It is normal to try and leave it with a neighbour if they cannot get hold of you but at least they should leave a card to tell you that! They should also have made sure that information was on the tracking.
As usual it is the delivery that lets a good company down and they would be better to get a more reliable courier but, I suppose, the downside of that would be they may no longer offer free delivery.
Some Yodel couriers are better than others and at least things were not thrown over fences etc in this case and it was just a matter of tracing the "neighbour" in question.
I for one would rather pay a few pounds and make sure my items arrive in good time and in good condition with minimum hassle but in these times every saving counts. It is not as if the alternative courier option with Zooplus is much better, in my experience.