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Original poster

Bit baffled - knocking on front door

42 replies

CatHeartViolet · 18/01/2024 03:33

This is only a mini rant as I have no clue and nobody here can tell me either.

I'm sleeping downstairs on the sofa at present due to illness, it's warmer and near the kettle for hot drinks. I live with male friend who is upstairs.

Sofa is next to front door so if I have the side lights on I might be partially visible from outside.

There was a couple of knocks last night 3.40am which I thought I had imagined and was semi conscious. But tonight I was up writing and it happened again 2.22am. I know it's a man now as tonight I heard a male cough. I don't have any exes locally or friends who would do this, they'd phone.

It might not be anything to do with me anyway.

Well, that's it! Just wanted to 'talk' about it. Nothing I can do about it as I'm not opening the front door.

OP posts:
justanothermanicmonday1 · 18/01/2024 03:41

Could it be for the male friend? Could it be a neighbour?

Do you also have the light on in the livingroom?

So strange, my heart would be in my mouth.

I take it you don't have a ring doorbell? Xx

misssunshine4040 · 18/01/2024 03:45

I would hate this and have to go up the male friend and tell him.

Original poster
CatHeartViolet · 18/01/2024 03:45

@justanothermanicmonday1 no we don't have ring doorbell. I guess best explanation would be it's for housemate but they should call him really. I keep keys and phone on sill next to sofa so grab them quickly.

I'll check with him tomorrow (well, later today).

OP posts:
hombu · 18/01/2024 04:10

Can anybody see from outside that a light is on in the front room or that you are there? If so it is obviously for you, not your friend. A sleepless neighbour is watching the house and saw your light was on and thought you might want to chat? Very strange if you have no guesses as to who!

Original poster
CatHeartViolet · 18/01/2024 04:16

@hombu yes I'm slightly visible - I've rectified it now by turning off sitting room side light and putting on kitchen light so you can barely see me.

I'd like to know who it is but I'm not answering the door 😆

Strange.

OP posts:
hombu · 18/01/2024 04:26

I can't picture the setup, and why you couldn't see out the window who was walking away after knocking.

Hopefully you'll feel better soon and not have to sleep there again but if you do, you might need better curtains. I also hope you can get back to sleep and that your housemate has some idea about who it was.

Original poster
CatHeartViolet · 18/01/2024 04:48

@hombu the sidelights were on in the sitting room so I wouldn't have been able to see out - I've readjusted it now so if it happens again I'll go to front door and get an estimate of physique then quickly go upstairs as I don't like the thought of someone seeing me on the sofa.

Excuse messy pile of clothes washing at end of sofa.

Bit baffled - knocking on front door
OP posts:
PrincessFluffyPants · 18/01/2024 05:01

Bit hard to tell from the photo but I think for privacy you need to tilt your blinds so they are facing the opposite direction, as they appear to be at the moment (photo blurry) people would be able to see in and you can't clearly see out, tilt the other way and no one can see in but you can see out.

Hopefully the mystery knocker won't try for a third time if the last two were unsuccessful, must be very unsettling.

BOOTS52PollyPrissyPants · 18/01/2024 06:01

I would put a note on the door and just say please do not knock at the door at a late time. Bloody cheek of them and I would not answer either. If I do not want to answer my door regardless if someone has seen me I just don't. Really strange to be calling so late.

Original poster
CatHeartViolet · 18/01/2024 06:38

@PrincessFluffyPants thank you I'll have a go at readjusting them when it's daylight (and hope I don't break them...that would be even worse for visibility)

@BOOTS52PollyPrissyPants I'd be too much of a scaredy cat to open the door at that time but also don't want to wake anyone up. If I was feeling brave I could yell out "who is it and what do you want?" from inside as there is minimal traffic that time of night so he should be able to hear me.

Hopefully he won't come here again as when he knocked early this morning he probably did see me snatch my phone off the windowsill and pull my blanket over my head. Some people.

Thanks for keeping me company at an odd time of the night.

OP posts:
DoorPath · 18/01/2024 06:42

Just sleep in your bedroom.

ParsnipAndPoppy · 18/01/2024 06:50

this is bizarre and I can’t believe the suggestion about that it’s someone “popping around for a chat”??

Get a ring camera installed quickly - that will both deter and inform. Does your housemate have any, erm… dealings with people you might not be aware of?

Ask neighbours if they have any dooorbell camera footage or have had knocks. Very bizarre.

Frasers · 18/01/2024 06:53

hombu · 18/01/2024 04:10

Can anybody see from outside that a light is on in the front room or that you are there? If so it is obviously for you, not your friend. A sleepless neighbour is watching the house and saw your light was on and thought you might want to chat? Very strange if you have no guesses as to who!

Wants to chat? Who pops round at 2 or 3 am and thinks someone wants to chat, do you do that if you can’t sleep?

mnuser97427 · 18/01/2024 06:53

Not this again. Deja vu?

Sleep upstairs.

I also don't understand why you don't have proper curtains/ blinds that prevent people from being able to see inside.

LightSwerve · 18/01/2024 06:53

DoorPath · 18/01/2024 06:42

Just sleep in your bedroom.

From the OP, it is always useful to read it: I'm sleeping downstairs on the sofa at present due to illness, it's warmer and near the kettle for hot drinks.

Original poster
CatHeartViolet · 18/01/2024 07:12

@LightSwerve thank you! There is a good reason for me being on the sofa, it's a couple of degrees warmer than upstairs and I can get my hot drinks rather than trampling up and down the stairs. Hopefully illness will shift soon anyway so I'll go back upstairs.

But I'm really hoping that's an end to strange door knocker now. If he tried the door handle that would be all bets off and I would freak out. Don't understand why this happened, it can't be someone I know.

OP posts:
EmpressaurusOfTheScathingTinsel · 18/01/2024 07:18

Sofa is next to front door so if I have the side lights on I might be partially visible from outside.

Can you put something over the transparent bit of the front door while you’re sleeping in there?

DoorPath · 18/01/2024 07:29

I can read, thank you, @LightSwerve. I think the OP should sleep in her bedroom (especially in a house share - would drive me mad to have a housemate take over the sitting room). OP, get an electric blanket on your bed. The drinks thing is ridiculous. Getting up to get a drink in the night is just as much hassle from the sitting room as from your bedroom - it's a few extra steps. The absolute drama queen-ness!

PammieDooveOrangeJoof · 18/01/2024 07:33

I would assume it is someone that knows your male friend and thinks it’s him up late.

eurochick · 18/01/2024 07:37

Your blinds should have a string or stick that you turn to change the way they tilt.

CrunchyCarrot · 18/01/2024 07:38

Definitely odd someone knocking on your door at such an unsocial hour and I'd be very wary of their motives. Maybe they think the light is just on but no-one is home so they're looking for any signs of movement.

I think I'd invest in a Ring doorbell!

NigelHarmansNewWife · 18/01/2024 07:41

I think this person can see you in the same position on the sofa with lights on at night and is concerned. They may think you've been there for x days and they haven't seen you move. They may be checking you're not dead on the sofa/so ill you need medical attention. You'll never know if you ignore them.

Copperoliverbear · 18/01/2024 07:46

Report it to the police apparently there's a scam going around the ask you for money say they will give it back later, need to get somewhere urgently.
People have been giving it to them to get rid of them.
Don't open the door, people it to the police.
Maybe get a sticker on your door too from amazon to say cctv in operation, even though it's not but they don't know that.

pizzaHeart · 18/01/2024 07:46

Do you live in one of these terraced houses where the front door opens straight into the living room?

Copperoliverbear · 18/01/2024 07:47

Also order a ring doorbell from amazon