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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have snapped at a charity door knocker

28 replies

westonsorganic · 31/10/2011 21:01

8.50pm, said charity door knocker bangs the door, starts booming into the hallway, dog starts barking...11 month old wakes crying. DH is trying to say, "its not a good time and its late" and the guy is pushing back saying "well I won't take long". I go out into the hallway and I tell him its not on to tap us up so late and if we say it's not convenient then thats how it is.
Anyway, curtly kill the "conversation" and shut the door. I feel rude BUT it's also so invasive and I think it's too late to knock the door. WIBU?

OP posts:
gethelp · 31/10/2011 21:06

Nope. If its not someone you know just say no thanks and shut the door. I often don't answer the door anyway at that time of night.

yummumto3girls · 31/10/2011 21:10

The same happened to us a few weeks ago, poorly baby just got settled and door bell rings, it was 9pm. Have to say DP was not too polite!

I am sorry but this is too late to be knocking on people's doors.

Squitten · 31/10/2011 21:11

YANBU!

I find any kind of sales or charity collection at my door to be incredibly intrusive. Fair enough on the street but not in people's homes. And that time of night is outrageous!

Isla77 · 31/10/2011 21:11

I just say "No thanks" and firmly close the door. I am really fed up with the number of cold callers we get and I never buy stuff at the door or sign up for charities at the door. I already give to three charities regularly and that is all I can afford. I am really fed up being made to feel guilty by people knocking on my door or, worse still, phoning me up. I just hang the phone up without speaking now.

Original poster
westonsorganic · 31/10/2011 21:13

thanks for the responses...we get so many "taps" and I always think it must be a crap way to have to earn your money BUT its just too invasive

OP posts:
pecanpie · 31/10/2011 21:16

YANBU. We get so many round here and I say no thanks and close the door. It's so intrusive, surely can't be more cost efficient than sending junk mail. It also really puts me off giving to that charity voluntarily.

MogTheForgetfulCat · 31/10/2011 21:17

YANBU - not keen on chuggers at the best of times, but really resent being doorstepped by them, and it happened twice last week. TWICE! If one of them had woken the baby I would have been highly peeved.

molepom · 31/10/2011 21:20

I thought it was against the law to be cold calling/selling after a certain time?

In fact I'm sure it is.

Original poster
westonsorganic · 31/10/2011 21:22

Pecanpie - I agree, I can't believe anyone actually signs up any more at the door as there are so many

Molepom - I vaguely recall you are not allowed to cold call on the phone after 9am so wonder if it's the same for door knocking. I just cant bear people knocking the door any time of the day for this sort of thing.....Need to get one of those signs for the door saying "no blah blah blahs" asap.....

OP posts:
molepom · 31/10/2011 21:24

I've looked it's 8am to 9pm.

molepom · 31/10/2011 21:25

I've got one of those signs Weston, they dont work and just get ignored.

However my great big Fuck Off Alsatian worked a treat Grin

Original poster
westonsorganic · 31/10/2011 21:25

flippin hell, I thought that getting tapped at 8.50pm was bad enough but imagine someone at the door at 8am?!

OP posts:
Croydonsortofmother · 31/10/2011 21:25

I get a knock at the front door. It doesn't matter who it is (unless it's the police or fire brigade or ambulance) but all I say is "We don't deal with cold callers". Sometimes I just have to keep repeating it and I say "we" even though I live alone.

I went on an assertiveness course once and all you have to do is keep repeating what you said, regardless of what they say to you.

Sometimes, I pick up the cordless phone before I answer the door holding it and pretend that I'm speaking as I open it, saying, "hold on a minute." That shows that I have something else to do - and am not alone.

molepom · 31/10/2011 21:27

At 8am, their health is at serious risk.

Original poster
westonsorganic · 31/10/2011 21:27

Molepom....I too will get a Super Fang poster as a picture of my black lab will only encourage them, esp the animal charities! :o

OP posts:
molepom · 31/10/2011 21:30

lol..animal charities were the only ones to come round when we had the dog.

They used to ask me if I liked animals. I would always reply no. They would then say "Well, what about your dog, isnt he an animal?"

"Yes" I would reply, but I dont fucking like him."

pigletmania · 31/10/2011 21:33

YANBU at all, he should realise that its late and people are not going to be in the best of moods if you disturb their children sleeping, and they are just trying to relax.

Original poster
westonsorganic · 31/10/2011 21:35

Molepom...I think I am going to use this word for word :o

OP posts:
EmmaBemma · 31/10/2011 21:36

"tap us up" - love that!

EverybodysScaryEyed · 31/10/2011 21:41

I had someone collecting for a childrens charity

I opened the door and immediately got "do you want to stop child abuse?'

I just said 'not today thank you' and closed the door. i hate the way they try and draw you in. And I already donate to that charity!

Another time a red cross guy came round telling me he didn't want money but he wanted to bring the local community together blah blah blah. I cut him off and said 'why do you have a collecting tin then?'.

GColdtimer · 31/10/2011 21:44

Doesn't matter what time they come, they get short shrift from me. I find it incredibly intrusive so they get a polite but firm "I don't give to anyone who comes to my door". Yanbu.

MsHighwater · 31/10/2011 21:48

We had someone round on behalf of the Red Cross, wanting us to sign up for a direct debit. I gave her the bum's rush. She came back later when I was out but dh was in. I was livid.

Familydilemma · 31/10/2011 21:52

I have a script "I am sorry but we already donate as much as we can afford to our one chosen charity and we're not in a position to donate elsewhere.". The only other question I will answer is if they ask which charity we do ate to. After that, it's "I'm sorry but I'm too busy to talk to you now" and smile and close the door. I tell no lies, we do donate and if in too busy some evenings to talk to friends I'm def too busy for a charity cold caller.

auntiepicklebottom2 · 31/10/2011 21:55

it's my pet hate, as once my son is woken up that he will not go back to sleep until 3-4 am.

and 8am....you better run

MenopausalHaze · 31/10/2011 21:58

molepom - that is fucking excellently funny! Sadly we no longer have a dog but how I wish I had had that in my repertoire when we did!

I did like him by the way!

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