Two callers at door today

I answered the door to a Nottingham knocker recently and made the mistake of engaging with him. If I’m not sure who it is (I hate unexpected callers,) I’ll just say “who is it” loudly through the door.

About a week ago we were having dinner at around 7 o'clock and there was a knock at the door. Being still winter time it was dark by then, and we never answer the door after dark. However I approached the door to try and see if the person was retreating, to find a flyer from the local conservative candidate for the local elections. I took to Next Door to vent my spleen about this person knocking after dark, mentioning the fact that we are elderly, and was shocked at the responses. I wss called pathetic and spineless, although some people agreed with me.

My late Dad used to say he preferred to choose what he bought rather than have something sold to him.

If I’m alone and someone looks dubious I speak to them through a downstairs window, well protected by a dense thorny pyracantha.

I bear in mind a local incident in which a “Nottingham Knocker” walked into an elderly person’s house via the back door and stole money.

I keep the chain on the door & look through the ‘peep hole’ my son put in the door. Also have a handy little window in a tiny room by the front door that I can spy out of if needed. Always check if I am not expecting someone. Something we all probably have to do if on our own

The Nottingham knockers have regular rounds, I understand that they are not genuine
However I did once but a couple of pictures at the door, some really beautiful drawings, which I have framed still. I wish I had the artist's contact details as I would happily buy more
I've done local properly organized collections for official chsrities I've never been treated badly, and if someone doesn't open or they say no thank you that's fine. I did have a few people who said they'd drop off their envelope to me down the road, and they djd

Oldbat1

When I worked in a shop we, each year, had the ex-offenders'' coming around with what I thought of as tat, I never bought anything from them and even though I was always polite by saying no thank you I found a few became verbally aggressive and quite intimidating.

One told me as a woman I shouldn't be working.

I had creeps eyeing me up and down.

Some were quite polite and left when I said no thank you but others were vile and made my flesh crawl!

I'm a 6'2 biological female and one of them said he thinks I'm a man in drag because I'm so tall!

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We’ve found that the RING doorbell that our son bought us a couple of Christmases ago an absolute boom.

We can check who is at our front door by looking at our mobile phones.

We can then choose to -

1) Go to the door;
2) Speak to them via the RING intercom on the phone;
or
3) Ignore it and pretend we aren’t in!

2) and 3) are the most often employed. And we don’t have to move from the sofa!

We also hear the RING on our mobile if we are away from home. In which case, if we don’t recognise the caller, my husband will answer and say something on the lines of “Sorry, can’t come to the door at the moment as I’m up to my neck in some d.i.y. What do you want?”

They usually mutter and move on, but it does give the impression that the house isn’t empty.

Son bought the RING at Costco. About £90:00 I think. It’s proved a great and useful gift.

(It also rings with movement at the front door and drive, so we know when the Postgirl or Amazon driver has dropped something off (we have a secure parcel box). You can scroll back on the video on your phone to check. Useful to know if you are waiting for something that it isn’t just someone dropping off a leaflet).
.

I got a sign years ago from a local MP saying knocking at this door is illegal. Works a treat. Not sure why he was handing them out probably illegal in itself!

I’m with Jaye53. Never answer the door.

Gwyllt

Too far off the beaten track for those type of callers. Doesn’t seem to stop the Jehovah’s Witness though. They seem a fit lot

You must live near me. J W once asked for my GD as she was in the garden when they visited and engaged with them . She almost converted them

If I didn’t open my front door I would have missed two recent offers of help from my lovely neighbours.

Too far off the beaten track for those type of callers. Doesn’t seem to stop the Jehovah’s Witness though. They seem a fit lot

I think some of you are too polite.
Guard your boundaries.
Personal and physical.
I wouldn't even engage with charity collectors .
You don't have to justify why you are not donating or what how where you do donate.
Just swerve them.
And
DON'T OPEN YOUR DOORS

IF IN DOUBT!

KEEP THEM OUT!

Always remember that slogan.

Just don't open the door if you aren't expecting visitors........that way you dont' have to justify why you can't or won't donate, invest, purchase or whatever else they want you to do.

Fake charities are nothing new.

I'm so lucky as I live in an apartment with a 24 hour concierge service. No one gets past them and they take all our parcels in too, and text us to tell them when one one arrives.

I'm lucky, as I can see who is at my front door by looking out of my kitchen window. Very handy.

Never open your door to strangers.

I used to regularly get people calling asking to resurface my drive. It definitely needs doing but I don't have the money. There are other things needing doing much more. One used to come back about every 6 months but he has clearly got the message now as I haven't seen him in years. I really should get one of those door chains. I've never had anyone put their foot in the door but if I did I'd threaten to slam the door on them!

I have a video doorbell. If it's not someone I know or am expecting I either just don't answer or I tell them to * off over the audio. But I translate that into something more polite.

I NEVER OPEN DOOR TO STRANGERS EVEN IF THEY SAY THEY ARE POLICE.

I once answered the door to a young lady who tried to sell me a painting she had under her arm.
I grabbed an air freshener off the hall shelf and asked her if she'd like to buy it.

She wasn't amused and neither was I so I sent her packing

Message withdrawn at poster's request.