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Original poster

Do you answer your door late at night?

115 replies

KuromiCat · 30/11/2025 22:18

Just had a knock on the door, not expecting anyone so didn’t answer. Would you open your door at this time of night? (Not asking about day time just considering it is 10 at night)

OP posts:
FrodoBiggins · 01/12/2025 00:09

I knocked on someone's door at midnight the other night, but tbf it was because they had left their keys in the front door (on the outside)!
She answered looking a bit scared but obviously was happy I knocked when I explained. Didn't want to just post in case the door was unlocked. I would probably open door at 10 but I live in a naice area.

NoTouch · 01/12/2025 00:17

Doesn’t happen often. last time was NDN son looking for asprin for his dad who was having a heart attack and 999 operator asked them if they had any while they were waiting for ambulance, they didn’t so sent son to try neighbours. Might have helped save his life as it was touch and go for him. I would more likely open than not.

Original poster
KuromiCat · 01/12/2025 00:20

Definitely not a neighbour, looked through the door and definitely no one I recognised, obviously a neighbour is different.

OP posts:
Theroadt · 01/12/2025 00:26

Not after 9pm, and not after 8pm in winter (when darker)

Happyjoe · 01/12/2025 00:37

Nope. But then when am on my own I don't answer the door at any time of day without looking out the window first. Sometimes I don't answer it because not in the mood to talk to anyone..

Sparklechoppy · 01/12/2025 00:42

No way.

JudgeBread · 01/12/2025 01:14

Yes because my neighbours have a rabbit who is a fucking Houdini and loves our garden so he's frequently to be found snoozing happily behind our shed. So 9 times out of 10 a late night knock on the door is one of them sheepishly asking to go look for him again because they've noticed the hutch is open.

I probably would even if I didn't have them though. Or talk to them through the doorbell if I wasn't sure.

Arghhhhggggggggggg · 01/12/2025 04:46

Indianajet · 30/11/2025 22:21

Yes, but would have my dog with me.

This. My dog is big and always barks at the door, so I would answer but only because I know my dog scares people ( he's really soft he just always barks at people knocking at the door 😅 )

Ponderingwindow · 01/12/2025 04:50

I have cameras and the option of two way audio. Depending on what kind of encounter seemed imminent, I might ignore or might ask for info through the speaker.

CoralPombear · 01/12/2025 04:58

Get a Ring (or similar!) doorbell. You can answer and tell them you’re not in if you like, at least you find out who it is.

thetallfairy · 01/12/2025 05:02

We have quite a few ticket sellers calling around 8-9pm

Utter madness
Kids in bed
Dogs going crazy understandably

Tickets are normally 20 - 30 pounds for a football club fundraiser

I live down a narrow private lane

Drives me mad. !!!!

One night I ignored them so ... they knocked on my DD bedroom window

Fckers

XDownwiththissortofthingX · 01/12/2025 05:07

Nope. I don't answer my door after Midnight.

Sartre · 01/12/2025 06:44

We have a ring so I’d always check that first and if I didn’t know who it was then no.

Iocanepowder · 01/12/2025 07:15

I am mostly asleep by 10 so no.

Did once have someone knock at my mum’s at 1am on xmas day. We were up playing board games. By the time we got courage to answer, they had gone. They were in a car and drove off.

OldBeyondMyYears · 01/12/2025 07:24

I would check first on the ring camera. If I don’t have a camera, I’d look through the ‘spy hole’ thing. I live alone and rurally, so would need to check first. I’m not ‘risk averse’ by any means, but it’s just sensible isn’t it?

ViciousCurrentBun · 01/12/2025 07:39

I have a ring doorbell so can easily see them and talk to them. So very much depends on who it is . A random man at night no way.

OhDear111 · 01/12/2025 07:41

How late is late? After 10 we consider late. Even in the summer the lights lighting the drive and the front door would have been triggered by their arrival. So we can see who it is. After midnight, we probably would not answer but again if it was a frantic neighbour, we would.

Jamfirstest · 01/12/2025 07:50

No I won’t. Not that it happens much. I peeped out the window once to find a very apologetic lost Deliveroo driver though! We live in city centre and we don’t get bothered late in the evening.

I won’t answer in the day either if I’m not expecting anyone/a parcel. Like I won’t answer the phone if I don’t want to.

Original poster
KuromiCat · 01/12/2025 08:17

I have a ring but the battery had gone, despite saying it lasts around 6 weeks it always needs charging after 2 weeks

OP posts:
logsahc · 01/12/2025 08:19

We had an Evri delivery at 9.30 last night. We have Ring cameras so we check that first, it was obvious it was a deliver driver. We’d answer either way though tbh, I’m too curious! Maybe not if I was on my own.

singmoon · 01/12/2025 08:44

Yes I would.

singmoon · 01/12/2025 08:45

OldBeyondMyYears · 01/12/2025 07:24

I would check first on the ring camera. If I don’t have a camera, I’d look through the ‘spy hole’ thing. I live alone and rurally, so would need to check first. I’m not ‘risk averse’ by any means, but it’s just sensible isn’t it?

Certainly if I was remote and alone I would check before I opened. I wouldn't just ignore it though.

frozendaisy · 01/12/2025 08:59

I would look into getting the ring doorbell wired in - no more batteries needed

If you live in an area with potential dodgy characters - male line stranger late at night - home alone - not a fucking chance would I open the door

H might answer it - but he would probably talk through ring doorbell - and we have two front doors effectively.

So no

do you talk to neighbours either side?
you could ask if he knocked on them?

yes it could be someone needing help but better he finds a house with an awake male inside - for obvious reasons

TwitTwoodiniEscapeOwlogist · 01/12/2025 09:00

About two years ago I opened the door about eleven o'clock, as I was expecting it to be my adult son who was out for the evening and who I knew had forgotten his key. It turned out to be a middle aged very drunk guy who tried to push his way into my house. I think he was speaking Turkish and he didn't seem to understand me.

He was so drunk that I managed to push him out again and force the door shut, but then he stayed around for ages putting his hand through the letter box and kicking then kicking the door. I think he had the wrong house rather than actually trying to break in. I had to call the police as I thought he wasn't going to leave. By the time they turned up he had finally wandered off.

I'm now quite careful of opening the door after dark, although it's just as well I did last month as our neighbour, (who luckily I know just well enough to recognise), was banging on my door because he was alone and having a suspected heart attack and I had to call an ambulance for him and wait with him for two hours until it finally arrived.

So it can go both ways.

Natsku · 01/12/2025 09:41

I would. Curiosity would overcome any reluctance to open the door. Can only recall it happening once though and good thing I answered because it was the police bringing my DD home, who had snuck out of the house in the middle of the night with her friend (having a sleepover) and walked her friend home.