So much for your online Christmas shopping! Courier is caught on video hurling parcel over a GATE - without even checking if the owners are at home

  • Deliveryman caught on CCTV two years ago hurling rectangular parcel over gate
  • He then fills in form, shoves it through metal bars and walks away
  • Comes as UK consumers start to fight back against poor deliveries

By SOPHIE JANE EVANS

Published:

This is the moment a deliveryman for one of the country's biggest courier services dumped a parcel over a gate two years ago - without even checking if the owners were at home.

CCTV footage from two years ago shows a courier choosing not to ring the bell, before hurling the rectangular package over the high metal bars.

He then fills in a form, shoves it through the gate and hurriedly walks away.

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Delivery: A deliveryman for Yodel - one of the country's biggest courier services - carries a rectangular parcel

Delivery: A deliveryman for Yodel - one of the country's biggest courier services - carries a rectangular parcel

Poor service: After choosing not to ring the bell, the unnamed worker launches the package over a high gate

Poor service: After choosing not to ring the bell, the unnamed worker launches the package over a high gate

Shocking: He then fills in a form, pictured, and shoves it through the gate, before walking hurriedly away

Shocking: He then fills in a form, pictured, and shoves it through the gate, before walking hurriedly away

The concerning footage was captured on CCTV in an unknown location and later posted on YouTube.

Despite the fact that the footage is two years old, it is a timely reminder as hundreds of consumers across the UK have started to fight back against poor deliveries.

Today, it has been revealed that a parcel delivery service working for some of Britain's biggest retailers - including Amazon and John Lewis - is facing allegations of bad service.

Couriers at Hermes are accused of losing packages, stuffing them into bins and hurling them over fences, according to The Sunday Times. 

Concerning: The Yodel worker's actions were captured on a CCTV camera and later posted on YouTube

Concerning: The Yodel worker's actions were captured on a CCTV camera and later posted on YouTube

Glancing back: The old footage is a timely reminder as hundreds of consumers across the UK have started to fight back against poor deliveries. Above, the worker appears to have second thoughts about his actions

Glancing back: The old footage is a timely reminder as hundreds of consumers across the UK have started to fight back against poor deliveries. Above, the worker appears to have second thoughts about his actions

Reputation: Yodel has about 1,500 clients and works with 80 per cent of the UK's top retailers, including Tesco and the Shop Direct Group. Above, the man drives away following the botched delivery

Reputation: Yodel has about 1,500 clients and works with 80 per cent of the UK's top retailers, including Tesco and the Shop Direct Group. Above, the man drives away following the botched delivery

Hundreds of complaints have been posted online - many of which are written on an Amazon forum called 'Hermes Parcel Delivery - Utter Incompetence'.

In response, the delivery firm - which uses about 9,500 self-employed workers - has said only a very small percentage of its parcels go missing or are mishandled.

It has also added that is 'contractually unable' to deal with most complaints.

This weekend, the British Online Retailing Association (BritORA) called for a reform of the parcel delivery system - dubbing the current system a 'Wild West'.

Adrian Quine, director of BritORA, said retailers across the UK had expressed significant concerns about Hermes and Yodel.

Complaints: Hundreds of people have complained online about UK delivery service Hermes. Many of the comments are written on an Amazon forum, pictured, called 'Hermes Parcel Delivery - Utter Incompetence'

Complaints: Hundreds of people have complained online about UK delivery service Hermes. Many of the comments are written on an Amazon forum, pictured, called 'Hermes Parcel Delivery - Utter Incompetence'

'It is appalling that people are returning home to find parcels left in a bin or soaked by the rain,' he told the newspaper.

'Corners are being cut because costs have been cut to the bone.'

On the Amazon forum, one user has written: '[Hermes'] latest effort resulted in a book I ordered being left in my garden in a puddle in the rain on the wettest day this year - contents were completely ruined'.

Another has claimed he has 'never successfully received a delivery from them yet'.

And one angry customer has said their parcel containing a television boxset - was delivered 'half-torn open'.

'A book I ordered was left in my garden in a puddle on the wettest day this year'
- Hermes customer

However, one woman has spoken in support of Hermes - claiming the deliverymen are 'always very helpful' and leave parcels with neighbours or somewhere safe if she is not in. 

Hermes - owned by German retail giant Otto - goes through  more than 190million collections and deliveries a year.

Gary Winter, sales and marketing director at Hermes, told the newspaper the firm took 'immediate action' when couriers did not comply with its procedures - but did not believe there was a significant problem.

He added that the company delivered about 5million parcels a week - and could not do that if it provided poor service.

Meanwhile, Yodel has about 1,500 clients and works with 80 per cent of the UK's top retailers, including Tesco and the Shop Direct Group.

In a survey published by MoneySavingExpert.com in January, it was rated the worst delivery service by consumers - with 71 per cent complaining of a poor experience.

A Yodel spokesman said the YouTube clip of one of its couriers dropping a parcel over a gate had been taken nearly two years ago and did not clearly identify the driver involved.

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