I'm having a little problem with a courier service called Parcelnet which a well known shopping channel uses and I'm a little concerned.
They are self employed couriers and they are always throwing stuff over my gate after they knock or don't on the front door.
The recent problem is they are now trying to open my side gate to gain access which I think they should not be doing.
I am worried for 2 reasons about them doing this and throwing stuff over the gate.
A. the dog is going to eat and destroy what they throw over.
B. if they gain access and my dog thinks hello I'll have you.

Luckly the gate is locked but do they have a right to do this?
What happens if they did and my dog defends my property?
Is it legal for them to do this as I think maybe its not as its opening a gate to enter the rear grounds without permission.

I can't seem to find a contact number for them as they are self employed, and the person knows I have a rather large Newfie.

I have contacted the company who uses them and I have asked my father to keep the gate locked at all times. Even so this worries me.

Should I put a sign up?

A lot of people like me ask them to chuck things over the fence so we can get our stuff. I wouldn't expect them to do it without asking but they often get complaints about non-delivery too so I kind of understand it.

If it were me I'd put a sign on the fence that said Dogs running free, please do not leave packages in the garden. I've seen other people say not to post a sign that says beware of dog as that implies foreknowledge your dog is dangerous if it does decide to have delivery guy for lunch.

>I've seen other people say not to post a sign that says beware of dog as that implies foreknowledge your dog is dangerous if it does decide to have delivery guy for lunch.

Yes my mum was actually told that by the police some 20-25 years ago, as in the eyes of the law you are "pleading guilty" to having a dangerous dog! Not sure if that is still what they say now. We have 2 signs up - one saying 'dogs running free' and the other saying 'I live here' with a picture of a Dobe's face :D I tend to put a note on the door if I'm not going to be there to collect a parcel saying to please leave the parcel outside if no answer (we have a very long driveway and the door can't be seen very clearly from the pavement and there are lots of places to tuck a parcel in). Three times the postman has put me a note through the door telling me where he's hidden various parcels!

Hi

Thanks for the sign tip. Do you think 'please do not enter as my dog has not been fed yet' will do LOL

I've been looking at lots of forums with complaints about this company Parcelnet and it does not look good from what I've read.
Hoping the shopping company will send me the items again using different couriers but I will never use a company now that deals with Parcelnet.

It is one reason my back gate is padlocked.  I complained about the parcel being chicked over the 6 foot gate, and told them the dogs had eaten one item, they never did it again.

I'd certainly put up a sign saying "Dogs loose - DO NOT ENTER". That in no way implies that the dogs are dangerous at all, just that they might escape.

Thanks again everyone. I'm going with the Do not enter, dog loose type of sign in the hope they don't try again.
I'm also going to fit some trellis up to higher the gate in total to try to make it impossible for them to throw parcels over. 

Oohh is this the company who delivers for PriceDrop TV etc.  I've had multiple items thrown over my back gate etc and once they definitely must have been in my back garden for it to be where it was.  Wouldn't mind but a few times they've not even put a card in, so I've b een lucky that Carmen hasn't picked any of the items up and taken them for a run around the garden!

Yes its one of the tv shopping channels . They don't seem to follow what other couriers do and again I,ve never had a card through the door ether.
I did a basic google search on 'Parcelnet problems' and I found lots and lots of complaints from all over.
From what I gather they get paid very little per parcel delivered and since they use their own transport they simply leave the goods to save costs.
I've been waiting now for nearly two weeks for a delivery from when the goods where despatched. If Santa can deliver goods to everyone in one night why can't they lol.
I also have a few more items all waiting somewhere and I've had to contact the company who said they will be here by Christmas but I have replied saying I believe it is out of their hands.

Won't a small sign on your gate, saying 'NO PARCEL DELIVERIES HERE' surfice?  Perhaps with instructions to take elsewhere, i.e a nieghour.  I was shocked to come home the other day and find a large parcel just sitting outside my front door.  I know I am in a country setting, but even so, what if I was not coming home for a while and it rained or something. :-(

To be honest I never put or leave notes for couriers as we have had a few houses round here broken into and mr burglar knows then that no one is in. Sadly our estate is targeted all the time.
Its that bad that several properties now have cctv and every other house has an alarm.
I find that TNT, parcel force and other couriers will leave parcels with niebours and a note is put through the door which is great, its just this one courier company that are awful.
I read on one forum that this company left a parcel in a wheely bin out side a house and guess what it was collection day!! You do have to ask yourself what are they like!!

I have two signs up since I a) got burgled and b) a delivery man just opened my front door to leave a parcel and let all my dogs out The first says "do not enter - Dogs running free" and the other says "We can make the gate in 3 seconds.. can you?" (obviously meaning they can escape in that time, not chew your leg off :D :D ) although there is no picture of my dogs on them as I don't think they'd be much of a deterrent!!

As I sleep during the day I actually like it when the parcel man/post man just put things over the (padlocked) gate into my back garden rather than waking me up by banging on the door. All the regular delivery people are used to doing this, in exchange I leave them sweeties hanging on the gate - leave a parcel take a bag of jelly babies for the rest of your round sort of thing :D

The only thing that really spooked me one day was waking up with the dogs barking and coming downstairs to find a parcel in the hall. Like Hebeboots man the parcel guy must have opened my front door and put the parcel in Imagine if Mr Beastly, or more likely littlist collie had nipped him :(

Well my lovely featherbed had gone missing but after a quick email and a phone call from the company who I bought it from all is sorted and today less than 24 hours later it has arrived :)
According to them the parcel never made it to the couriers depot which means someone has had it away!!
Still I'm a happy bunny who is looking forward to a lovely nights sleep:)