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AIBU?

To think that you don't just let yourself onto someone else's property? Especially when there is a dog there?

31 replies

NeonStarfish · 26/05/2015 11:43

At around 10am this morning I was upstairs having a wash and getting dressed when I could hear my dog barking like mad downstairs. Now when I'm there I always leave the back door open so he can run in and out of the house as he likes, I always keep the gate locked to stop someone coming around the back when he's there. He's not a nasty dog and has never bitten anyone but he does bark when strangers come to the house, he's a big dog and his bark is quite loud when he starts.

Anyway I hear him barking so I come downstairs and I find a woman standing practically in my conservatory. She was stood there rigid, with the dog in front of her barking like mad. She was obviously delivering something and I'd obviously not heard her knocking becaue I was upstairs. She was clearly terrified of the dog, now like I said he's not nasty but I understand lots of people don't like dogs. But this is his territory and when someone unfamilar comes he's going to bloody bark at them! She'd also left the gate wide open behind her meaning he could have got out.

I apologised and said I'd not heard her knocking, and then asked her how she'd got around the back. She was a bit stroppy with me said that she'd put her hand over the gate and unlocked it herself! The dog would have strarted barking as soon as she'd done this. So I took the parcel off her signed for it and she ran off make a silly shuddering noise as she did. I should say that he stopped barking as soon as he saw me and realised she wasn't a threat.

AIBU to think firstly she'd shouldnt have just let herself in anyway? And secondly you don't let yourself into a property where there is a loose dog? I used to do leafleting as a student and we were always told not to go into a property where there was a loose dog for our own safety! He's not a nasty dog but I believe any dog can turn when threatened and protecting its territory, my Uncles dog is as docile as they come but he nipped the postman.

Sorry of this sounds ridiculous, but I love my dog so much and I would hate him to bite anyone and have to have him put down.

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Spydra · 26/05/2015 11:46

Regardless of the dog, unlocking a locked gate is a bad idea.

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Jetgir1 · 26/05/2015 11:48

This is trespassing. Delivery people are supposed to knock/ring then if no answer a) leave parcel with a neighbour or b) return parcel to post office/van for collection/redelivery. The ONLY time a person should be letting themselves in your back is if YOU have SPECIFICALLY stated TO THE COMPANY that they can leave a parcel there IF you aren't in.

I would report her to the parcel company tbh. It's unprofessional, potentially dangerous and also illegal. What if she had hurt herself? Would she be trying to sue you when she was on YOUR property?

Dog aside I would go mental if a delivery person let themselves in my back gate.

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NeonStarfish · 26/05/2015 11:49

Yes it is and when I was doing my leafleting we weren't allowed to go through a locked gate, it's tecnhically trespass isn't it.

If she couldn't rouse me I don't know why she didn't try my neighbours as both sides are in today.

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StillStayingClassySanDiego · 26/05/2015 11:49

She acted stupidly, she didn't know your dog and entered your property regardless.

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soapboxqueen · 26/05/2015 11:50

Yanbu to expect people to not trespass on your property.

However if she could reach over and open the gate it, it wasn't locked. It was just bolted or similar. I would invest in a pad lock. Simply to keep your dog safe. Many delivery people now are contractors and try anything to make the delivery because they are paid shite wages with very little time in which to make their deliveries. It'll probably happen again. She was probably looking for the recycle bin to put your package in (or bush or hedge or puddle)

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NeonStarfish · 26/05/2015 11:53

Nope, the recycling bin is in front of my gate! She would have walked past it to get in!

Yes, I think I will get a better lock for the gate, and also maybe get one of those beware of the dog signs. I don't really like those signs as they imply you have a vicious dog, but it might make people think before just walking in in future.

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KurriKurri · 26/05/2015 11:54

Do you have a front door where people can knock and deliver things? (if not am wondering how anyone delivers anything to your house !)

Sounds as if the woman got confused about which was the correct way to get to your house and came the back way by mistake. If you don;t want people opening the gate because your dog might get out then you have to get a lock which they can;t undo - a padlock or something, a bolt or similar would simply say to me 'this gate is shut you may open it' not 'do not open'
Put a sign up saying 'beware of the dog' or 'do not open gate' or whatever.

If it is worrying you that your dog might bite someone (and I agree even a nice dog can bite if they are the territorial/protective type) then you need to up your precautions and beware signs. This woman may have been a bit foolish - I can't tell because I don't know the lay out of your house and garden, but a child might decide to come in one day, and if in the back of your mind you think there is a possibility your dog may bite then you need to keep him securely locked in his garden.

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soapboxqueen · 26/05/2015 11:54

Maybe she prefers the bush method or 'out in the rain' techniqueGrin Wink

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JesseandCeline · 26/05/2015 11:55

I don't think anyone should let themselves in regardless of dog.

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NeonStarfish · 26/05/2015 12:01

There's no way she wouldn't have seen my front door. Our house is just a normal house layout wise, nothing unusual.

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MrsGentlyBenevolent · 26/05/2015 12:01

I've had this happen, makes me fume. Once didn't realise (had been out, lucky dog was in, all doors locked), they had left the gate wide open. I made a complaint, my dog could have easily bolted towards the main road if I hadn't noticed!

Recently had the council on our road, making checks on rubbish levels street side. I was on my way out, caught them trying to get through our gate, idiots apparently 'didn't realise' it lead to our back garden, therefore was private property. Not even an apology for basically trying to break in, cheeky sods.

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ChwatFeechers · 26/05/2015 12:04

Seriously annoying. My dog bolts if the gate is left open, why would you go through a shut gate and not close it behind you? Winds me up Angry

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morage · 26/05/2015 12:20

I frequently get companies leaving parcels round the back. Wouldn't bother me at all. Agree you need to get an actual lock if you want to stop people getting in. It obviously wasn't locked.

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MuttonCadet · 26/05/2015 12:28

I have a "beware of the dogs" sign on the outside, and a "please shut the gate" on the inside.

People still ignore them Angry

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diddl · 26/05/2015 12:38

Perhaps she thought she was being helpful by trying to actually deliver something rather than just dump it on the door step?

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Stillyummy · 26/05/2015 12:43

Maybe there is a nicer version of "beware the dog" something like "warning, loose dogs inside". Just because your dog sounds like a bit of a softy. if you also padlock the gate then the signe isn't really needed though.

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SaucyJack · 26/05/2015 12:46

It wasn't your dog's fault, but I feel a bit sorry for her. Probably just trying to be helpful by leaving your package somewhere safe.

Just one of those things.

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NeonStarfish · 26/05/2015 12:48

Both my neighbours were in, she could have left the parcel there. Or just banged the door a bit harder, I can usally hear it from upstairs.

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smellsofsick · 26/05/2015 12:49

Your dog didn't bite, he just did what dogs do when random strangers wander in to their houses uninvited!

She was daft for doing that, thorough though!

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zipzap · 26/05/2015 12:59

Hopefully she's learnt her lesson but she's lucky you hadn't called the police because you heard somebody breaking into your conservatory - I'd have been petrified if I was upstairs alone and suddenly thought I could hear somebody else downstairs. You'd have no idea if it was a -downright stupid-- delivery person or a burglar.

Another vote here for reporting her to her delivery company because what she did was wrong on so many different levels. And even if that means pointing out to them that they need to tighten up on their procedures and not penalise their workers if somebody is out and they need to redeliver...

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NeonStarfish · 26/05/2015 13:09

It did freak me out a bit when I came down and saw her standing in the doorway zipzap. It was lucky I was decent and not still half dressed, in fact the more I think about it the more annoyed I get!

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Bair · 26/05/2015 14:29

FIL's dog did bite when landlord let himself in without notice for a flat inspection. FIL came home to police and ambulance. Landlord was going on about pressing charges and having the dog destroyed. Landlord was arrested for trespass instead. Dog lived to a ripe old age having never bitten before or again after the incident.

Angry on your behalf at the open gate. My dog's a bolter, we have to have him tethered in the garden as he can clear huge fences. I'd be so cross if someone put him in danger like that.

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Theycallmemellowjello · 26/05/2015 14:41

YABU. There's an implied licence for people to enter your property to deliver mail. Otherwise no mail could ever be delivered. If she entered the house, that's a different matter, but crossing the garden to get to the house is completely fine imo. But if you don't want people entering to deliver mail you need a mailbox at the front, or a sign saying do not enter. A bolted gate is not enough to signify do not enter. Most people have their garden gates bolted to stop them swinging - this does not mean that delivery people are expected to wait at the gate rather than opening it and coming to the house - the opposite in fact. Also with "silly shuddering noise" you're not making yourself sound lie a very nice person.

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Theycallmemellowjello · 26/05/2015 14:43

But obviously she should have closed the gate.

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NeonStarfish · 26/05/2015 14:50

It wasn't the a Royal Mail, it was a private courier company. I've never had anyone try and deliver something around the back before. If I'm not in they just leave with a neighbour usually.

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