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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Doorbell usage

40 replies

toastedteacake · 04/03/2013 09:35

AIBU to get a little teensy bit annoyed when people ring the doorbell not once but three times and when there is not an immediate response repeat until a slightly hassled looking person comes to the door?

This happened this morning at 8 O'clock. I was in the shower, soaped up, so quite reasonably thought I wouldn't answer. It was not an emergency, it was an electrician who has been doing some work to our garage. I knew he was coming, he was told previously the garage was open, so no need to be around to meet and greet. When I eventually answered he asked for the garage door to be opened, arghhhhhh.

I would like to think that I am not being unreasonable to expect some doorbell etiquette. One press is all it needs, maybe two if you're not sure it rang. If I want to open my door I will, but I am under no obligation to do so. To keep pressing until someone answers is a bit rude, no?

OP posts:

Lovelygoldboots · 04/03/2013 10:37

He was on premises

Original poster

toastedteacake · 04/03/2013 10:44

The consumer unit and meter is in the garage. He's been here before and just got on with it and knows we aren't always in at that time.

OP posts:

Original poster

toastedteacake · 04/03/2013 10:53

lovely It's not that he wanted to announce he was here that's the problem. It's the doggedly pressing the doorbell continuously for what must have been 5 minutes with no let up.

Constant bing, bong, bing, bong, bing, bong, bing, bong, bing, bong.

Still making me slightly 'Arghhhhh' even now.
Must go and make him a nice cup of tea.

OP posts:

Lovelygoldboots · 04/03/2013 10:55

He couldve been on a dozen different jobs in between each expecting different etiquette. You were expecting him as well. I cant see what the poor guys done wrong tbh.

DIYapprentice · 04/03/2013 10:57

Make him a cup of tea - but tell him that next time he comes (if he is coming again) - you will deduct one cup of tea for every time he presses the bell......

Lovelygoldboots · 04/03/2013 11:02

From what you said in last post it that is( OTT. What DIY said sounds good )

DeWe · 04/03/2013 11:05

Our doorbell doesn't work. For some reason it works when next door's bell is pressed, but it plays a different tune. I've turned it off.

Original poster

toastedteacake · 04/03/2013 11:09

lovely He rang my doorbell, for no reason, constantly for over 5 minutes.

He is a nice chap and he was here before weekend on Friday, same drill, garage door left open. No ringing the doorbell constantly then!

I am admittedly uptight about people who press the doorbell more than I would consider reasonable and this really irked me because it was constant noise. Why not just ring once, then try again in a couple of minutes? If I am otherwise engaged I am not going to get there any quicker by him keeping his finger on the doorbell.

OP posts:

Original poster

toastedteacake · 04/03/2013 11:15

DIY He's in negative numbers then isn't he? Does that mean he has to make cups of tea for me?

I've just taken him a monster mug of tea and piece of homemade brownie. I'm not mad with him, just don't understand it.

OP posts:

Morloth · 04/03/2013 11:15

I disabled my doorbell, the cat lets me know if there is anyone at the door.

Original poster

toastedteacake · 04/03/2013 11:21

DeWe you need to take the back off the bell box and change the frequency. This happened to us in our old house when the neighbours over the back from us installed the same brand and type of doorbell that we had. It worked for our bell press but we always knew when they had visitors too.

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VenusRising · 04/03/2013 11:25

Put a sticker on your bell saying its broken.
Worked for us.

Peevish · 04/03/2013 11:54

I'm in a rented house with a deafening, shrill doorbell that is hard-wired in. When my small baby (who is not one of life's sleepers) is napping, I put a sign hanging prominently out of the letterbox saying BABY ASLEEP - PLEASE DON'T RING BELL. A few weeks ago, a double glazing salesman walked up the path - I saw him out of my study window - glanced at the sign, and did a big, loud double ring. Cue massive baby wails.

I nearly killed him on the doorstep - I mean, what part of my sign is ambiguous. And it's on orange laminated paper in block capitals! It doesn't look like a note for the milkman!

Original poster

toastedteacake · 04/03/2013 13:21

That happened to me once, though with a friend (who should have known better as we had been chatting earlier in the day about sleepless babies). I was sleep deprived at the time and pregnant. OMG I've just realised what started my intolerance to casual doorbell abuse.

OP posts:

Slippersox · 04/03/2013 13:59

I have a friend-lovely manners in every other respect - who announces her arrival with two or three long insistent rings followed by a letterbox rattle.Drives me nuts.We do have a fair sized house granted but I'd like the chance to start moving towards the door and not feel so badgered.
Come to think of it she has previously asked what we are doing on a certain date with the intention of finding out if we are free before asking us to something, and has then leaned forward and grabbed my calendar off the wall and thumbed through it to check.Generally a bossy sort now I reflect on it!

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