I have very mixed reviews regarding Yodel. Previously 'Home Delivery Network', their service seems to have vanished along with their name!! Had I reviewed this company while it was the former, the rating would have been considerably higher.

My very first experience of Yodel was about a year ago-and until recently my husband and myself received a delivery off them on a weekly basis. 90% of the time our delivery was sent from the bamber bridge depot.

My first delivery from them was a present for my daughters birthday. It came with a very grumpy man, who complained that he hadn't been able to find us and had wasted loads of time. As he opened his unmarked van, a pile of boxes fell out onto the ground. The rest were piled up as though they would also fall out sometime soon. Upon opening our parcel (one that hadn't fallen out infront of us), it was completely damaged. This was returned.

Our second delivery, sent from a different company showed online that it had been loaded onto the van at Bamber Bridge at 8:10am arrived with us about midday (perfect timing really as they can deliver anytime between 7am and 9pm). It was delivered by a nice chap in a bright green Yodel van. No problems with this delivery at all.

Our next delivery-a laptop, was supposed to be delivered two weeks earlier than it actually turned up. It had been loaded onto the van first thing in the morning on the stated delivery date, but 'apparently' they were unable to locate our property. We contacted the depot who told us they would deliver the following day. 9pm the following day and there was still no parcel. Another phone call later and they told us they had called but that nobody had been in when they tried to deliver. This was a blatant lie as I had been sat in the garden all day! as had many of my neighbours. Day three an the parcel didn't even get loaded onto the van. After yet another phone call i was told that the laptop had been 'lost' after the first attempt at delivery. So, as I already knew....this second attempt at delivery had never even been attempted!!

Fourth delivery-a wardrobe. Apparently this was coming from 'Beehive 2' and Yodel would contact us 2 days before delivery to arrange a suitable time. Instead, they didn't call and attempted delivery when me and my husband were both at work. After speaking to the depot (AGAIN!!) they arranged to deliver the wardrobe two days later....surprise surprise no delivery came. We complained again and they said it would be delivered two days later. That day we were greeted by two grumpy men telling us that they had had a roasting because of us and that we must have given the wrong postcode as their 'brand new' Sat Nav hadn't located us.

Fifth delivery was a slide. We had paid for next day delivery...it turned up four days later. Showed up online that they had attempted delivery and left a card. No card was found. When the slide did turn up the reliief driver told us he hadn't been able to find us and that it hadn't been delivered on the other days as the normal delivery drivers drop what they need to and just leave the rest!!

The last items we ordered online were two chests of drawers and a Tv cabinet. A month later and we are still waiting. It has been lost....suprise surprise.

We have had a few deliveries arrive on time, but the majority have not. There is one bald headed fella who can't do enough to help us, and if we are waiting on a delivery he will chase it up and bring it the next day. When he is on holiday we wait ages for our deliveries, even when we have paid for next day delivery.

I have lost count of the amount of deliveries which have got 'lost' at the depot, been left outside in the rain when we've been out or just been delivered to the wrong address. If you're waiting for a delivery from this company and it hasn't arrived then be sure to check inside your outside rubbish bins and neighbours gardens. If you're not in, they really will leave it anywhere.

I wouldn't recommend this company, particularly if you are desperate for something. There is no guarantee it will even arrive- and unless you track the item online you will be none the wiser due to them rarely leaving a card. If we know Yodel will be delivering an item now then we choose to buy it elsewhere. The unreliability has bitten one too many times.