So annoyed with my neighbours what should I do when I see them?

[geekygardener]

Every week I’m taking in parcels for a neighbour. I don’t mind the occasional one, but it can fluctuate between a couple a week to a few daily. They order a lot of stuff and are never in to receive it. I don’t know why they don’t order it to their family who live on the next street or to one of their work places. This has been going on for a number of years.
I wouldn’t mind if I’m in just pottering at home, but I often work from home and my office is next to my front door. This means delivery drivers can see I’m in sat at my desk. They will continue to knock and wait even if I don’t initially answer because I’m in a meeting or call. People on the other end of my calls can clearly hear the knocking and dog barking, so I have to cut off. It’s unprofessional, especially because I take calls from people in distress. It’s unfair to cut them off.

I have told multiple delivery drivers that I am working and can no longer take in parcels for neighbours but that seems to have made little difference.
I work nights too and I’m woken up at least three times a week by deliveries for the same neighbours and it really affects my mood.

Today I was resting after a night shift and knocking woke me. Teen dd opened the door but then came running up telling me it was a large delivery for the neighbours and the delivery driver said he needed an adult to take it. Plus it was too large and heavy for dd to take in alone. This is not the first time we have taken in packages that have been large and heavy. I had one neighbour’s wardrobe and bedside table blocking my hallway for over a week while they were on holiday.
I just lost my temper because of being woken and I gabbed the parcel said “fine” and slammed the door. The delivery driver looked shocked, I do feel guilty about that but I was just fed up. I then just sat back down and no more than 2 minutes later another delivery driver knocked with another parcel for neighbours. Dd answered again and shouted out to me that he required an adult again, I couldn’t believe it. It was a different delivery company and driver but I shouted back for her to tell them no. They handed it to her anyway and she brought it to the hallway.

I can honestly say if it was the odd occasion that’s fine and I’d be a good neighbour and take them in happily. But this is multiple times a week, often multiple times a day and is disturbing my work and rest,

I did mention it to neighbour, who is the main culprit, he just laughs and says he understands it’s annoying, but it keeps happening.

Im now left with a large heavy box in my tiny hallway. I also feel like I can’t relax because soon neighbour will come knocking on my door to collect it. So if I wanted to go back to sleep I would be woken again. I looked across and the neighbour is actually in ! Both cars are there and I can see the son playing outside. They just couldn’t be bothered to answer the door.

I have told dd not to answer the door again because she can’t deal with deliveries, which upset her a bit.

Anyway, I hate confrontation but I feel like this is taking the mick.

Just say "sorry, no", and shut the door, it's really that simple! The neighbour is a CF but you're making a rod for your own back here. Why did you say "fine" and take the parcel in when you'd lost your rag instead of just saying no and shutting the door?

Signs don't work. Delivery drivers don't even bother to look at them (I have one on my door for a different reason and they ignore it every day) and in my area many don't speak or read enough English to understand them.

I think this is better advice than I gave. I’d probably say to the delivery person that they can give it to another neighbour instead (pick a random address).

This ^^ this makes it clear you cannot take them because you're working, you're not being unneighbourly.

Just say no to the delivery. You don't have to explain why, you don't even have to answer the door if you don't want to. We've got neighbours who used to do this - until one parcel went missing and the neighbour insinuated that I must have taken it. She's lucky I didn't swear at her, but I think she got that I was annoyed because she now comes home when she's expecting a delivery. I always make sure I'm home for deliveries, so I'm afraid I don't see why other people can't organise their time better.
You are not your neighbour's employee, you are not there to constantly be interrupted and, when the neighbour laughed at you, I would have used it as the perfect time to tell them I would no longer be taking their stuff in. It annoys me hugely how some people take the complete and utter piss about things like this.

Doesn't really matter if the OP wants to be unneighbourly to be honest. It's unneighbourly of the neighbour to expect other people to act as their storage facility.

This is ridiculous.

This.

I voted YABU, because you keep CHOOSING to take the parcels in!

Say no for goodness sake! Tell every delivery driver that you do not take parcels in for that neighbour, and put a sign on your door to that effect until they stop doing it.

If you keep saying yes and taking in the parcels then they obviously think you’re ok with it!

Haha, don’t be silly.

Just don’t take them in

edit or just tell your neighbour you will assume they are gifts

Also to help with the noise from people who insist on ringing, do you use Teams. Google Teams voice isolation and train it on your voice. It takes two minutes. Although turn off when sharing a laptop with others in a meeting! Similarly there is a setting in Teams that is amazing at blocking out drilling or door knocking. Then you can ignore more easily.

If you do nights then it's a complete no no.

So you tell the delivery drivers you can’t take packages for your neighbours but you take them anyway? What that says to the delivery drivers is “I WILL TAKE THE NEIGHBOUR’S PACKAGES, I just like to moan”. (And yes, I did mean it shouts it.)

I understand why you find the situation in annoying, but you’re to blame. Your neighbours are doing a very common thing that works for most of the country and would work here too if you were clear in your communication. Actions speak louder than words.

Put up a sign saying you can’t take packages for neighbours. If a delivery driver knocks then leave them standing there until it’s convenient to answer and when you do, point at the sign and DON’T TAKE THE PACKAGE.

I’d just put a sign on the door rather than confront the neighbour tbh. Get one laminated! “Due to being on night shifts/on work calls I am unable to receive parcels for neighbours. Please do not disturb”

If your neighbours are in I would be storming across and knocking on thier door telling them to come and collect the parcels now and give them earache all the way back to yours about how inconsiderate they are being that you are working that it sets the dog off that your hall is all and everything else especially as they are in and that a large sign is going up saying no deliveries will be accepted for anyone other than your address and they can sort parcels out themselves.

I would write a sign and stick it on your front door saying. ‘Any parcels for 34 Church Road will NOT be signed for or taken in.’ Do not attempt to knock.’

And I would send them this text.

Hi Dan and Sarah. So far this week I have taken in 8 parcels for you. I have cut 3 work calls short to sign for deliveries. My daughter has taken in another 3 parcels for you. Last night I was woken up with loud knocking at 8pm. My daughter had to wake me to take it in. I was pretty pissed off to be honest. Then, 10 minutes later the same thing happened again. I’m a reasonable person and a decent neighbour but facilitating your deliveries is getting on my wick to be honest. After they’ve been delivered, I know you will then pop round later to collect them. I can’t relax! My door is constantly being knocked on and it’s never for me!!! As of next week I’m going to refuse to take them. Can you change your delivery settings and instruct drivers to leave in porch? Or leave by bins? Or put in shed? Or leave in the plastic box?

Cheers Jane.

YABU because you accept some parcels, but not others, and this has created no boundary!
simply put a sign on the door asking callers not to knock or ring the bell due to work. If they do knock, answer the door, say you can’t accept the parcel, close the door. And continue…
and get your family members to do the same “sorry, we can’t accept the parcel” is very straight forward, non confrontational problem solver

I never understand these posts 🙄 just say no! Why is that so hard?

I’d invoice them for the concierge service you are providing and give them notice that your rates are going up come November (as you know well those deliveries will increase come Black Friday)

YEP

Like @IsFearrCuplaFocalNaCuplaFuckAll, I too suspect they're putting you down as an alternative delivery address, or adding a delivery note like 'please deliver to Geeky Gardener at number 665'. Ask the delivery people about it.

Meanwhile, put a note on the door saying 'we do NOT take deliveries for number 666’.

A delivery driver will not stand knocking all day, they have parcels to deliver. Ignore the door they will soon leave. Get a sign up saying you won’t take in parcels for any other address than your own. I would also ask neighbour that they aren’t putting down ‘deliver to neighbour’ on their account and if they are tell them to stop for the reasons you’ve said here

I've worked for Royal Mail, Evri and Amazon and they pressure us to deliver at all costs (managers want their bonuses after all!) which sadly is why you're being harassed. They just care about "delivery successful" figures, not necessarily about how happy the person being delivered to is.

Put a sign on your door "shift worker, do not knock, no deliveries for neighbours, thanks". Short and sweet and MASSIVE because depending on the company we have between 30 seconds and two minutes from getting out of the van to get back in it and drive off - no time to read a novel or squint at a post it.

Then I'm afraid you have to be persistent and rude. Say no. Every time. If drivers ignore your note or persist in knocking, complain about them, give them low scores, they'll stop because those complaints and low scores impact their income. It's harsh but necessary - the bosses at Amazon/Evri/Royal Mail don't give a dusty fuck about you so make it the driver's problem. I say this as a former driver, it's wank but it's the only way, we know what we're signing up for with these jobs.

Finally I'd have a word with your neighbour because it's entirely possible they're putting you as their desired delivery location - got this all the time with Royal Mail. Would chap on someone's door and they were shocked to learn they were No.4's preferred safe spot. If they have put you as their delivery location, ask them to remove you. If they refuse, contact the customer service team of the courier in question and raise merry hell until they sort it.

Simply, become a stubborn annoying arsehole, make it as difficult and annoying as possible to deliver to you, and eventually it'll fizzle out and they'll find someone easier to deliver to.

You need to put a sign on the door stating you will not accept deliveries for other properties.

Agree with others, just put a sign on your door. Simple!!