Delivering to Apartment Blocks and Flats

An apartment block contains many addresses behind one front door. The street address gets the courier to the building, but only the unit, floor and entrance details get the parcel to the right person.

The details that matter

1. Building name or number. Large complexes often have several blocks with similar names.
2. Entrance. Note if there is a main entrance, a rear entrance or a separate door for one wing.
3. Floor and unit. Write both; a unit number alone can be confusing if numbering is not obvious.
4. Buzzer or intercom. Mention the name on the buzzer if it differs from yours.
5. Lift or stairs. Useful if access is restricted.

Common failure points

• The unit number is missing; see missing apartment numbers and delivery errors.
• The intercom is broken or labelled with a different name.
• The building has a concierge who is not told to expect a parcel.
• The courier cannot enter after hours.

Choosing a handover method

Options include handing the parcel to you at the door, leaving it with a concierge, or placing it in a parcel locker or mail room if the building has one. Decide which one you prefer, and write it in the note. Compare these in safe place delivery.

Writing the note

Keep it short and specific:

"Tower B, entrance on Park Lane side, 5th floor, flat 52. Buzzer name: Rahman. Call on arrival."

More examples are in how to write delivery instructions that work.

Large estates and towers

In big developments the main problem is finding the right block. An exact map point at the building entrance can help the driver get there, especially if the complex is new and not mapped well. See delivery to new developments. A UPCS code points to a specific 3 m by 3 m cell; choose a point at the entrance rather than the centre of the estate. It does not include the floor or unit, so the written address is still needed.

For sellers

Add separate fields for building, floor and unit at checkout. Free-text boxes are easy to leave incomplete. More ideas are in checkout address form best practices.