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Oh FFS, not another one!

(38 Posts)
Indinana Tue 26-Jan-16 11:33:35

Honestly, I sometimes feel we have a big sign out front, saying "Parcel Drop Off Point". We're not the only retirees in our part of the road - there is an older couple next door and another couple three doors down - but we seem to be the ones who take everyone's parcels in for them. We've had two this morning, and I'm afraid I did have a bit of a moan at the second one. I did quickly apologise though, because I know it's not the delivery person's fault!
There is one fellow a couple of doors down who has a regular delivery of wine - a big box - and he's always at work. The other day someone across the road was out when there were two big and very heavy parcels for them. Then they came to collect them while they could see I was outside cleaning my car. Oh don't worry, I'll just stop what I'm doing, turn the hose off, don't mind me angry. On the rare occasions when we're not in, there is never anyone to take our parcels in for us - we have to traipse down to the Royal Mail depot, or ring TNT to arrange another date.
DH said we should just stop answering the door to them if we know it's not for us. (Mind you, that ploy would have meant me not getting my unexpected iPad win from GN a couple of weeks ago shock)

Jalima Tue 26-Jan-16 19:34:18

I don't think it's a case of the neighbours not asking; I think the delivery person looks around to see if there is a house with a car in the drive, a light on or signs of life and brings the parcel there in the hope it will be taken in and collected by the addressee later.

Well, I had a nice smile and a thank you from my (fairly) new neighbour this evening when she came in the driving rain to collect her box! smile
And I don't want anything other than a thank you as I may need them to do the same for me one day.

Jalima Tue 26-Jan-16 19:35:39

it is all part and parcel see what i did there?
grin and [groan] Gill

Jalima Tue 26-Jan-16 19:37:41

I'm sure that Indinana is a lovely neighbour, just as we are!!

It's ok to have a tongue in cheek whinge (as I said, we are renaming our house with a PO Box number grin)

Maggieanne Tue 26-Jan-16 20:09:53

It must be nice to have neighbours that appreciate you! We, and several other neighbours, have taken in parcels for my next-door neighbour only to find out that either she, or her teenage son were at home, refusing to answer the door. I think that she was wary of anyone coming to her door, one postman knocked only to hear her scream, yes, I do mean scream, "who is it?" in an aggressive way. The other side asked us to look after their cat time after time, even when they went off to Australia for three weeks, we took it in turns with her mum, who came to stay for the second week, we did weeks one and three. And were they grateful, no they blooming well were not. Mum came to pick up the key, couldn't be bothered to even say thank you and just scowled and walked off. We also had their parcels, which took them three or four days to come round for. I did ask why she had left it for so long once and she told me that we were out when she came round! Really, out for three days, I don't think so. I don't mind taking in parcels but I'm not delivering them as well, cheek. Sorry, but we have a weird lot on people round here.

edmontonkitty Wed 27-Jan-16 07:43:04

Clearly I don't understand the semantics of this forum: FFS, an acronym for extreme vulgarity, is somehow acceptable but my post was hostile and rude??? Mollie - I got that the post was tongue in cheek. My first post was also tongue in cheek hence putting OP's words in quotes, the ludicrous suggestion that I would wake someone up at 5am to ask for a parcel and the use of an exclamation mark. I truly believe that a neighbour coming to ask me about their parcel while I was washing the car would be such a minor thing that I would not dream of venting on a forum about it. (Come to think of it, it wouldn't even count as a "thing" at all - just a chat with a neighbour.) It would not occur to me that this would be a problem for anyone. But apparently it was such a big deal for the OP that she needs to use a profanity to introduce the subject.

Alima Wed 27-Jan-16 08:11:59

We are lucky in that round here we all take in parcels for each other. I suppose things are more often left with us as we are around more often and our porch has become a good drop off point. Our nearest sorting office is nearly ten miles away so it saves a trek.
It is handy being able to get parcels delivered to work addresses but our DD was texted the weekend before Christmas to be told that her parcel would "be delivered tomorrow", a Sunday. Oops!
(It is cold callers that we find very annoying, really must get one of those door stickers).

mollie Wed 27-Jan-16 08:19:48

Perhaps FFS was a bit 'angry' for the rest of the post edmontonkitty but I think you and I have just demonstrated how easy it is to misread the written word. I wondered if you were also being 'tongue in cheek' but couldn't decide for certain. I don't think any of us on this thread are that cross about our neighbours but it makes for a good conversation...pax?

Alea Wed 27-Jan-16 08:21:55

If you mind that much (FFS being a clue) you could simply refuse to take any parcels in, say you are leaving in half an hour for a 6 week holiday in Australia/a cruise/a major operation in hospital/moving house.
Remember the drugs advice of our childhood?
Just say No.

Imperfect27 Wed 27-Jan-16 08:26:03

Well said mollie - it is so easy to misread the written word. That's
the risk we all take - not worth an argument xx

NanaandGrampy Wed 27-Jan-16 08:35:13

I used to work from home in an upstairs room and live in a small cul de sac so often had my doorbell rung to take in parcels.

As my mobility is bad I couldn't just run up and down stairs so used to have to open the upstairs window and yell out !!

Many a bemused delivery driver would be looking all round for the source of the voice !!

I don't mind taking parcels in but I draw the line at delivering. We have a reasonably good Yodel driver who does leave cards but I've heard some real nightmare stories about some Yodel drivers. ( My DD1 is one and she has some stories too smile !!

cc Wed 27-Jan-16 12:33:37

I don't mind doing it either, we're retired and often in. My immediate neighbours often take parcels in for me too. Certainly worth the effort when compared with having to trawl off the the sorting office to pick up Royal Mail undelivered items.
We also once had a delivery thrown over the back wall by a courier, it hit the side door and set off the burglar alarm. By the time we returned there was a crowd of concerned neighbours milling around outside! Nice to know they care though, certainly wouldn't have happened when we lived in London, unless they wanted to complain about the noise!

ricky43 Wed 27-Jan-16 20:28:17

I take in theirs and they take in mine so it really is not a problem!!