyOfTheLowlands · 15/10/2025 13:28

ShenandoahRiver · 14/10/2025 22:52

Your title makes it sound as if he deliberately left rat poison in your hallway.

Agree - I was horrified..... then read OP meant it was in a package!

Tetchypants · 15/10/2025 13:41

lonelylou09 · 14/10/2025 23:26

Ok guess the general theme is this is totally my fault for not locking the door and not realising that delivery drivers just go round opening front doors if they can without knocking and that's totally fine. Even so as I said my instructions are leave in safe place and there is even a note on the front door itself saying leave parcels in the box.
My issue is he didn't even knock the door. I'm not on about rapists and axe murderers ex cetera wandering into the house.. obviously if they wanted to get in a lock isn't going to stop them...he is there to do a professional job!

I completely disagree about people getting in whether the door is locked or not. Standard modus operandi is to walk along the road trying door handles or car doors, looking for houses or cars that are easy to break into without smashing stuff. Any barrier you can put between the pavement and the inside of your house will deter an intruder. There have been documentaries about this from ex cons. Our front gate is horribly squeaky and makes the neighbours dogs bark, but I won’t be oiling it because in my view it’s another barrier. Why make life easy for criminals? Just lock your damn door when you shut it, takes a second.

Once again I do not think he should’ve let himself into your house but they’re on a peanuts wage with strict targets for delivery so they’re desperate to tick your parcel off their list. So no, I would not report him.

Digdongdoo · 15/10/2025 13:54

The delivery person shouldn't have opened your door. But you shouldn't have left your door unlocked. Be glad it was a parcel and not a burglar.

SadOldLadyOfTheLowlands · 15/10/2025 14:10

lonelylou09 · 15/10/2025 11:41

Just as an update...I've filed a complaint with Amazon and they said it's not acceptable for the driver to have done that.
Yes I will change my habits and start locking my front door from now on as god forbid I get burgled, raped or murdered by an axe murderer in my own home behind my unlocked door as that would most obviously be my own fault according to most of you! 🤣

Wow - so he knew you were in, or at least your house was unlocked and was doing something nice for you (leaving your packages in a secure location) and you reported him.

Why was it such a big deal to you? He didnt let the dog out, he didnt take your child, he dropped off some packages

FOJN · 15/10/2025 16:34

lonelylou09 · 15/10/2025 11:41

Just as an update...I've filed a complaint with Amazon and they said it's not acceptable for the driver to have done that.
Yes I will change my habits and start locking my front door from now on as god forbid I get burgled, raped or murdered by an axe murderer in my own home behind my unlocked door as that would most obviously be my own fault according to most of you! 🤣

Great so he did what he thought was a favour and now you may have lost him his job. You ordered poison, presumably knew it was being delivered at some point, you heard a male voice in your hallway (you don't say what the voice said) which apparently you didn't recognise from your own husbands and didn't check and now you cap it off with a snarky remark about victim blaming. For the love of god just grow up, lock your door then no one can just walk through it.

You know that telling your insurance company live in a low crime rate area won't make them pay out if an opportunist walked through your unlocked door and helped themselves and someone intent on bludgeoning you to death won't stop if you comment on how rude it was of them not to knock. Mitigating risk is not the same as being to blame for someone else's behaviour.

Original poster
lonelylou09 · 15/10/2025 16:54

SadOldLadyOfTheLowlands · 15/10/2025 14:10

Wow - so he knew you were in, or at least your house was unlocked and was doing something nice for you (leaving your packages in a secure location) and you reported him.

Why was it such a big deal to you? He didnt let the dog out, he didnt take your child, he dropped off some packages

Show quote history

He didn't know I was in when he tried the door...common courtesy is to knock on a door not just walk straight in.
I wouldn't even do that at a friend's house or someone bedroom...I'd always knock first and wait.
The issue is yes I then worried afterwards he could of let the young unvaccinated pup out...the package contained poison which was left at on the floor where the pup could of gotten it and chewed it as I didn't know it was there.
My delivery instructions online and in the front door itself as leave in safe place.

OP posts:
Ontheedgeofit · 15/10/2025 17:10

YABU for buying rat poison. You are worried about your pup eating it but do you know how many other animals die from eating rats who have ingested rat poison? Cats, owls etc … ?

Where we live, rat poison has very quickly seen itself on the list of things not to do.

BriefEncountersOfTheThirdKind · 15/10/2025 17:23

lonelylou09 · 15/10/2025 09:52

Safe place is parcel box. This is listed with Amazon and also a note taped to the front door so it's pretty obvious. Never had an issue before and never had anyone just open the door. I was 5 steps away in the kitchen but out of sight from the door. Even if door was locked I would have been alarmed if he had tried the door without knocking

Show quote history

Seriously how is knocking different from trying the handle?

Original poster
lonelylou09 · 15/10/2025 17:26

Ontheedgeofit · 15/10/2025 17:10

YABU for buying rat poison. You are worried about your pup eating it but do you know how many other animals die from eating rats who have ingested rat poison? Cats, owls etc … ?

Where we live, rat poison has very quickly seen itself on the list of things not to do.

Yeah when it's just left on the floor and I don't know it's there. I have a box to use safely in a shed where pup can't get access to it

OP posts:
Ontheedgeofit · 15/10/2025 18:07

lonelylou09 · 15/10/2025 17:26

Yeah when it's just left on the floor and I don't know it's there. I have a box to use safely in a shed where pup can't get access to it

Show quote history

You are not understanding. You should not be buying rat poison at all. Other animals eat the rats you are poisoning and die as a result. Not just about your pup and the parcel.

BriefEncountersOfTheThirdKind · 15/10/2025 21:58

lonelylou09 · 15/10/2025 11:41

Just as an update...I've filed a complaint with Amazon and they said it's not acceptable for the driver to have done that.
Yes I will change my habits and start locking my front door from now on as god forbid I get burgled, raped or murdered by an axe murderer in my own home behind my unlocked door as that would most obviously be my own fault according to most of you! 🤣

There's no need to be snarky

It absolutely would be your fault if you left the door unlocked and something happened to you

Axe murderers and rapists are extreme but it's a well known tactic of thieves to try door handles and enter unlocked houses

You didn't even check it was your husband so your argument is invalid. It could gave been an opportunistic burglar who had slipped in and stolen from you who'd called out first just to see if it was safe!