What would you do with it?

Note in door saying please collect within 3 days or you will be forced to drink it. Then offer to post the results of your wine tasting through their letter box.

I agree with whitewave, but the wine would probably be wasted on me as I'll drink almost anything!

Great idea whitewave - would it be legal I wonder? I mean if I give them notice then can I assume they have abandoned it and claim ownership myself

Could you pop a note through their door asking them to collect it. It's possible the courier didn't put a note in. Other than that I think the only thing you can do is leave it outside, if you had an idea of his return time you could perhaps leave it just before he is due back. Might give you a bottle to say "thank you"!!

I did put a note through the door the last time I called round, the day before yesterday.

Put a note through their door asking them to collect the parcel as soon as possible as it is rather large and in the way.
If nothing happens leave on front step. You could try about 6. I5 am. Just before he goes to work.
Then go back to bed.
At least you would be rid of it!
I take it that you will not be accepting any more parcels on their behalf.
On a different note have you actually seen them leave the house ?
Are they ok?

It is not yours to do anything other than hand it over to the owners, you are the temporary custodian on your neighbours' behalf.
Put your own note through their door telling them that you have tried to contact them to tell them of their parcel which is in your house. If no reply is received you will assume that it is in order for you to arrange for the parcel to be returned to the sender if you don't hear from them within 7 days.
This is reasonable after you have already taken care of it for 10 days.

In the past I have taken parcels etc in, and asked the courier to inform the recipients. They did not, and now the company is defunct. I had to inform.

One person did not reply to the couriers, so I posted the letter in the bin.

Madam came round about 3 weeks later, so I told her what I had done.

Not best pleased.

Now I do not take anything in at all.

Synon . The address should have senders details on it. Send them an email

As you say jollyg there will in all probability be an email address on the parcel.
If not and the 7 days go by I would feel quite justified in opening the parcel and getting the company details off the shipping note. It is highly possible that rather than have the parcel shipped back to them the company will allow you to keep it if you have made a note of all your efforts to contact your neighbours. You never know and I have known this to happen! Then you can enjoy with a clear conscience.

If you know someone leaves at 6.30 in the morning, you must be awake, so I would suggest if you really, want to get rid of the parcel, put your dressing gown on, and take it to the house just as the person is leaving - it gives it's own message. (No idea where this typeface came from must check it out!).

To be perfectly honest, if these people are that rude that they can't be bothered, then I would keep the box( no matter what was in it) and if/when they do come round I would tell them I had left it outside their door.

Put it outside their door. You've done all you can.

That's being perfectly honest is it? Wow!

Or chuck it out of the window as soon as you hear the gate squeak.

aquagran I think petra is being perfectly honest about what she would do!

I have taken in parcels for my neighbour, large heavy boxes of frozen meat. She then either knocked far too early the next day or too late in the evening & woke my granddaughter! On the only occasion she took a parcel for me when I knocked (at a reasonable hour) she was rude! I don't take parcels for her anymore!
I suggest you leave it outside their door with a note telling them you have no intention of taking another one for them!! Very rude!

I would put a note through their door saying thanks for the wine - it was yummy hic! and then when they come round to complain I would give them a piece of my mind and hand the box over.

I think it might be theft to not give someone something they have bought. You should probably contact the courier.

A friend had a neighbour who lived up a small track past her house. Apparently the neughbour was a nasty old git.
As his house was difficult to find parcels were often left on my friends door step. The old git didn't like anyone going near his house so after one parcel was sitting on her porch unclaimed for several weeks she peeked at it and found it full of porn magazines.

It's not up to you to have to arrange to send it back, put a note through their door asking them to collect it pdq and say you will then put it on their front doorstep and never take in another parcel for them ( you won't anyway!)

What time do you go to bed ? Put it on their doorstep last thing at night and if you have a camera phone take a pic.

It is not your responsibility once you have informed them that you have it and left a note etc.

You agreed with courier you would assist in them getting it that is all. If he goes off to work so early it is unlikely to be stolen and if it is on his doorstep he can take it in.

Be polite, true to yourself. Final note, say if they cannot collect then for their convenience you will put outside door at...on.... Do it. Refuse future parcels - you don't need to tell them that. in the unlikely event the parcel doesn't disappear, worry about whether they are dead.

I had a friend just like them, part of a small friendship. We just couldn't keep the friendship going because of the reluctance to accept contact. Still feel guilty though, mad as it is

I think you have to give them a firm and short timed ultimatum making it clear that you will dispose of the wine after that and also politely but unequivocally point out that it is not convenient for you to store it free of charge for them any longer.
You could contact the courier but I doubt they would do anything as they are not the sellers and will have already been paid and you are not obliged to actually arrange its return. If it's not too heavy then putting it on their doorstep at a time you've notified them of seems reasonable.
After the ultimatum, give it away. Then you can say that you disposed of it.
They sound a little odd and they may be having problems of some kind but you are not asking anything unreasonable.
I am really lucky that I have neighbours who take parcels in and I do for them but otherwise, apart from Christmas cards and saying hello if we pass on the stairs, we keep to ourselves.

Thanks for all your replies. I think they must be members of Gransnet because the husband called round last night! We had a very short chat about how lovely the weather is and how nice it is where we live and I said that yes it was great because we had such good neighbours! He left without saying thank you or explaining the delay in collecting the parcel. No I don't think I will be taking in any more for them!

Find an empty wine bottle, wash the label off and leave it outside their door with a note in the neck giving a spoof wine review and telling them you will be drinking them one at a time until they get round to collecting the parcel.Bet they will be there asap!