This mum is refusing to take in parcels for neighbours - would you do the same?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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The last minute Christmas shoppers among us are waiting nervously for parcels to arrive amid the panic to get everything in-hand for the big day.

If you're regularly out during the day, have you ever spared a thought for those neighbours who have taken countless parcels for you?

Have you ever thought about what happens if you're on the other side of the coin? Those who work from home, or are looking after young children?

Now, a frustrated Mumsnet user , a childminder, took to the parenting forum to ask if they were would be unreasonable to refuse neighbours parcels after being "inundated" daily, to the point where parcels "block the hallway" and couriers "banging on the door" woke the children she was looking after.

The original poster, under the screen name Enwi, wrote: "Every single day, the postman knocks on my door and asks me to take in a parcel for a next door neighbour - almost always the same neighbour, but we’ve had a parcel for most houses on the street at some point.

"My usual postman is pretty good and knows I have babies sleeping, but still as the nursery is directly above the front door babies get woken. We also have loads of other delivery drivers who aren’t as considerate, and knock so ridiculously hard on the door it frightens the life out of me.

"The parcels sometimes take up my entire hallway which is already tight with children’s bags, coats, car seats etc."

But the Mumsnet user worries about refusing the parcels, in case they are Christmas presents that need to be in hand ready for the big day.

They added: "I know the neighbourly thing to do is just to take the parcel, but I’m really annoyed that said neighbour just assumes I’m fine with receiving her deliveries every single day.

"DP [Dear Partner] told me to put up a sign saying ‘no deliveries please’, but I don’t want to not be able to receive my own parcels.
"Am I a total Grinch? Do I need to go and speak to the neighbour and clarify that I won’t be receiving parcels anymore? How do I do that without sounding like an unreasonable cow?"

The majority of parents on the forum agreed, speaking of the frustration of being called upon day after day and "treating them like a parcel depot".

But what is the legal situation? Here are some guidelines from the Mirror :
It is important to note from the outset that when you order something from a retailer, your agreement is with the retailer, not with any third party used during the delivery process.

But parcel price comparison site ParcelHero has warned that deliveries which have been signed for by a neighbour present something of a grey area when it comes to consumer rights if there is anything wrong with the delivery.

For example, what happens if your neighbour accepts a parcel on your behalf, but when you open the box the item is damaged?

ParcelHero says this will come down to whether you named the neighbour as a delivery option at the outset.

If you did, then the retailer will claim that delivering to them is no different to delivering the item directly to you, which they will use to try to deny you compensation.

If you didn’t give permission for the item to be delivered to the neighbour, then you can claim the retailer is in breach of contract, meaning it can still be considered undelivered and is therefore the responsibility of the vendor.

What if it's been stolen?
What happens if a neighbour accepts a parcel, only for it to be stolen before you collect it?

Believe it or not, this has happened recently according to ParcelHero, with an elderly gentleman accepting delivery of some dresses for their neighbour.

He then went out, at which point he was burgled, with the thieves making off with the delivery package sat by the front door.

The retailer argued that the order had been delivered safely, so it was no longer the firm’s responsibility.

But the man’s insurer argued that as the dresses were not his property they are not covered by his home contents insurance.

The final decision hasn’t been made public, though ParcelHero reckons that unless it could be proven that he had failed to take “reasonable care” of the parcel - for example by leaving a door or window wide open - then it is unlikely that the neighbour can be held personally responsible.

Nonetheless the elderly neighbour was threatened with prosecution as a result of the burglary.

They signed for it, but now it has disappeared
It’s bad enough if things go wrong when your neighbour is trying to be nice when collecting a delivery on your behalf. But what happens if they accept the delivery, and then deny it, holding onto your goods?

Which? point out that again it all comes down to whether you gave specific delivery instructions to leave the parcel with that neighbour.


If you did, then the seller is not responsible if something goes wrong, but if you didn’t you can claim breach of contract.

As a result you should be entitled to a replacement from the retailer.

[NWpostie]

It would depend on how well you get on with your neighbour however if it comes to the point where they take it for granted that you will take parcels without any acknowledgement and or a thank you present for taking the parcels in.

I would then decline to take the parcels in, after all you're taking responsibility for the parcel and doing a favour, you just simply say to the courier that you're "unable" to take the parcel in, if they skills just say you can't take it in anymore due time or "out".

I don't mind doing favour when it's appreciated, it stops when I'm taken advantage of.

[hans solo]

its not doing a favour anymore though
all the courier companies are taking the public for granted
using them as a third party to their delivery spec saving them millions on returned items and saving on staff

[taurus88]

I only deliver to neighbours now where they're good friends, or even - and this is surprisingly common - where they're related. In fairness, there are still some very close neighbours so the opportunity to deliver to a neighbour is more common than you'd expect, but I grew sick and tired of the other type of delivering to a neighbour, where I felt like an idiot asking them to take a parcel for somebody they didn't know, didn't want to know, and whose existence they were only dimly aware of.

[WOBBLY]

There's loads of neighbours who won't take parcels in for various reasons!! Cant say I blame them tbh!!

[postslippete]

There a guy who routinely orders parcels everyday and is never in and sometimes its rather funny watching other couriers knock on at least 4 other doors before admitting defeat and bringing the parcel back to the van. Maybe its cause the residents are just sick and fed up of taking his parcels in and never getting a thanks in return.

[TheTrolleyMan]

Most of the parcels are for their " left home " kids who use their parents as Mail Mugs and are now getting their parents neighbours to act as " butlers " for them ! I don't blame people for not taking in neighbours parcels . Not your parcel = Not your problem !

[Chelseablue]

Bcause of the way things are the public all think were just a courier nowadays and should be leaving all there parcels round the back ,doorstep etc . Were now all lumped in with the so called competition . Hate the way this once great company has went downhill rapidly bcause of greed .