How long must I keep neighbours’ parcels left at my house?

[Spring1664]

How long do I have to leave neighbours parcels which have been left at my house before I can get rid of them? I have not accepted these parcels, there is more than one notice saying don’t leave parcels here that are not addressed to [address redacted], the other houses have their house number clearly displayed, everybody has been warned I am not redelivering parcels anymore. If I catch a courier trying to leave a parcel I insist they take it back and either keep it or take it to the correct address.
The background. Ever since moving couriers have left parcels for other houses. One week I had about 8 parcels left that were for other addresses no one came for them and I had to drop them off and I said no more.
I am still getting some parcels left, I did leave one at the end of their driveway the other week and they drove past it for 2 days! It was quite a large parcel. There’s one tucked in near my gate atm and they could just reach round and get it but it’s been there for over a week now.
I would like to get a parcel bin thing for my own parcels but at this rate it’ll just fill up with other people’s.

Do you mean that the courier has left it on your doorstep, or that you’ve taken it off the courier?

Are they just leaving them outside your house if you arent accepting them as a delivery?

Do the neighbours even know you have them? I've had parcels delivered to neighbours even though I was in and I had no notice that they'd been delivered elsewhere, if the neighbours hadn't brought them over I wouldn't have known. It would be quite a while before I might have chased the company to see what happened to the parcel.

They are just leaving the parcels usually when I’m out. There are notices up saying don’t leave parcels near the door, wheelie bin and a couple of other places where they like to leave them

Possibly previous owner used to accept parcels for rhe neighbours? So it may be their alternative delivery? Obviously refuse the delivery if you are in, if they just leave it outside, then leave it outside in the rain. Eventually they'll get the message? Or take it in and then never answer the door so they cant get their parcel.

This sounds excessive! How have you ended up with so many? Is no one else in? If the courier is jus leaving them dumped on your property rather than handing them to you personally, I don’t understand why they can’t be dumped in the same way on the recipients property?

I’m all for being neighbourly but this is crazy. Perhaps 48 hours at the most. And then I don’t know what I’d do though. Put them out on the pavement, in the absence of any better options? Given you’ve said you’ve warned them, they need to actually feel a consequence because fit doesn’t seem like they’ll change habit any other way!

If you’ve not physically taken it off the courier then I’d take the parcel to the neighbour and say that, in future, you will be leaving parcels on the pavement outside your house.

Why are couriers leaving the parcels outside your house instead of the house it’s for? I don’t understand

That’s so weird- if the courier is willing/able to leave the parcel at your house when no one is in, why won’t they just leave it at the correct house when no one is in?!

Put a note through neighbours doors telling them ther parcel is at the end of your drive; it will be left on the street if not collected within 3 days; do not direct any couriers to leave further parcels at this address; any parcels left on your property will be immediately put into the street. You accept no responsibility or liability for any parcels left at your property and they should take this as immediate notice of that fact.

can you get a ring doorbell so you can tell the couriers to not leave parcels?
I know you shouldn’t have to but this may solve the problem?

But why are they leaving other people’s parcels on your property when you’re not there or answering the door, instead of leaving them at the actual recipient’s houses even if they’re not answering? It doesn’t quite make sense.

I have handed it to them and said I’m not accepting parcels anymore, most of the neighbours have acted and added more delivery instructions etc, but a couple of the, don’t seemed bothered.
I don’t think I can leave it on the pavement as I think it would be littering but I have left them on drives. The point has been reached where I don’t want to have to think about other peoples parcels.
I am still redirecting a couple of drivers every week when I catch them as I’m in most of the time

Mines the postcode centre, I have a normal gate, the plots are not all the same and my house has a big front garden and drive but a small back garden so I’ve garden furniture on the front lawn that stuff gets left on. It also really easy to turn round at my house

Am bemused that they are leaving parcels when you are out… because the recipient is also out? That makes no sense!

I would notify your neighbours that they need to change their delivery preferences because going forward you will be binning any parcels that are not addressed to you that are left on your property. It can constitute nuisance under the law if they are knowingly redirecting post to a neighbour without consent, so I would make clear that you feel this is the case.

I would also put bigger signs for the couriers and in very very simple language - ‘Do not leave parcels for any other addresses here. I do not accept parcels for anyone else.’

I would just move them off my property. I wouldn’t deliver them to the houses. I would just move them onto the street and so be it

Put them on the pavement and leave them there. When they keep getting rained on and ruined or stolen, your neighbours will get the message.

If they are left on your garden furniture i works bout move them, let them get rained on etc. if they want them they will collect. In time they will get the message.

Yes this one baffles me.
I have quite big signs and the parcels are still left

I just take them and drop them at their front door.

I wouldn’t touch them, just leave them on the road outside your house or wherever they are left.

If they get stolen or damaged it’s nothing to do with you.

I don't really understand why they are doing this especially if you are out too. From your description though is it simply that the other houses are hard to find? A bit of a trek? Therefore due to being on a tight schedule (which if not completed will impact their pay) they are simply taking the easy option and using your garden as a drop off point?

One thing to note is that I don't always get a picture notifying me of where a parcel has been left or even if a parcel has been. So while not the case for every parcel you receive, it might be that for some the neighbours don't realise you have their parcel and might even be contacting the companies saying it's not been delivered.

That would really annoy me OP! Can you tell from the delivery labels which courier delivered them (i think some have the courier name on the parcel), and then raise a complaint direct with the courier that you have signage saying only parcels for your address to be left, which are being ignored?

To be honest, appreciate it's a hassle, but I'd be tempted to also request the courier collects them again as an incorrect delivery each time, if you're making it a pain for them maybe they will take action themselves.

A similar sort of thing used to happen to my parents because their house was most convenient. They were at the start of a busy road and had a wide driveway. I'm sure drivers stopped there and just unloaded all the parcels for that street to save them having to negotiate the narrow road and parked cars. They didn't even try to properly deliver.

Everyone was annoyed about it. My parents and the people on the street, some 10 houses away, who weren't getting their parcels delivered.

My dad attempted to contact the bigger courier companies but nothing happened. They've moved house so I don't know if anything ever changed.

If you move the parcels to the pavement, that will be fly-tipping. Although it won't be your name and address on the parcels when the Council start to investigate... But they might still trace it to you.

I'd leave them in your garden near the gate. Around here they'd get stolen pretty quickly.