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Original poster

Cold callers knocking on door

84 replies

alemci · 18/09/2014 16:10

just had someone at the door to do with Marie Curie, I know it is a good cause but I don't want to sign up for anything and I hate being bothered on my doorstep.

I often give money if someone is in street etc or certain charities.

this makes me feel lousy, would others have done the same or just retreated like me?

OP posts:
Anotherchapter · 18/09/2014 16:13

I know how you feel. I have at least one a week. In the middle of summer it as nearly every day, banging on the door like a bloody bailiff.

I DD two charities. I absolutely don't want to be giving my card detsils to some random stranger. I don't mind putting coppers and change in a bucket but they won't accept it. Just need you to fill out a bank form Hmm ...... No thanks!

DoorToDoor · 18/09/2014 16:17

Nine o'clock the other night! Nine o'bloody'clock, in darkness, when a Save the Children chugger knocked on my door.

I gave the chugger a Look. He apologised and retreated extremely fast.

SpoonDoctor · 18/09/2014 16:19

YANBU - cold calling and chugging are a modern plague. The whole purpose is to play on those guilty feelings so you part with your hard earned cash. However worthy the cause, in my book it's an attempt to exert pressure, and you shouldn't have to put up with that in your home or on the street.

Some charities take an ethical stand that they do not use these techniques and I really respect that.

TimeForAnotherNameChange · 18/09/2014 16:22

My exchanges with door to door people go like this.

Me: open door, "No thanks", shut door, end of story.

Why would I feel guilty?

Fairylea · 18/09/2014 16:23

I have a massive sign on the door saying no callers - it lists all the different types. I got it from eBay for about a quid and since I have had it it has really cut down the amount of doorstep callers we've had. Worth a try..

Sunny67 · 18/09/2014 16:34

YANBU at all. I've had a few recently, they pretty much start with " your neighbours are giving x amount a month"
They might as well say " if they can afford it I'm sure you can"
The first time it happened I ended up sighing up as the young woman was saying she hadn't been doing it long and it was very hard. Then I got constant calls from the charity involved. I don't answer my mobile at work and I would get half a dozen if these calls a day so after the direct debit showed as being set up with my bank I cancelled it. I felt a but guilty but that's what they work on. Now I don't open the door just the window in the hall and say I'm very sorry but I'm in the middle of something.

Catswiththumbs · 18/09/2014 16:37

A lay man off the street can't do anything with your bank details apart from deposit money in your account (which they won't!) so that's not the issue

Working door to door is shit for the people who have to do it (these people will be on commission only "self employed" positions- no min wage) and an inconvenience at best for those who get knocked.

Charity's use this method because it works- morally right or not.

As an aside- cold callers shouldn't call after 8pm, I'm sure there is some legality surrounding that.

SistersOfPercy · 18/09/2014 16:38

Print this out....

www.stjohnswalton.org.uk/uploads/3/8/6/6/3866723/stop.jpg

Either laminate or stick in the window.

Catswiththumbs · 18/09/2014 16:39

Oh and they say your neighbour has it so you don't think you are the first, and so you want to keep up with the jones'. It's very simple sales techniques.

LurkingHusband · 18/09/2014 16:41

I work from home, and my office faces the road (which is a cul-de-sac) . Usually, about once a month, a car will pull up, and out will jump 4 people, with identity badges (for what they are worth) clipboards, and sharp suits (even the ladies !). They then blitz the street trying to get people to sign up for whatever charity has PAID them.

Yes. PAID.

The company that "employs" these people gets a %age of your direct debit (because they won't accept anything else). If you stop the DD before the company has got their cut, they'll recharge the charity.

This is the 21st century folks. "Charity" is business. Charities market their "brand" (why do you think "AgeUK" was invented), and sell it to companies to collect on their behalf. If they are very clever, they can simultaneously get volunteers to freeze their 'nads off in supermarket doorways too, while paying these "contribution consultancies" a pretty penny. And yes, it's disgusting.

BBQsAreSooooOverrated · 18/09/2014 16:42

I have a 'no cold calling, etc' sign in my porch window. Still get in average 2 chuggers/religious groups a week though.

Meglet · 18/09/2014 16:43

I don't answer the door. I just peek out and ignore if it's a cold caller. My immediate family all have keys anyway.

Pointlessfan · 18/09/2014 16:44

It drives me mad, not just charities either. Some bloke knocked my door the other week to point out what a state our driveway is and to offer to quote to do it. He was right it is a mess but I thought that was quite rude and there's no way I'd pay some random man of the street thousands of pounds, if I had thousands of pound that is! My DH used to donate £10 a month to the Red Cross by DD but cancelled it cos they kept pestering him to donate more. He couldn't afford it and felt they were taking the piss. I'd rather give to charities that are not paying commission to all these sales people.

FrootLoopy · 18/09/2014 16:45

I didn't realise they recharge the charity!

I refuse all cold callers now, out of principle. Well almost, one of our locals collects for Lifeboats, but we are all told when it's going to happen via the Parish magazine so it's not really a cold call.

EllasMum16 · 18/09/2014 16:48

We are absolutely hounded by these in our area. We had someone from Macmillan call the day after we got our lg home from hospital! DH answered the door (he is really soft) and had to say no about 6 times before rep would actually leave.

LittleBairn · 18/09/2014 16:51

I don't even bother to open the door now after having to call the police about an aggressive cold caller. I hate them its constant on my street, seriously at least twice a day along with all the junk mail.

I don't give to charities that cold call and/or harass me on the street, so it doesn't work for me.

GoblinLittleOwl · 18/09/2014 16:52

I will give to registered charities with a collecting tin, but never to someone trying to sign me up. I always ask,'Are you collecting money?' and the Chuggers aren't allowed to, so end of spiel, and no, I don't feel guilty.

MostAmused · 18/09/2014 16:53

When I was desperate at Uni I took on a job with Home Fundraising. Charities pay them to recruit sponsors. Anything less than £8 a month and the charity actually loses money. I got paid hourly with bonuses paid for each sign up after a certain amount.

I hated it. It was the most soul destroying job I've ever done. Shifts were from 4-9 but travel could be up to 3 hours outside of your location so I often had to be at the office at 12pm and not get home till 12am. That's 12 hours you don't get paid for.

Nobody wants to sign up or be bothered by cold callers. So everyone hates you. The worst part of the job really was when a dear old lady invited you inside and pretty much hands over her card with all the details plain as day.

I left after about a month because I hated encouraging old people to trust door-to-door people and everyone just hates you. Also it's a job done in rain, wind and shine. Most of the people that do well are pushy sales types that only care about "hitting bonus".

If anyone comes to my door it just gets shut again immediately.

Bellwether · 18/09/2014 16:53

I don't answer the door. The last one I opened it to wanted to come and 'look at my boiler'. I spat "I'm not letting you in my house!" like he was an utter idiot for asking - which he was - and slammed the door in his face. Now I don't open it at all. They're probably entirely unregulated and you've no idea which one is a bored, underpaid charity-mugger and which is an axe murderer.

mowbraygirl · 18/09/2014 17:07

We are very lucky get very few cold callers were we are but SIL who lives 5 minute walk away gets them all the time. My friend also gets a lot she gets very annoyed with them especially when they knock at 8. 30pm at night as she says there are a lot of elderly people around her and the are frightened to open the door. She often rings the charity and complains to them she does say she realises they need to make money but could they only knock in the day time.

poolomoomon · 18/09/2014 17:27

There's an area around the corner from me that's banned cold callers. I'm not sure how but there's signs on lamp posts saying it's a "no cold caller zone"... I wish this could become a blanket thing for the country tbh, I'm very envious of that area. But I realise it would put a lot of people out of work and charities might not earn as much (although I'd be curious as to how much cold calling earns them tbh, I don't know anyone who actually donates after seeing a cold caller.) Not just charities either, people flogging shit too. All irritating.

Ohwhatfuckeryisthis · 18/09/2014 17:38

I've just had one. Said I don't donate through my bank. He asked why, I said I donate to who I give to. Last week I just brightly said I give already, bye!

maninawomansworld · 19/09/2014 16:20

I rarely get door to door people because we live quite out of the way but I make it a rule never to sign up to anything on the spot. If I am genuinely interested, I always take details and sit and read up in my own time.

EveDallasRetd · 19/09/2014 16:25

I don't give to cold callers and chuggers on principal, less poppy sellers. I'm always polite, but always say exactly that. I've had a couple try the hard sell on me, but generally they accept it and leave me alone.

GiveTwoSheets · 19/09/2014 16:30

They are constantly coming round its bad enough in local town having to dodge the chuggers and it pisses me off as most of them work on commision not cos the care about the Charity.

I'm rather abrupt first thing I say is are you looking for my bank details because I don't have one. goodbye.

They are always turning up during dinner time and in past I've had crying child and they still won't go away.

Mind you last winter at 8pm one person made the mistake of nearly knocking the door of hinges to try sell something, she got it in the ear I tell you