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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Neighbours parcels

26 replies

SpiceGirlsNeedAComeBack · 27/03/2026 15:33

Know this one has been done to death, but I don’t know what else to do other than telling my neighbour to go away.

For years my neighbours have been taking the biscuit with parcels. They are never home and always get them delivered here, it got to the point where I even had their family members parcels turning up who don’t even live there!
at christmas I was getting 4-5 parcels a day for them and they would take weeks to collect them saying they didn’t know where they were, even though I could hear on their ring doorbell to leave them here.

I stopped taking them when I had 20 parcels stacked up. i’ve been telling the delivery drivers I won’t take parcels anymore, all fine.
Today walking home from the school run delivery driver corners me on the driveway with them on the ring bell “oh theres SpiceGirls she will take it.” 🙄

How do I tell my neighbours nicely that I’m not a bloody sorting office and to stop taking the piss?!
Half tempted to drop over the fence and leave it at their door in the rain.

OP posts:
Ilikewinter · 27/03/2026 15:47

Why didn't you just say no !? Anyway, as you already have it, when you see them pull up in the car I would wait for them to go in, ring the doorbell and as you know they can hear you, tell them the parcel is on their doorstep - and walk off.

flowerfairyy · 27/03/2026 15:50

Just STOP taking any in, it’s simple. Stop being a complete pushover

StationJack · 27/03/2026 15:50

It's not necessarily the neighbour's fault. I get next door's sometimes and it's the delivery person doing it not them.

Refuse the parcel.

Laserwho · 27/03/2026 15:51

Ilikewinter · 27/03/2026 15:47

Why didn't you just say no !? Anyway, as you already have it, when you see them pull up in the car I would wait for them to go in, ring the doorbell and as you know they can hear you, tell them the parcel is on their doorstep - and walk off.

This. Then don't accept anymore. Maybe put a sign on the door saying you will only accept parcels for your own address.

Original poster
SpiceGirlsNeedAComeBack · 27/03/2026 15:52

StationJack · 27/03/2026 15:50

It's not necessarily the neighbour's fault. I get next door's sometimes and it's the delivery person doing it not them.

Refuse the parcel.

Edited

It’s entirely their fault, they are telling them through the ring doorbell.

OP posts:
Original poster
SpiceGirlsNeedAComeBack · 27/03/2026 15:54

I usually say no, felt awkward as they were still on the doorbell thing telling them to give it to me literally cornered me on my driveway!
Their home now and still haven’t gotten it, so I’ll give it a hour and just leave it on their doorstep with a shitty message saying I can’t take anymore parcels.

OP posts:
IlovePhilMitchell · 27/03/2026 15:56

You do know you can say no to the delivery driver? 20 parcels is absolutely rediculous.

ThejoyofNC · 27/03/2026 15:57

"Stop directing your parcels to my address, I won't be taking them anymore."

If asked why:
"Because you take the piss so I don't want to."

TragicMuse · 27/03/2026 15:58

Don’t say ‘can’t’, that gives them an opening to try and persuade you.

Say ‘I won’t’ Or ‘I don’t’ A clear statement of your intent.

If they still try to persuade you, you say ‘this is not a negotiation. I am telling you.’

Practice it to yourself so it’s fluent.

And DON’T SHOW WEAKNESS! Sod awkwardness or embarrassment. Who cares? Because they certainly don’t…

Original poster
SpiceGirlsNeedAComeBack · 27/03/2026 16:07

TragicMuse · 27/03/2026 15:58

Don’t say ‘can’t’, that gives them an opening to try and persuade you.

Say ‘I won’t’ Or ‘I don’t’ A clear statement of your intent.

If they still try to persuade you, you say ‘this is not a negotiation. I am telling you.’

Practice it to yourself so it’s fluent.

And DON’T SHOW WEAKNESS! Sod awkwardness or embarrassment. Who cares? Because they certainly don’t…

Edited

Yes you’re entirely right I must be showing weakness for them to persist like this, it’s been months since I took one of their parcels.
Need to pull my socks up and just be brutally blunt.

OP posts:
Rewis · 27/03/2026 16:15

Just dont accept the parcels. Say you won't be taking them when rhe delivery driver shows up and close the door. Better yet, if you see it is a delivery driver and you're mot expecting anything, dont open the door. Does not matter if the driver sees you or not

That being said, where i used to live the delivery driver would always leave stuff with the neighbours. I absolutely never asked them to. I always tried to get stuff to lockers if possible and always put a safe place, but they still insisted on giving it to neighbour.

Anonanonanonagain · 27/03/2026 16:44

Open them and keep the contents or dump them on the road outside. It will not be classed as your litter with their address on it.

NoCommentingFromNowOn · 27/03/2026 16:54

Channel your inner Zammo and Just Say No.

CinnamonBuns67 · 27/03/2026 17:32

Should have said "no she bloody won't" and not took the parcel. You don't have to explain yourself to the neighbour. Don't take anymore.

Liverpool52 · 27/03/2026 17:50

My neighbours used to do this when they were in their house but couldn't possibly come to the door because they were WFH (so was I) and would still take weeks to collect and wouldn't answer the door if I went round with it. So the last parcel was left on their doorstep and then I just said no every time until the delivery drivers stopped asking.

Mossstitch · 27/03/2026 18:19

I can't say no as feel sorry for the delivery drivers having to come again😔 one time had one cheeky neighbour leave all her kids Xmas presents here til after they went to bed xmas eve. I had visitors and was nearly throwing a table cloth over one box as so big in a small house with no hallway 🥴

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 27/03/2026 19:32

@Mossstitch sorry but that’s ridiculous! Why would you compromise your own Christmas for the CFs?

OP, just say NO! It doesn’t matter if they’re on their ring door bell or on the moon, you tell the delivery person NO! I don’t mind taking in parcels for people who collect straight away. Anyone who doesn’t or who doesn’t say thank you when they pick it up, I never take a parcel for them again. Simple. Just decline next time the delivery person asks.

Mossstitch · 29/03/2026 14:34

@JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn I tried knocking, she came to the door shushed me pulling the door behind her saying I can't get them the kids will see them, it was a massive box impossible to hide in small mid terraced house or car.........what was I supposed to do spoil Xmas for two little boys🤷‍♀️

RollOnSunshine · 29/03/2026 14:57

Do not open the door because that gives the delivery person opportunity to hand you the parcel. Pop open the letterbox and ask them who the parcel is addressed to. If you are not expecting any parcels then ignore the doorbell altogether.

The delivery drivers will already realise your neighbours are taking the piss so they are unlikely to be surprised if you refuse to take anymore.

If you have a window farther away and out of earshot from the neighbours doorbell then use that to have the discussion with the courier.

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 30/03/2026 07:18

Mossstitch · 29/03/2026 14:34

@JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn I tried knocking, she came to the door shushed me pulling the door behind her saying I can't get them the kids will see them, it was a massive box impossible to hide in small mid terraced house or car.........what was I supposed to do spoil Xmas for two little boys🤷‍♀️

If you hadn’t accepted the parcel she’d have had to store the box somewhere. Anyone who ‘shushed’ me, treated me as free storage and didn’t give a shiny shit about ruining my Christmas would have had the box delivered to their doorstep. You wouldn’t have ruined two little boys Christmas, she’d have done that herself by being a crap neighbour. She should have been giving you huge apologies and at the very least a box of mine pies for the inconvenience.

I would just say no to anyone who tries to deliver a parcel for her to your house. I had a neighbour like her, and I told any delivery person who tried to give me their parcels that I wouldn’t accept them as they never collected them and my house is too small to store them. They completely understood.

PollyBell · 30/03/2026 07:20

So say no

Catcatcatcatcat · 30/03/2026 07:24

You keep accepting them so there’s no point telling them that you won’t.

curious79 · 30/03/2026 07:29

Anonanonanonagain · 27/03/2026 16:44

Open them and keep the contents or dump them on the road outside. It will not be classed as your litter with their address on it.

Of course that’s theft and you could be prosecuted so maybe don’t do that

Original poster
SpiceGirlsNeedAComeBack · 30/03/2026 07:48

Well I gave it to them after they ignored it’s existence for two days Ive told them to stop telling the delivery drivers to give them to me as I am sick of dealing with their many, many parcels. They weren’t pleased put it that way apparently as I work from home it makes sense that I should take them for them? 🙄

OP posts:
Ilikewinter · 30/03/2026 08:04

SpiceGirlsNeedAComeBack · 30/03/2026 07:48

Well I gave it to them after they ignored it’s existence for two days Ive told them to stop telling the delivery drivers to give them to me as I am sick of dealing with their many, many parcels. They weren’t pleased put it that way apparently as I work from home it makes sense that I should take them for them? 🙄

OMG, entitled arseholes or what! That would make me even more determined to never take a parcel in for them ever again!!