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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Yodel delivery driver opened my front door..

333 replies

harboromummy · 30/12/2015 13:44

This is the second time in two weeks! Same guy!

I went to go into the hall way to go upstairs and the delivery man literally came up to the door, didn't knock, opened my front door and went to put the parcel on the stairs!! He about pooed himself when he saw me then asked me to sign the thing.

The first time I heard the front door go went to check and he had done it then too!!

😡😡

OP posts:
5madthings · 30/12/2015 17:13

We have been.burgled when ds1 and ds2 were little, it was early hours of morning so door was actually locked, I disturbed them as I woke to feed ds2 so they ran out with my bag (only had baby change stuff in it) and not much else. They dumped it as they ran up the road and the postie returned it as he recognised it. The police investigated etc. It wasn't very nice, shook me up for a while but I live elsewhere now and I can't live by what ifs. I say that as someone who was raped as a teen, I still go running on my own, mainly at night and will walk home from local pubs on my own etc. There are definitely some areas where I wouldn't feel as safe to do so but generally I do feel pretty safe and as I say I can't live my life on a what of basis. Far more risks that people take without even thinking about it on a daily basis. Leaving my front door unlocked in daylight hours when I am in the house feels fine and as I said madthing6 will sleep outside in the pram. I am always pottering about, can see out etc and am quite happy with that.

littleleftie · 30/12/2015 17:30

It's not just burglars though is it? My adult DD was home without locking her door and someone came in and raped her.

She also lived in an area with allegedly "zero crime" and so thought it would never happen to her.

That's the problem - people think it will never happen to them until it does.

I do agree with OP that the parcel man shouldn't have just let himself in, but if you leave your door open, you are really allowing anyone entry, for any purpose they have in mind.

SucculentsRock · 30/12/2015 17:31

We live in rural Ireland and our post woman does this all the time. I don't mind. She just opens the door and slides it onto the mat, it's not like she's walking in and putting things on the kitchen table.

It has never occurred to me to lock myself in the house apart from when I go to bed. Nor have I ever put much thought into what lock we have on the door. It just a standard lock on a composite door. Every house I have lived in prior to this that hasn't had a wooden door has been the same.

Ta1kinPeece · 30/12/2015 17:34

Where is OP ?

witsender · 30/12/2015 17:36

We have a Yale lock, but it is on the latch unless we are out for a while or in bed.

BitOutOfPractice · 30/12/2015 17:39

You might have been able to cliam on your insurance "many, many moons ago" if your door was able to be opened without a key from the outside. But not now. Most (the vast majority) actually have this as a clause in your policy and will stipulate what kids of locks you must have on your doors and windows. They will not pay out if your lock is "bumped" as there ill be no evidence of a break in.

I deal with this kind of stuff professionally but if you don't beleive me google "will insurance pay out if I leave my door unlocked?" and see what you want to risk it

BitOutOfPractice · 30/12/2015 17:40

What kinds of locks

BitOutOfPractice · 30/12/2015 17:40

And "but I was in" won't be a defence either I'm afraid

BitOutOfPractice · 30/12/2015 17:41

"I think our gates and long drive way probably make me feel safer too."

That should make you feel less safe if you are not visible from the road!

landrover · 30/12/2015 17:42

Sorry, you are ridiculous to leave your front door unlocked! Postie may have assumed it was a porch, don't blame him at all!

Original poster
harboromummy · 30/12/2015 17:44

How the hell would he "assume" it's a porch? It looks nothing like a porch. It's a proper front door.

OP posts:
5madthings · 30/12/2015 17:45

Most rapes are perpetrated by someone the victim knows. The person who raped me was a friend of s friend. I had known him a while but not long enough to class him as a friend. We were out when he assaulted me, in quite a busy place as well but just far enough away from other people that they wouldn't have heard me shout over music and other noise.

This is one of those things that will depend on lots of factors and we all will make different choices, I have made different choices when I lived in other areas.

Back to the op the delivery driver should have knocked/rung the door bell. But as I said our postie and delivery men often open front door and leave stuff in front hallway/porch but they knock first. And they know I am happy with this.

PrettyBrightFireflies · 30/12/2015 17:45

I get the feeling people don't care, bitoutofpractice

  • a classic case of "I'll take the risk that it'll never happen to me".
Kaytee1987 · 30/12/2015 17:46

BitOutOfPractice straight drive way so front door viable from other side of the road Grin

TenTinyTadpoles · 30/12/2015 17:47

5Madthings indeed. Locking the door wouldn't have stopped my now ex-husband. Sometimes you need to consider how you will get out of the house rather than stopping other people getting in.

Kaytee1987 · 30/12/2015 17:47

Visable even.

Marmitelover55 · 30/12/2015 17:47

Crikey I can't believe all of these people with unlocked doors Shock We have a Yale on our front door plus two Chubb locks. When we are in the house in the day time the door is just locked with the Yale lock. At bedtime I additionally lock one Chubb lock (with key left in in case of fire) plus chain, plus alarm. When we are out I lock the other Chubb as well.

Our back door is always locked too, unless we are out in the garden.

We have never been burgled (touch wood).

Ta1kinPeece · 30/12/2015 17:48

harbor
would you have rather he left the parcel out in the rain?

5madthings · 30/12/2015 17:50

You can still see the road, well cul De sac from our front windows,hence kids being able to play out and I can still see them. Ours is a busy house with peoole in and our insurance policy is fine with front door being unlocked whilst we are in. The front door itself needs a key to lock it, the next door is one that can lock automatically as it shuts depending on what setting the lock is on and then can be opened from inside but needs a key from the outside.

Op you are right the delivery driver should not have just tried your door, they should have knocked.

BitOutOfPractice · 30/12/2015 17:52

Just the other side of the road? That's all? Hardly visible at all then

I think you are taking a stupid and unecessary risk Kaytee and I would bet my mortgage that your insurance company would feel the same if you ever make a claim.

BitOutOfPractice · 30/12/2015 17:53

5madthings - have you checked your policy? That your house is covered when it is left totally unlocked. I'd check if I were you

Dipankrispaneven · 30/12/2015 17:54

But if you have a Yale lock then getting out of the house is just as easy as it is if you have a door with a handle.

BitOutOfPractice · 30/12/2015 17:54

TenTinyTad[poles you are right. Escaping in a fire is equally important. It is important that your chikdren can get out in a fire too (and I know how hard it is to balance child safety and fire safety trust me)

It seems to me like a lot of you could do with assessing your security / egress options

Kaytee1987 · 30/12/2015 17:55

BitOutOfPractice - where else should it be visable from? That's the furthest away point Confused

It's a good job we're all allowed to make our own decisions then isn't it Hmm

Hardly ever in the house so door is unlocked for maybe a few hours a day at the weekend when we're in and out the garden with the dog, doing diy or gardening etc..... have no idea why I'm explaining myself to you tbh.

sije · 30/12/2015 17:55

So, now I understand why people let their street doors slam behind them on TV.

Whenever this happens I've always worried how they'll get back in.