Just a Vent About Neighbors

[Christine]

So, I've lived in my neighborhood over 20 years. Most of my neighbors have been here that long or close to it. No one in our neighborhood really knows each other. We wave and know our names but that's the extent of it. It's a "commuting/working" area and most people just keep to themselves.

Several months ago, as part of my son's new job, his company let him know that he would be receiving a welcome basket. We never got it and at some point, the welcome basket was mentioned in an email. Something like "Well, it's almost time to start, hopefully you are enjoying your swag from your gift basket..." My son emailed them and let them know he never got it. They told him they had a receipt confirmation from FEDEX (which they sent to us). A person about 5 homes up from us had signed for it. FEDEX delivered to the wrong house or the company had the wrong address. But it was marked in my son's name. Now, to their benefit, the people who received it may not know our last name, but they signed for it and could have told FEDEX it wasn't their package. They could have contacted the HOA president who is few houses away and asked about it. Nope, they kept it. Gift cards, small gifts, etc. were in it. By the time we figured it out months had gone by and I was not of a mind to confront these people.

So today, I was home all day teleworking but apparently when I was down in my basement, I did not hear a knock on the door. We have a doorbell that rings all over the house, but I won't hear a door knock. At some point today, I opened my front door and there was a note from a florist that they tried to deliver flowers to me but I wasn't there so they were left with "your neighbor." No address. I called the florist and they don't know which of my 5 adjacent neighbors they left it with. It's been all day and no one has brought them by either. I guess I'm not getting them and really don't know who sent them. I suspect it was someone from my office because I've been home on a short medical leave (really, nothing worthy of flowers!!!). I've not been feeling overly well today so not in the mood to throw some clothes on to go knock on everyone's door (we have large lots so it's quite a bit of a walk).

Anyway, I guess I'm being cranky but who does this?? I guess I get that someone probably doesn't want to be bothered delivering the flowers and maybe they don't know who they are for.

 

[kirstenb1]

We occasionally get packages mistakenly delivered here that have someone else's address and name on them. It really isn't that hard to figure out who the intended recipient was. It's hard to imagine the justification gymnastics involved to keep something with a neighbor's name on it.

 

[Shanti]

So, I've lived in my neighborhood over 20 years. Most of my neighbors have been here that long or close to it. No one in our neighborhood really knows each other. We wave and know our names but that's the extent of it. It's a "commuting/working" area and most people just keep to themselves.

Several months ago, as part of my son's new job, his company let him know that he would be receiving a welcome basket. We never got it and at some point, the welcome basket was mentioned in an email. Something like "Well, it's almost time to start, hopefully you are enjoying your swag from your gift basket..." My son emailed them and let them know he never got it. They told him they had a receipt confirmation from FEDEX (which they sent to us). A person about 5 homes up from us had signed for it. FEDEX delivered to the wrong house or the company had the wrong address. But it was marked in my son's name. Now, to their benefit, the people who received it may not know our last name, but they signed for it and could have told FEDEX it wasn't their package. They could have contacted the HOA president who is few houses away and asked about it. Nope, they kept it. Gift cards, small gifts, etc. were in it. By the time we figured it out months had gone by and I was not of a mind to confront these people.

So today, I was home all day teleworking but apparently when I was down in my basement, I did not hear a knock on the door. We have a doorbell that rings all over the house, but I won't hear a door knock. At some point today, I opened my front door and there was a note from a florist that they tried to deliver flowers to me but I wasn't there so they were left with "your neighbor." No address. I called the florist and they don't know which of my 5 adjacent neighbors they left it with. It's been all day and no one has brought them by either. I guess I'm not getting them and really don't know who sent them. I suspect it was someone from my office because I've been home on a short medical leave (really, nothing worthy of flowers!!!). I've not been feeling overly well today so not in the mood to throw some clothes on to go knock on everyone's door (we have large lots so it's quite a bit of a walk).

Anyway, I guess I'm being cranky but who does this?? I guess I get that someone probably doesn't want to be bothered delivering the flowers and maybe they don't know who they are for.

I would have politely asked those thieving neighbors for my gift card basket.

I'm sorry these are your neighbors, btw.

 

[Colleen27]

I'd have gone to talk to the neighbors about the basket *and* complained to FEDEX since they have a signature receipt for having delivered it to the wrong address. That's just ridiculous.

I didn't know anyone still did the "leave it with a neighbor" thing any more! I wouldn't be thrilled with that either, even though I know all my neighbors relatively well. I'd ask the florist who it was left with and politely inform them that I didn't appreciate my package being left with a stranger who happened to live nearby.

 

[MrsCobraBubbles]

That sucks, swag baskets are awesome! Seems like one of your neighbors thinks so too...

Florists do that "left with a neighbor" thing all the time. I used to live on a farm, my elderly neighbors' house could just barely be seen from my front porch but I couldn't count the number of times the florists left their flowers/gift baskets with me and I had to deliver it! They were a sweet older couple--the husband was deaf and the wife was paranoid and wouldn't answer the door if she wasn't expecting anyone--and they had a bunch of kids that lived out of state and were constantly sending their parents flowers, plants, and gift baskets. I always thought it was weird that the florists would do that, it's like something out of the 1950s, who trusts people like that anymore? How would they know if I just kept the flowers for myself? Do they even care?

 

[mummabear]

It's hard to imagine the justification gymnastics involved to keep something with a neighbor's name on it.

I would have thought it was illegal.

 

[Christine]

That sucks, swag baskets are awesome! Seems like one of your neighbors thinks so too...

Florists do that "left with a neighbor" thing all the time. I used to live on a farm, my elderly neighbors' house could just barely be seen from my front porch but I couldn't count the number of times the florists left their flowers/gift baskets with me and I had to deliver it! They were a sweet older couple--the husband was deaf and the wife was paranoid and wouldn't answer the door if she wasn't expecting anyone--and they had a bunch of kids that lived out of state and were constantly sending their parents flowers, plants, and gift baskets. I always thought it was weird that the florists would do that, it's like something out of the 1950s, who trusts people like that anymore? How would they know if I just kept the flowers for myself? Do they even care?

Yeah, I'm not sure why it wasn't just left on my front door. The heat maybe? I guess they would have quickly wilted.

At any rate, both my husband and I were feeling poorly yesterday and were not in the mood to walk around to the various houses. He's going to do that this morning once it is a respectable time. The florist opens at 10AM so I may be calling them back also, at least to find out who sent them so I can give a thank you.

 

[Christine]

I would have thought it was illegal.

My memory is a bit hazy on this part but I believe the company had input the wrong address: our address ends with "11" in the last two digits and they had put "22" in the house number or something. But my son's name was clear and correct on the label. Either they just didn't read it and thought it was for them, realized it wasn't when they opened it and were embarrassed. I don't know. By the time we had figured it out, months had gone by. It was delivered in November and it was probably February before we figured out that he never got it.

 

[anniemae]

That stinks. I didn't think they left things with neighbors anymore. If I'm not home, stuff gets left on the front step. I would be livid about the gift basket, but not much you can do at this point. Let us know if you find the flowers.

 

[jdb in AZ]

When we weren't home a florist left our flowers with the neighbors, but he also left a note on our door telling us where he had left them. Otherwise, the flowers would have died in the heat before we got them. The neighbors graciously accepted them, then handed them over.

 

[Christine]

When we weren't home a florist left our flowers with the neighbors, but he also left a note on our door telling us where he had left them. Otherwise, the flowers would have died in the heat before we got them. The neighbors graciously accepted them, then handed them over.

The florist did leave a note (that I found about 7 hours after they were delivered--it had fallen off the door). It didn't have an address on it, just said "your neighbor." A lot of the houses here aren't clearly marked so I'm assuming he couldn't figure it out. No big deal, I would have thought the neighbor who was home and received them at some point would have brought them by at some point as that's what I would have done.

 

[mjkacmom]

I sign for things without looking at the address, and get neighbors packages with their correct address a lot, but I know my neighbors, and would know where to bring it without the address. If I got a gift basket with my address and a name I didn’t recognize, I don’t know what I’d do. I did get a big package from banana republic that was supposed to go to an address 10 miles from me, but at least I had the correct address. I was on hold with UPS for an hour to schedule a pick up, after a few transfers.

I’d blame the company for putting in the wrong address, who knows if the person who it was delivered to had the means to play detective.

 

[Christine]

I sign for things without looking at the address, and get neighbors packages with their correct address a lot, but I know my neighbors, and would know where to bring it without the address. If I got a gift basket with my address and a name I didn’t recognize, I don’t know what I’d do. I did get a big package from banana republic that was supposed to go to an address 10 miles from me, but at least I had the correct address. I was on hold with UPS for an hour to schedule a pick up, after a few transfers.

I’d blame the company for putting in the wrong address, who knows if the person who it was delivered to had the means to play detective.

I agree with you for the most part, however, in the gift basket scenario, the package required a signature for delivery (not just left at the door). I got a package like that a few weeks ago (cell phone) and I looked at the address label and the sender before I signed for it. I know not everyone does that and I assume that's probably what happened. However, if I did realized later that it was not the intended recipient, I'd have contacted FEDEX--it's really easy to do that.

 

[morgan98]

I really don't know what to say, except it seems that you live in a neighborhood of thieves...lol!

The gift basket thing is just weird. Let's say they signed for it and did not double check the address, which seems strange to me too. I mean if I was not expecting something like that, the first thing I would do is look at the package and the sender (while in the process of signing). But, once I started to open or unwrap it and it became obvious that it was a company I did not work for and it was a welcome basket, I would most definitely do the right thing. This would have been walking it over to your house, or calling Fed-Ex, but something.

I live in Atlanta and it is hot here. The florist generally leaves a message and leaves the flowers in a more shaded area of my porch. I am glad our delivery people leave stuff instead of finding a neighbor. That would annoy me. Things that require signature are different. I know the basket was supposed to be a surprise, but it would have been nice for the company to send your son a head-up something is coming that requires a signature upon receipt. That is what we do (my Company)for things like this.

 

[Christine]

Well, so far we still can't "find" the flowers. We've narrowed it down to the neighbor across the street now and they aren't answering their door. All their cars are there and they did have their garage door open all day so that's probably where it went. Mystery continues!!!

 

[kaytieeldr]

The florist opens at 10AM so I may be calling them back also, at least to find out who sent them so I can give a thank you.

I would call and request that they pick up the flowers from "your neighbor" and deliver them to you.

It didn't have an address on it, just said "your neighbor."

 

[mjkacmom]

I really don't know what to say, except it seems that you live in a neighborhood of thieves...lol!

The gift basket thing is just weird. Let's say they signed for it and did not double check the address, which seems strange to me too. I mean if I was not expecting something like that, the first thing I would do is look at the package and the sender (while in the process of signing). But, once I started to open or unwrap it and it became obvious that it was a company I did not work for and it was a welcome basket, I would most definitely do the right thing. This would have been walking it over to your house, or calling Fed-Ex, but something.

I live in Atlanta and it is hot here. The florist generally leaves a message and leaves the flowers in a more shaded area of my porch. I am glad our delivery people leave stuff instead of finding a neighbor. That would annoy me. Things that require signature are different. I know the basket was supposed to be a surprise, but it would have been nice for the company to send your son a head-up something is coming that requires a signature upon receipt. That is what we do (my Company)for things like this.

Since the neighbors don’t know each other, they wouldn’t know where to deliver it. They could call fedex, but again, who knows their circumstances. My dad has Alzheimer’s, he would’ve just enjoyed that basket! I really don’t check things I sign for because I have a dog at my feet barking like crazy. And calling fed ex can take forever going through phone trees.

 

[tvguy]

I had the opposite experience. My daughter ordered some items from Ulta online. Got notification that they were "delivered". They weren't. She contacted Ulta who said it would take 30 days to investigate. Several days after the "delivery", a lady with a baby carriage shows up at our house with the package. It had been delivered to her house on a DIFFERENT street 2 blocks away. The kicker, not only the wrong street, but her house numbers were dfferent! No idea who the delivery company was, but they suck.

 

[Christine]

I would call and request that they pick up the flowers from "your neighbor" and deliver them to you.

I have contacted the florist (they don't really know which neighbor it was, but I'm sure the delivery person would remember if he/she was on duty). I explained the situation to the florist and that I merely just wanted to the thank the sender at this point. She gave me the sender's name but also told me that they would be making a new delivery of flowers to me this afternoon (which is very nice but I didn't expect that).

I've checked with 4 of the 5 neighbors. The one neighbor, who doesn't seem to be home all day, is probably where they are. I just can't figure out why they wouldn't just leave them on my front porch if they weren't going to be home. Weird. The florist did tell me that if they do drop off with neighbors, they do provide them with the recipients address and ask if they will take responsibility for them. If they didn't want to do that, they should have just refused.

Most days I really like the "hands off" vibe in my neighborhood, but at times like these, I do wish it were more friendly.

 

[gotomu212]

I agree with you for the most part, however, in the gift basket scenario, the package required a signature for delivery (not just left at the door). I got a package like that a few weeks ago (cell phone) and I looked at the address label and the sender before I signed for it. I know not everyone does that and I assume that's probably what happened. However, if I did realized later that it was not the intended recipient, I'd have contacted FEDEX--it's really easy to do that.

I’ve had 2 packages delivered to our house this year with our address, wrong name. I’ve called fed-ex both times, been on hold over an hour each time. Once fed-ex said they’d come pick it up and then it sat on our porch for 7 days and no one came to get it so we finally threw it away. The second time they told me they didn’t know who it was suppose to go to, but it had our address so what did I expect them to do.....so I’m not really sure its reasonable for people to jump through hours of hoops just because a company made a mistake on the address.

If I know who a package should go to, sure I’ll walk it down when I have a second, but I’m not spending hours on hold anymore to fix a mis-delivery. I try to double check the name before signing, but our babysitter doesn’t and most of the time UPS/Fedex is holding the package with the label until after you sign.