What would you do with it?

2 workmen I had never seen appeared on my doorstep, I didn't answer the door. Neighbour, who I had seen but never met then appeared and asked if they could put scaffolding partly in our garden. Thought he should have asked in advance and was annoyed that he'd sent the workmen round,but said yes of course. The scaffolding was there for 4 months. When DH encountered him and said we'd quite like it to go He apologised and said he'd be bringing us a bottle of wine. The scaffolding went. Never got the wine. He's moved now. Neighbours on the other side are nice though, and we take in parcels for each other and put out the bins when we are away.

What a pompous pig!!!

Good. It all sorted out, as such matters almost always do. Sounds like he's a bit socially awkward. No great crime. Go on being a good neighbour. He's done nothing to even remotely justify being classed as an enemy.

It's hard to understand people who don't say thank you automatically. They just sound a bit strange.
I took a box of wine glasses in for my downstairs neighbour and he was embarrassingly enthusiastic in thanking me. I wouldn't do it again for someone who didn't show basic courtesy.

You'd wonder why they would send for something then not bother collecting it. Very strange neighbours you have.

Just put it on their doorstep when you know they are in...its then their responsibility

Love to know the result of this - if the man is a wine snob you'd think he'd be miffed if you threatened to use what is in the secret box.

ha ha ha

We once took in a small parcel for the chap who lived next door, we delivered it to him and we thought that was the end of it. Every week after that we had deliveries, everything from bicycles to TVs and even live fish, and the parcels continued after he moved out
We had to contact the letting agency to get a message to him to stop the parcels. At one point we refused to accept the parcel only to find it in our porch a day or two later because they found the outside door unlocked.
I refuse to take parcels for people I don't know but DH does not refuse anyone.

Slightly off topic, We had a very large box left on our doorstep, the name/address was totally wrong, phoned courier and they collected it no bother.
A week later, it gets left again, collected again.
Guess what -- yes you guessed right, 4 times we got that box over several weeks. Whatever was in it, it was definitely very broken by the sound of it after the last delivery, I bet the courier dumped it after that.

I work from home and became increasingly annoyed at interruptions from couriers asking to leave my next door neighbours parcels.....shoes,sacks of dog biscuits......One day I refused to take it and the courier showed me evidence that ,without asking,these neighbours were supplying my address for delivery.It didn,t happen again.

you have the right to keep/consume unsolicited parcels after having them for 14 days. The date has passed. Give them an ultimatum, then drink the wine! Cheers

Would it be a real struggle for you to get to the window at 6.30 am and shout "Oi, do you want this parcel of wine or not, by the way it's £5 a day for storage".

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!

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!

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.

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

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.

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!)

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.

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 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!

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

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

That's being perfectly honest is it? Wow!