Delivery to Neighbour:We answer most popular questions

[POSTMAN]

https://www.myroyalmail.com/news/2014/1 ... -questions" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

We’ve received lots of questions from our people about Delivery to Neighbour. Here, we look at your hot topics.

Q. Is Delivery to Neighbour optional?

We agreed with the CWU that Delivery to Neighbour is a Royal Mail Standard. This means where no opt-out exists and it’s safe and secure, Delivery to Neighbour must be attempted every time a customer is not in.*

Q. What if insufficient time is factored into walks?

Where using Delivery to Neighbour is not possible within your duty time, this may result in you extending beyond your scheduled finish time. If this happens, it will be dealt with using normal local procedures.

Q. What happens if the parcel is damaged or stolen by the neighbour?

Alternative delivery addresses should always be attempted. The only exception is where you have reviewed the alternative neighbours and have significant concerns – either over your, or the item’s, safety.

Should a complaint be made, it will be discussed with you and the CWU rep to find a mutually acceptable solution.

Q. What if a neighbour doesn’t want to take an item?

We agreed with Ofcom that if a customer doesn’t want their parcels delivered to a neighbour, or to take in parcels, they can contact customer services. They will be then be supplied with an opt-out sticker to display prominently on their property.

*Special Delivery Guaranteed and inbound International signature products are the only items exempt from Delivery to Neighbour.

[Dorset Plodder]

So if someone doesn't want to take the parcels for all their neighbours THEY'VE got to contact RM Customer Services (probably end up waiting for 30 mins on their money spinning menu hotline) and ask for a sticker?

Like that's really going to happen. Obviously thought up in some "Blue Sky Thinking/Brainstorming"exercise in an office somewhere, by shirts with no grasp of reality outside their narrow views of how customers think.

Are RM happy for neigbours to sign for parcels as well...seems to defeat the object of addressing it to a particular person...but what do I know.

[Surreypostie]

Q. What happens if the parcel is damaged or stolen by the neighbour?

Alternative delivery addresses should always be attempted. The only exception is where you have reviewed the alternative neighbours and have significant concerns – either over your, or the item’s, safety.

Should a complaint be made, it will be discussed with you and the CWU rep to find a mutually acceptable solution.

This is the bit that bothers me, if I leave with a neighbour and it is damaged or stolen, nothing will be discussed with me as I am following their instructions. The solution is not to do it.

[rinky]

Has anyone got a definition of a "neighbour"? I've tried asking the Dom but not much joy there. Our office has a majority of rural deliveries so some "neighbours" can be up to a mile away.

[Chelseablue]

Desperation it smacks of ,,

[Surreypostie]

I remember from my inducton years ago, when you take an item to the Post Office or stick a stamp on an item and pop it into a postbox, you are entering into a contract with Royal Mail for them to deliver that item to the address you write on it for that fee. Not to deliver it to an address of our choosing. If I send something via RM and it subsequently goes missing and the customer can give me the P739 or a copy of it, I'm sure I would win a case in the small claims court for breach of contract. I want items I send delivered to the address I send it to. This should be an opt in scheme not opt out.

[Surreypostie]

I also have Data protection concerns. I had a lady come to the door once and she asked me a question. The question was, Could you tell me my neighbours name please as I am issuing court proceedings against them? Now as we all know, we are not allowed to give that information so I declined as it breaches data protection laws. So imagine the next day I go back there and ask, will you take this in for your neighbour please?

[saddlerposty]

only last week I had tracked item no signature for MR w at no16, when there was no answer I thought i'll be a good little postie and try the lady at no 20 who was in. "would you mind having this for the gentleman next door but one please" sure will she replied, then it was back to no16 to leave a 739 telling him where it was.
next morning what happens ? I get to no 16 to see the same tracked item on his doorstep soaking wet!
she'd only sent one her stupid kids round with it later on, when he didn't answer because he was away overnight the little sod doorstepped it !!!!!!
from now on neighbours can feck right off.

[5plusbonusball]

Why don't we try compulsory DTB -Deliver to Bin ?? Our competitors do and get away with it and the customer is happy , we get moaned at for leaving a 739!

[tonytucker]

Don't worry about it just put a p739 in and say you tried

[rubberbond]

only last week I had tracked item no signature for MR w at no16, when there was no answer I thought i'll be a good little postie and try the lady at no 20 who was in. "would you mind having this for the gentleman next door but one please" sure will she replied, then it was back to no16 to leave a 739 telling him where it was.
next morning what happens ? I get to no 16 to see the same tracked item on his doorstep soaking wet!
she'd only sent one her stupid kids round with it later on, when he didn't answer because he was away overnight the little sod doorstepped it !!!!!!
from now on neighbours can feck right off.

Now that IS irony!

[doorstepped]

a woman I delivered some packets to, for her neighbours, ended up doorstepping them as soon as I went down the road.

I drove off up the road to deliver another parcel, and as I drove back past the original house the packets I had left with the neighbour were on the doorstep for all to see.

[Jpro747]

So if we don't have time for DTN during our work hours, we should tell the DOM following normal procedure. Who will then tell us to leave the packets (which end up not being delivered until the next day)

[POSTMAN]

Who is considered a neighbour?
There’s no legal definition of a 'neighbour' but dictionary definitions suggest it is someone that lives very close to you (Cambridge dictionary) or someone that lives next door or very close to you (Oxford dictionary).

So if your parcel is left with someone 10 doors away, you could argue that by definition, a neighbour is not someone that lives this far away.

In this instance you could argue that delivery has not taken place and that the seller is in breach of contract.

You could also argue this if, for example, you live at 5 Friendly Street and agreed that your parcel could be left with 7 Friendly Street, but it was left with a different neighbour.

http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/ ... -having-it" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[postslippete]

2 complaints received in the last few weeks...


1. When a large tracked parcel was left with a neighbour 4 doors away, the intended recipient rung to complain customer services that her neighbour did not have the parcel. Are they lying or has the neighbour kept the item??

2. A customer rang up customer services to ask why their parcel has been left with the neighbour. They were not aware of the opt out of the delivery to neighbour sticker.


I agree with micksurrey, not all customers want a stupid royal mail sticker on their letterbox just to tell a postman to take the item back to the office if no one is in. It smacks of Royal Mail forcing their own way with their own customers and shooting themselves in the foot when customers complain about missing items.

It should be an Opt in scheme NOT Opt out. Then the customer is liable if we have left the item next door at no. 7 or whatever