Courier Delivery.

hillbillymum

Hello we are having issues with DPD. 
We live in a rural area, have dogs and on a fast road. When DPD deliver, the driver insists that he will only give us our packages if we open our gates. I always decline as the risk is too great if i meet him and I have our dogs with me. No dogs nota problem gate is opened. However even if the dogs are out, there is a space in our fence where it is easy to pass and receive parcels and other couriers use this as does our postman. DPD refuses.. Instead he puts a 'sorry you were out' card in my postbox, even as im standing at the fence, takes my package gets in his van and drives away.  The last time he did this he took my package to a pick up point 5 miles away from my home. It took me just over an hour in traffic to be able to collect it.  Today he even took my photo as I stood by the fence to include on his 'sorry you were out' card. 
He is regularly rude and has shouted at my daughter. 
Im aware my issues are first world ones especially with what is happeneing right now, but needed a rant and I hope thats ok. 

ssparks2003

Perhaps this post would have been better suited to the praise, vent and warnings board if you just want to rant. Or you could make a complaint to DPD if you actually want to do something move 

cx6

You could also let the sender know - they presumably won't be happy about this sort of behaviour towards their customer.

born_again

Look at it from drivers point of view. Passing through fence could be to anyone. Where as opening gate will given them more confidence it is house owner.
On the dogs side. Take them back in house. 

hillbillymum

Hello and thank you fr commenting,
I have complained to DPD and let the sender know. The senior management team have said that despite my having photo id to show to the driver and being inside the threshold of my property, it wasnt good enough for them to allow me to have my parcel. They were fairly abrupt with their response. The sender have said they will complain. 
The dogs issue is hard as we are a smallholding set up, the drivers dont always turn up in the window given frequently arrivng later than stated. i accept it is out of their control but  to add further to the issue there may be other livestock on the yard when the courier arrives. The property is a project thats still in progress with the entrance being the last part to be completed. 
Re passing thru the fence, I take your point and apologize that Im terrible at telling stories. He was supposed to ask for photo Id, that was an advertised condition of delivery. I had my driving licence ready.. he didnt ask for it. So theoretically,  I could have opened my gate I could have stood inside my property and received the parcel and  he would have had no idea whether I was who I claimed to be. But as far as DPD are concerned that would have fulfilled their delivery. 

hillbillymum

Sorry and If anyone has any other advice on the matter id gladly hear it. 
Thanks 

comeandgo

Could you put a parcel box just outside your gate?  

Manxman_in_exile

What is the problem with the dogs?  Is it that you are afraid that if the gate is open they will run out onto the busy road?

If that is the only problem then my take would be that you need to find somewhere (or somehow) close to the gate to secure the dogs if the gate needs to be opened to take a delivery. 

Also - and I don't want this to sound critical - but if you are on a small holding, aren't the dogs sufficiently under your control for you to be confident they will not run out if the gate is opened?

Apart from that, agree with comeandgo.  Put a secure parcel box outside the gate.

(NB - To a large extent I can understand DPD point of view as until the goods are delivered into the addressee's physical possession, the seller remains technically liable for it.  An unattended parcel box might not qualify as your "physical possession".)

hillbillymum

Thanks everyone, dogs under control but we are on a national speed limit road  and there are never guarantees. ive seen accidents happen from similar circumstances, not prepared to take the risk 
parcel box not good enough apparently  
We no longer buy from anyone who uses DPD.  I spoke with someone from DPD who stated driver should use his common sense as we have proof of id and are inside our property and it is only since our current driver took over the route that we have had the problem. 

custardy

hillbillymum said:

Thanks everyone, dogs under control but we are on a national speed limit road  and there are never guarantees. ive seen accidents happen from similar circumstances, not prepared to take the risk 
parcel box not good enough apparently  
We no longer buy from anyone who uses DPD.  I spoke with someone from DPD who stated driver should use his common sense as we have proof of id and are inside our property and it is only since our current driver took over the route that we have had the problem. 

Companies are great at saying this sort of thing but not actually putting it into the processes the drivers sign off to follow
Get on the wrong end of a denial of receipt claim as a delivery driver and see how long that 'common sense' stands up vs not following procedure.

Fosterdog

Did something happen when he took over the round to maybe explain this attitude? I can't imagine he has this sort of attitude with everyone on his round or he would have constant complaints against him and then they would investigate so there must be a reason (even if it's petty on his end) why he's being like this.