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AIBU?

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Knocking on the back door at 9.30pm

64 replies

Slightyamusedandsilly · 21/11/2025 21:36

I live alone in a terraced house. Back yard rather than garden, with a back lane.

Someone just knocked, twice, at my back door. Dark in the back lane. It's a minute walk round to the front, where I MIGHT have answered (might not now it's dark tho). Creepy as fuck.

Would you have answered the door? I found it very odd that someone would go to the back door (even in daytime). There's no reason to. My car isn't there. My bins aren't out. I have nothing in the lane itself.

I ignored it. After they'd gone I checked the doors were locked (they were).

OP posts:
Propagandalf · 21/11/2025 22:43

I would only answer in the late evening if I have ordered a Just-Eat or if Amazon was running late on their deliveries. I wouldn't answer it otherwise.

TigTails · 21/11/2025 22:21

CalmShaker · 21/11/2025 21:40

Is this a euphemism op?

I am so glad it wasn’t just me!!! 😂😂

Endofyear · 21/11/2025 22:16

My mum had someone banging on the door in the middle of the night, shouting let me in 😳 she lived alone and was terrified, called 999. Police came fast and found the bloke in her neighbour's garden, absolutely plastered and took him away. I presume he was so pissed he thought he was at his own house!

mindutopia · 21/11/2025 21:56

I would have turned the outdoor light on and shouted at them. But generally no, I barely answer the door during the day.

I’ve only ever had someone knock on the door late at night once (we live in the middle of nowhere) and that was the people staying in the holiday let next door had locked themselves out and wanted us to magically do something about it. It’s not our holiday let and I don’t even know the letting agency and the actual owners live 3 hours away. The man was quite rudely insistent that there must be something I could do to find a spare key. And I was like, I’m quite sure there isn’t, pal. Plus a few other choice words as it was 10:30pm and I was in bed and it was not my problem.

(They did eventually manage to jiggle the lock and get in and the wife was very apologetic the next day).

Slightyamusedandsilly · 21/11/2025 21:55

Balloonhearts · 21/11/2025 21:51

We had that once. Young guy with his face up the window telling me to open the door. I had 2 very large dogs at that point, both quite protective of me. I opened the door. Never seen anyone move so fast, he was back over the gate before I even managed to threaten him with police. My younger dog chased him out of the alley.

LOL I've got cats. One hides if I move too fast. The other would welcome them in, lead the intruder to the food bowl and demand food.

OP posts:
Balloonhearts · 21/11/2025 21:51

We had that once. Young guy with his face up the window telling me to open the door. I had 2 very large dogs at that point, both quite protective of me. I opened the door. Never seen anyone move so fast, he was back over the gate before I even managed to threaten him with police. My younger dog chased him out of the alley.

PrioritisePleasure24 · 21/11/2025 21:49

Our garden side gate is locked so if someone is knocking on the back door i’d be worried.

Does anyone you know come through the back way?

Id be worried in my case but it depends i guess!

HingedBroccoli · 21/11/2025 21:44

My first thought was I'd answer it abruptly with a carving knife in fight mode.

The reality is, if I was alone and absolutely not expecting it, I'd freeze to the spot with fear!

Would it be worth giving 101 a call to log?

Hope you're feeling okay. It must have quite worrying.

shellyleppard · 21/11/2025 21:42

We had a spate of distraction burglaries. They used to knock on the front door while someone else tried the back door. I used to stand in the hall between the two doors with a rolling pin!!

Luxio · 21/11/2025 21:40

I suspect he probably got the wrong door. Personally I would have called out a window to see what he wanted.

CalmShaker · 21/11/2025 21:40

Is this a euphemism op?

Bikergran · 21/11/2025 21:39

No I wouldn't answer. Why couldn't you shout through the door to ask who it was? Maybe you should get an external light and a spyhole fitted, or a Ring doorbell.

JellyIegs · 21/11/2025 21:38

Would think they’d got the wrong house, checked everything was locked up as you did, then try to forget about it. But it would probably give me a start!

sheknowsitstoolate · 21/11/2025 21:38

Definitely wouldn’t have answered the door and it would have freaked me out a bit.

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