BTR Operators Need To Get A Grip On Parcel Deliveries Before Problems Expand

The UK build-to-rent sector has a huge amount to contend with when it comes to parcel deliveries. Fire safety, parcel theft and stressed staff are just a few of the challenges that developers and operators face. But most are uninformed about the potential impact of a poorly designed parcel delivery and collection system.

What they need to do is understand what tried and tested solutions exist.

This is the message from The Safety Letterbox Company CEO and Managing Director Alison Orrells. If the BTR market is to deliver the level of service that residents expect, as well as the highest levels of safety, developers need to act now by working with a trusted partner. 

“Any development that has not considered building a parcel delivery strategy into their plans is ignoring one of the biggest developing challenges faced by the built environment right now,” she said. “They don’t understand the scale of the problem. We are keen to share our knowledge and experience to show the BTR sector the difference the right solution can make.”

The Safety Letterbox Company has spent more than three decades innovating in the area of mail and parcel deliveries. Today, the company is the only business manufacturing mail and parcel boxes in the UK. From this position, the team is able to work closely with BTR operators to hone solutions, Orrells said.  

The last few years have called on the company to adapt solutions to address growing issues. The huge increase in parcel volumes has exacerbated challenges faced by the BTR sector. 

Even before the pandemic and enforced lockdowns, e-commerce was on the rise. Today, more than 80% of the population shops online, a percentage that is expected to reach 90% by 2025. 

All this is resulting in a higher volume of parcels that many blocks of apartments were not designed to handle, Orrells said. She visited one site that can receive more than 4,000 parcels for residents in a week. The staff were distraught at the volume of parcels to sort.

“People prefer and are having the majority of their goods delivered to their home addresses, but the BTR sector is not making provision for this,” she said. “Large quantities of parcels are being handled by reception staff who have other tasks to carry out, which puts them under real pressure.”

Handling a large volume of parcels inevitably leads to items being lost or stolen, Orrells said. At best, staff put parcels into a storage room and a resident then has to search through piles to find the right one. At unmanned blocks, they are often left in shared areas. 

Parcel theft is a growing problem in the UK, and reports suggest criminals target buildings that don’t have a parcel locker system. 

“Of course, in unmanned areas where there's no receptionists or concierge, carriers have no choice but to leave parcels on staircases or lobbies,” Orrells said. “Anyone can pick them up, even other residents. This can also lead to the problem of identity theft, because you can then see a resident’s name and particular flat number.”

Residents expect seamless collection of their parcels, but in many locations, this is not possible. However, resident happiness aside, parcels stacked in corridors or overflowing delivery rooms can pose safety risks. 

Fire safety has become an even greater concern in the UK since the Grenfell disaster. Developers must now adhere to increased fire safety regulations, on top of regulation from the police under the scheme Secured by Design. 

“Storing large volumes of parcels creates obstructions in the building, blocking fire routes and corridors,” Orrells said. “They can become fire hazards themselves, as much of the packaging is paper or cardboard.”

Today, smart parcel lockers can solve all these challenges when installed correctly, Orrells said. Using these lockers, a delivery person can securely deliver using a PIN code to authenticate and place the parcel in the correct locker of the right size for that package.

A resident is then notified, allowing them to collect their parcel when they choose via the mobile app, PIN or fob. The process is contactless and automatic.

“A parcel locker can take all the strain away,” Orrells said. “The mental health of staff increases and wasted time is saved. The resident receives the best service possible. Factoring lockers in from the planning stage will allow the developer to future-proof the scheme, because the market for smart lockers is projected to double over the next two years.”

Smart locker systems can be implemented in existing buildings as well as in new buildings. Lockers can be installed in many sizes, with options for dynamic allocation; if a resident receives a parcel or letter, they receive an alert on their phone that it has been delivered. 

The Safety Letterbox Company has invested in evolving its parcel systems to ensure both the software and hardware are robust, meeting all standards, Orrells said. The firm focuses on areas such as fire ratings, ensuring that all solutions are third-party-certified and tested in a fire laboratory.

The business is also the only parcel locker company to meet the IASME Cyber Assurance standard Level 2. Meeting all these standards means the company is confident that its solutions are ahead of the game in all areas, from compliance to design.  

“A huge consideration for parcel delivery solutions moving forward is compliance,” she said. “There are lots of parcel locker manufacturers out there, but they might not necessarily be aware of the compliance needs of the built environment. It’s common now to require everything within a development to be fire-rated.”

Despite this need for compliance, it’s still possible for those in the BTR sector to underestimate the importance of investing in the highest-quality product, Orrells said. She is on a mission to educate the sector, which has included presenting to police teams as well as BTR operators. 

The Safety Letterbox Company held a webinar with the UK Apartment Association on the subject of parcel deliveries, with speakers from the police, BTR investors and operators. The panel discussed the challenges faced by the sector and what action needs to be taken.

“We want to educate the market on the very real challenges facing BTR,” Orrells said. “These problems are only going to increase, unless systems are installed that can provide solutions. We have three generations of experience, and we can offer advice and guidance to anyone who needs it.”

This article was produced in collaboration between The Safety Letterbox Company and Studio B. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.

Studio B is Bisnow’s in-house content and design studio. To learn more about how Studio B can help your team, reach out to [email protected].