The Fight to Protect Christmas Parcels in Britain’s Apartment Blocks

Communal parcel rooms and hallways are easy to access, deliveries pile up fast, and the sheer volume of parcels makes it harder to keep track of what’s arrived. It’s therefore little surprise that flat residents are 24% more likely to experience parcel theft than those living in houses. 

Members of the Residential Freehold Association (RFA) – a trade body representing professional freeholders responsible for around one million leasehold homes –are actively exploring what can be done  to help residents deal with this seasonal spike in parcel theft. 

From the experience of our members, one of the simplest and most effective upgrades has been installing dedicated parcel lockers in communal areas, which are quickly becoming a go-to feature in well-run blocks. With more than 115 million parcels passing through UK parcel lockers last year – and two-in-five UK adults using a locker – it’s clear that lockers have become a mainstream, trusted part of everyday e-commerce delivery.

We recognise that for residents, lockers can take a lot of the stress out of deliveries, especially in the build up to Christmas. Residents can pick deliveries up whenever it suits them, whether they’re working late, travelling or just trying to keep on top of festive plans. Lockers can also contribute to the safety of buildings. Concierges and cleaners aren’t swamped by towers of parcels, hallways stay clear rather than turning into clutter zones, and management teams can cope far better with the annual delivery surge.

Ultimately, parcel lockers often offer a straightforward, modern way to improve the communities within which residents live, ease the pressures of everyday living and prevent one of the season’s most common frustrations: gifts going missing just before Christmas. And as the RFA continues to highlight, it’s this kind of long-term, thoughtful investment that defines the value professional freeholders bring – particularly during the festive period, when deliveries really count. Our members are dedicated to exploring and rolling out more and more resident services to improve the experience of living in multi-occupancy buildings. 

Nigel Glen, Residential Freehold Association