Leave it with a neighbour?

A few months ago, Royal Mail informed us all that, in future, if there is no-one at home, they will deliver parcels to a neighbour, unless we opt out. I am sure of this, having just checked it on their website and the reason I felt the need to check it was that I was beginning to wonder if I had dreamt the whole thing. Basically, it ain't happening!
Keith orders keys, transponders etc for work on an almost daily basis and, if he is out in the morning on a job, then yours truly has to do her best to arrange her timetable round possible/probable visits from the postman. So this morning, for instance, I risked taking Paddy for his walk and then legged it home when I spotted the post van and waited in until we got our mail. There was also going to be a delivery from another company and luckily, that arrived at the same time. "Pretty safe to go out now," I said to Jake and he leapt around excitedly.
Wrong! Postman sneakily came back with two packages while we were out and dropped the dreaded 'You were out' card through the door.
Last time I had to go and retrieve a parcel from the local delivery office, I asked about this new plan.
"Oh, I think it depends on the individual postman," said the woman at the counter. The more astute among you may be wondering about the point of introducing the initiative if its execution depends on the whims of individual postmen, but I kept my counsel and, the next time I had to chase up the road after the postman to retrieve an undelivered package, I asked him about it.
"Oh well, we don't like to do it for things that need to be signed for," he said, "unless you specifically ask for it."
So, I specifically asked for it and requested that, in future, he should feel quite easy about delivering to our neighbours, one of whom is practically chained to the house at present after she took delivery - of a baby.
So the fact that I specifically requested the service must be the reason why I got home after Jake's walk  this morning to find the familiar red card in the letter box!
Maybe I need to say it in Welsh!

Plaster board and dust

So, we're still no further forward on the British Gas smart meter front and I've given up making non-existent appointments with them...