TRUST THY NEIGHBOUR – unless you live in Coventry, London or Edinburgh

• Almost a fifth of Brits (17%) said they have opened a neighbour’s parcel without permission either by mistake or because they wanted to know what it was
• One in five (20%) Brits would refuse a parcel for a neighbour they dislike
• Over three quarters (79%) EXPECT a neighbour to accept a delivery if they’re out
• Most Brits agree that accepting parcels for neighbours has helped to get to know them better

A new poll commissioned by Admiral home insurance reveals almost a fifth (17%) of Brits have opened a parcel they’ve had delivered for a neighbour without their permission, ether by mistake or because they wanted to know what was inside.

While most of the country should feel assured that this probably won’t happen with their neighbours, those in Coventry (38%), London (29%) and Edinburgh (25%) should be wary as more people in these cities said they have opened a parcel they accepted for neighbours.

The results were revealed when the insurer polled homeowners and renters ahead of peak parcel delivery season, with Christmas and Black Friday coming up, to explore how accepting parcels affected neighbourly relations.

The survey found that 93% of Brits have taken in a parcel for a neighbour and over half (52%) said they’re happy to do this. And it seems for many it’s a given that neighbours will take in their parcels as over three quarters (79%) of Brits automatically expect neighbours to accept a delivery for them if they are out.

For many Brits, the arrival of their online shopping has delivered more than just a parcel, with 57% agreeing that taking in parcels for others has helped them get to know their neighbours. There is more goodwill generated by parcel deliveries as almost a third (31%) said they were willing to take in parcels for neighbours without them returning the favour.

But it was Londoners who displayed the least neighbourly behaviour with only one in three (35%) saying they were happy to accept neighbours’ parcels.