Delivery firms asking me to take packages in for neighbours

Broadwood

bugslet wrote: »

There's always one aileth!

Mostly I get stuff delivered to work, every now and then something slips through the net and goes to home, in which case my very lovely retired neighbours sign for it.

I'm rarely in when they are to reciprocate, but I'd be more than happy to do so for them; as easy says, it oils the wheels of life.

Edit: collabora, I've been in haulage my entire life and multi drop to houses is one of the hardest jobs to do, it'd drive me nuts!

I agree there are positives and negatives with regard to taking parcels for neighbours but this problem is only going to get worse as more folk order online and more houses/flats are empty during acceptable delivery hours.

Anyone who might think that multi-drop delivery is an easy job should try it for just a day. It was bad enough in the 80s and 90s when I was doing 150-plus drops a day - it's even worse now with less people at home. I'm just glad to have retrained for HGV artics with a max of 3 calls a day and often never touching a parcel.

missg2210

my neighbour is quite old and in - he has joked that he is a PO BOX.

He does not mind and when we are in and he isnt we do the same for his son. I also take in for anyone on the road because I would like to think they would do the same for me - regardless if they know me or not

barbiedoll

My husband works nights, so having delivery drivers knocking on the door all day is really not convenient when he's trying to get some sleep. That's why we don't take parcels in for our (lovely) neighbours. We have told them this, and we have other neighbours at home all day, who are quite happy to take parcels in, including ours!

I do feel for the delivery drivers though, it's a horrible job.

Peter333

easy wrote: »

You know what? Taking in a parcel for someone who has missed the delivery is just a kind and considerate thing to do.
A little bit of consideration just helps to oil the wheels of life a little.

But hey, no-one says you have to do it if you don't want to. But don't be surprised if you don't get any help from a neighbour on the day your car won't start, or they don't water your garden if there is a sudden heatwave when you are on holiday.

I do tend to believe "you reap what you sow" in this life.

Dreamnine wrote: »

What are you sowing by not taking in parcels for people who chose not to be at home to accept them?

Lots of people don't know who their neighbours are; why should they assume responsibility for their delivery issues?

I have to agree. And I am baffled that that post (by 'easy') received 8 'thanks.' Very strange.

So what the poster (easy) is saying, is if someone does not take parcels in for people, then they are a bad person who doesn't deserve any help from anyone ever?

What an odd post. I get on well with 4 or 5 of my neighbours, and would take in packages for those 4 or 5 people. Also I would help someone start their car, and have mowed the lawn for a neighbour when they were away for 3 months over summer 2012. I have also waited in a neighbour's house for them when they were expecting a 3 piece suite. But I don't see why I should take in packages for random people I don't know. The post from 'easy' makes little sense to me. The analogies are just weird.

People have outlined many decent and valid reasons for not accepting parcels. Yes maybe if it's someone who you know very well and have known for years or get on with very well; maybe you can accept them. But in many cases, some people don't know their neighbours well; especially in this day and age, when there are so many transient private tenants. I have had several bad experiences too, of taking in packages for people, and as I said, I will only do it for those 4 or 5 neighbours I know well.

Nobody should be expected to take responsibility for someone else's parcels really. They should make sure they - or someone else - is there to accept the package, or leave delivery instructions for the delivery driver.

I have to say though, I do feel sorry for the delivery drivers. I would not like that job.

SailorSam

I've just been next door to give them a parcel that i took in for them this morning. The daughter buys quite a lot from catalogues or online.

Hedgehog99

If I ran a company that sent out goods, I would have clear details in my Ts & Cs for customers to read before ordering, so that they would know whether I was able to deliver to an address other than the cardholder's registered address.
If customers contacted me in advance, I'd let them choose their delivery day (radical, I know!) instead of a nice vague period of time where I try the first day (ooo, they're out during normal working hours, wonder why...) & then leave a card to say I'll be back the same time next day (which is too late for the customer to arrange time off even if they wanted to - duh).

I've been caught out thinking I had arranged a specific day. Booked the day off, but got home the day before to find a SYWO card. Ahrgh! ...but then, just to confound it, that company didn't have a "try the next day" policy, so I said ring me with 1 h notice. He rang me when he was outside my house. Double Duh.

Then there are the ones who let you order w/o aying it has to be signed for. You go to work thinking they'll use your garage etc, but get a bleeping SYWO card when you get home.

I get as much as possible delivered to work or relatives.

Since I am usually at work, I don't often get asked to take in parcels, but I wouldn't want to take them for neighbours I don't know. Too much responsibility / risk of being accused of stealing. I don't like my parcels to be left with neighbours either - had one once who just left it on my doorstep where it could have been stolen.

Ilona

If I see a delivery van outside and the driver going to a neighbours house, and I know there is no one in, I will go outside and offer to take the parcel in. They are usually pleased as it saves them coming back. I know what a hard job it is to set off in the morning with 100 deliveries plus pickups, because I did it.

I know my neighbours comings and goings, they have to go to work, I will help if I can. No one will have to take in a parcel for me, because I don't buy anything online, and never have any parcels.

I like being neighbourly.
Ilona

Paully232000

Some parcel delivery cos don't want to leave parcels though. I was outside my childminders house last week and was waiting for her to get back home as i was a bit early. A parcel delivery driver came and I said to him I would hold on to it if he wanted but he said no as he would get into trouble for leaving it with someone else. He was very pleasant about it.

But then, I suppose I could have been any random person waiting outside the house and run off with the parcel. He went off and not sure when the parcel was redelivered.

willo65

jaylee3 wrote: »

Am I the only one who gets irked by this LOL?

Yes I know it's a trivial vent, before the 'first world problems' and 'you must lead a blessed life if this is all you have to worry about!' comments come out.

It's more of a 'I'm fed up of it,' and 'is anyone else fed up of it too' kind of post.

It happens not too often (maybe 5-7 times a year,) but I hate it when a delivery driver knocks my door and asks me to take something in for a neighbour. For a start, I don't really know many of the neighbours (they seem OK, but they're not 'friends,') and I don't like taking responsibility for someone else's goods. I also had a bad experience of this several years ago, when someone had an item delivered, and I signed for it, and gave it to them later that day, and they told the company who sent it that I never gave them the item.

I also think that the person who is having an item delivered usually knows these days what time it's due (roughly) because you can track it. So why does that person not make sure they are in at that time, or why do they not ask for it to be left in an outbuilding, or make sure someone is in their house to receive it, or ask a neighbour who they know, to accept it for them beforehand. And then they can sign a docket when that nominated neighbour hands the package over, to say they received it off them when they get the package off them. (This covers everyone then. )

If *I* have to sign to say I have received a neighbour's package, then they should have to sign to say they had it off me. So when the delivery company gives me the package and takes my signature, they should give me something for the neighbour to sign, for when I give it to the neighbour.

Whenever I send for anything, I leave instructions to leave it in the garage if I am not in (although I do try and make sure I am in - or someone is) for when the delivery is due. I think it's unfair to expect people to have to take responsibility for my packages. I don't expect people I don't really know to do it for me, and I don't expect to have to do it for anyone else.

This morning someone came from a certain delivery firm and asked me to take in a package for someone 3 doors up. I had my excuse ready. I said 'sorry, I am going away in an hour or 2 for a few days, and there is no guarantee of when I will give the person the package.' He said 'Oh ok then,' and went. He knocked on 3 or 4 other doors down the road, and nobody answered, then he knocked on one opposite (but down the road a bit,) and still came back up the road with the package, so that person must have said no too.

Like I said, the recipient should have arranged for someone to take it in for them if they knew they weren't going to be in.

Anyone else get a bit narked with being asked to take packages in?

Whilst I can appreciate your frustration I often end up with parcels left with neighbours, unfortunately as there are only two of us and we both work full time it is not possible to be home for the delivery.

Your post appears to lay the blame with the recipient when I would say it is the delivery company you should blame, every time I order I am fully prepared to be carded and to collect from the depot, unfortunately most delivery companies won't let you collect unless delivery has been attempted and at this point I have no power to stop them knocking at a neighbours property.

Edwood_Woodwood

I work shifts and delivery drivers are a bloody nuisance.

I had a Royal Mail "Don't leave parcels" sign on my door thinking other firms would get the hint but no.

So I made another myself along the lines of "shiftworker, please don't disturb" which they continue to ignore.

It's not nice being woken up at 8am when I have just got to sleep at 6am after a double shift!

Delivery drivers also block roads and cause chaos on their rounds thinking they are the only people in the country who are working and have deadlines.