The postman just opened the door..

[DesperatelySeekingPomBears]

Er, is this normal practice?!

I was laid on the living room floor with DS, the TV was on and my car on the drive, all visible to anyone coming up the path. I heard the door go, assumed it was mam and called out a greeting, only to be met with silence and the door closing again and the postman's back retreating down the path.

Now I appreciate it's raining but isn't it normal practice to KNOCK with anything that won't fit through the letterbox, not let yourself into someone's house?!

So you left your door open? And he just dropped the post and closed it for you? Not a big deal - probably easier than getting it through the letterbox.

YABU

Hi,

Yes, he should have knocked - never just try a door. Was it a porch door? Sometimes they don't realise there isn't another door behind it & try to leave packets in the porch.

No. It's not normal.

oh - unless - Was it a door into your hallway or an 'outer' door - where there is then another door into the hallway, iyswim.

i think if it was an outer door, then that's really just an enclosed porch and I think delivery people don't see it as coming 'into' your house in the same way as opening the door into your hall, iyswim.

But if the postie just opened your door and put the parcel into your hall, then that's a bit rude, imo.

Someone did simular to me on halloween a few years back.
I was watching scary movies with dcs and some kids let themselves in for sweets!!! My door is one that doesn't lock on the outside unless you lock it with a key, that night i didn't lock it as we were getting trick or treaters every 5mins, but i didn't expect to see kids in my hallway taking sweets from my treat bucket

The postman shouldn't have let himself in

Wouldn't bother me at all - I'd be pleased he'd taken the initiative, rather than take the letter/parcel to the sorting office so that I'd have to go and pick it up later.

No it wasn't a porch door, we don't have a porch, the door opens directly into my hall. I suppose I should just be thankful he didn't do it twenty minutes earlier when I was merrily trotting downstairs topless looking for a replacement for the top DS had just vommed all over.

Actually, maybe that would have been better, he certainly wouldn't have run the risk of seeing that particular sight again.

I get what you mean sued but I was right in the living room! I wouldn't have had to the sorting office if he'd knocked as I'd have been at the door to take the parcel from him within about 15 seconds of him knocking!

Like the other poster said, I would just be pleased I got my post and he had thought for himself.
If he walked down the hall shouting 'Hiya Desperately, your credit card statements here' I think I would hve a problem.

Why was your door open?

You said the TV was on.
Perhaps he knocked and you didn't hear?
Perhaps he heard the TV and thought he was being invited to open the door?
Was it advisable to leave the door unlocked like that?

This happens to me all the time - postie opens the door and puts the post on the bottom stair, gives the dogs a biscuit and then goes away. I'm delighted with this, never thought to be annoyed.

I'd hate that. YANBU. It's your home, and you should feel comfortable and relaxed in it. I'd find that difficult if people let themselves in.

We live in a quiet town, I've never kept my door locked during the day. Just asked DP and he said the postman at his parent's house used to drop things like contact lenses off in the same way. Perhaps it's a peculiarity of older postmen!

No, I reckon that is really off. You could have been doing anything. Not to mention the fact that if you had wandered down the stairs to be confronted by a stranger you would have probably shat a brick.

I love my postman. He is brilliant at cramming stuff through the letterbox & has also knocked the door to let me know that I have left the keys in the lock outside. However, if a postman would be stupid enough to let themself into my house they would only do it the once. My dogs would assume that meals on wheels had arrived.

Our postman used to do this quite often until one day I got such a fright and shouted 'FUCK' with shock then screamed.
Oddly, he has never done it again.

...and I'm guessing door was unlocked for OPs mum? It doesn't make it an invitation for others to pop in!

how can the postman get in if you lock your doors properly?

Maybe it's a London thing but my door stays shut.

I'm not annoyed only, just wanted to know if it was, well, normal as he's never introduced himself and for all he knew the house could have been occupied by a large, vicious dog rather than our Useless Guard Dog of the Year award winner.

I don't think it's the norm, my postman did this after I had DS2 and he was delivering parcels, I was always on the couch with my boobs out so I imagine it was better than having to get up to answer door and interrupt DS feed.

Why do you leave your door open? You were lucky it was only the postman

Maybe you doorwasnt closd properly and when he tred to post te lettes it clicked open?

I hd a delivery bloke ope thefront door wheni was in the flat. He was mortified he thought it was a porch! It was aneducation thouh, made me realise that my dog is one hell of a shit guard dog!

Mine always does this, he's been my postie for 7 years though and knows my office where I work is upstairs, quick knock on the door, shouts hello, and sticks the post for me to ignore on the bookshelf. Saves me a job. I have no problem with it.

When I was a kid the postie always knocked on the front door, walked into the dining room and dropped the letters on the table. Maybe it's just part of village life.

I'm just that people leave their doors unlocked. Really?

I think if the dog could talk she probably would have screamed 'FUCK', she shot into the living room at a rate of knots before cowering behind the six month old baby. Good to know she's there in a crisis.