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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be sick of charity doorsteppers

98 replies

LouiseBrooks · 03/04/2017 21:21

I just had a girl from Marie Curie knocking on my door to ask me to contribute. It's 9.00pm. This happens every couple of months, not the same charity each time. Sometimes it's Saturday or Sunday evenings, it's always after 8.

I know they're all great charities, I know times are hard, and I do contribute to my chosen charities, but AIBU to think that my home should be off limits?

OP posts:
Moanyoldcow · 03/04/2017 21:44

I agree with you - I detest it and find it very intrusive. I am going to make a sign that will hopefully put them off.

1nsanityscatching · 03/04/2017 21:53

It drives me mad Angry it's every fortnight here just now. It's got to the stage that when I see them at the other end of the village on the way home I close the blinds and don't answer the door later on as I know it will be them. It's always after 8pm here as well, even telephone cold callers seem to have stopped by then.

BillyButtfuck · 03/04/2017 22:00

I asked the council to send me a little door sticker saying no unsolicited sales people, cold callers or canvassers. It hasn't helped. I have a couple who call every other Thursday who are trying to convert me to their religion, an ex prisoner who calls every few months selling cheap household items and various charities who all call after 7pm.

I always answer the door as one of my neighbours is alone and vulnerable and knocks from time to time if he needs help.

Original poster
LouiseBrooks · 03/04/2017 22:27

Apparently there's a fine line between cold calling and charity fundraisers so they may ignore any signs. I was a bit short with them tonight, it was just too many.

OP posts:
Moanyoldcow · 04/04/2017 00:01

I'm actually just unpleasant to them.

'What do you actually want?' Usually gets them to the end of their spiel.

'Sorry, not interested' and then closing the door in their face.

I'd love to know how many people actually sign up as a result of those doorstep callers.

Crowdblundering · 04/04/2017 00:02

WHY do they always come when you are cooking tea - it's hard to interrupt the spiel sometimes to politely ask them to fuck off go away.

DJBaggySmalls · 04/04/2017 00:04

Some of them really hammer on the door, we've got 2 elderly disabled neighbours so I always have to at least go to the peep hole. which is a pain as I'm also disabled.
They can see that but always try to have a chat on the doorstep, even in winter.

hibbledobble · 04/04/2017 00:07

Yanbu. I find it an extremely aggressive fundraising technique and actively avoid any charity that does this.

I honestly believe it should be outlawed, along with chuggers on the street.

scaryclown · 04/04/2017 00:09

They should do better than repeating the same streets over and over - do you know which agency it is?

SafeToCross · 04/04/2017 00:29

I detest them. I got a no cold callers sign from Amazon, some of them say no charities. Too soon to say if my sign has deterred people. Now, if it was a person from my road rattling a tin for something in a voluntary capacity I would not mind that at all. Not a paid person with a spiel though.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 04/04/2017 00:51

Yes they're only doing a job. We know get and understand that, but. Knocking on doors that late could frighten the bloody life out of someone elderly vulnerable or of a nervous disposition.

I may come across as weird, but. I don't answer my door. All my visits are planned.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 04/04/2017 00:53

Tell you one thing though. It can't be an easy job. Getting spoken to like a rat. I wouldn't do it.

hellokittymania · 04/04/2017 01:05

I actually run a small charity, but we sell things to raise money. We sell in a shop and I am trying to make it so we can sell online as well. I find that this works very well. I wouldn't like to go to peoples houses, I am considered a vulnerable adult. Also, I live in an apartment building so thankfully no one bothers us.

AntiHop · 04/04/2017 01:32

There was a thread on this a few days ago and I've more or less copied my post from that.

I used to do this job. I think many PPs are being rather harsh. Just put a sign on your door and the problem is solved. Or just say no thank you. It takes 10 seconds.

In the time I did this job, almost everyone was polite to me. Only a couple of people were rude. A good number of people signed up, and this created a good amount of income for the charity. Even taking into account my pay, that was a lot more money than if I'd spent the same amount of time as a volunteer shaking a tin.

Charities need money. In recent years government funding has been cut and charities are struggling.

And it can't be that common, as in the 15 years since I did that job, I've only had one chugger at my door.

avamiah · 04/04/2017 02:14

Omg I have had this many times and I find it totally unacceptable.
What I find totally unacceptable is the time of night people are knocking at your door and not that they are from a Charity .
Let's be honest, unless it's the light nights why would any stranger be knocking at your door after 9 pm?
The amount of times I have spoken to people through my front door( part glass) and told them it's too late and to go away or come back in the day time with I D is ridiculous.
I have even reported one incident to the police were a guy was trying to sell me cleaning products at 8 pm and wouldn't take No for a answer as he obviously realised I was home alone as I was stupid enough to keep telling him no thanks instead of shutting the door.
I was alone as my OH was at work and I think he realised that.
Scary .

highinthesky · 04/04/2017 02:18

It makes me cross that the money I give to charity is then used to bother people. I understand the need to raise further funds but this makes use of the young and naively enthusiastic.

AnneTwacky · 04/04/2017 10:50

I think half the problem is we feel guilty because we want to help with a good cause but we also know signing too many direct debits could is not a good idea.

I've been to accommodating in the past and caused myself financial problems so now I have a set few charities I donate too but will not sign up to any more. Having a set black and white rule helps me to be assertive when they pile on the guilt.

I don't think fund raising in this way is particularly great as by it's nature, it is mostly vulnerable people, who have trouble saying, "No, I can't really afford this", who sign up.

ThePiglet59 · 04/04/2017 10:53

I just smile, say "No thank you" and shut the door. I don't engage with them at all.

How difficult is that?

kaitlinktm · 04/04/2017 11:15

I got a notice made (on Ebay) which says:

No uninvited traders, canvassers, charities or religious groups thank you

It mostly works a treat - if they don't see it I just draw their attention to my sign and they usually apologise and go away. I am always very polite.

There has been the odd blip though. One was a person who didn't realise she was a canvasser and another (just the other day) was either a JW or Mormon (I didn't find out). When I asked if he had seen my sign he said he just wanted to talk to me about happiness (?).

However these are the only incidents I can remember in several years now - and we used to get pestered regularly.

Original poster
LouiseBrooks · 04/04/2017 12:10

Of course it's not difficult to say no thanks, but to be frank I am sick of getting up to answer the door to these people. I am normally very polite but last night I'd just had it, as soon as there was a knock at the door I knew exactly who it was and so i was a bit sharp.

I donate to several charities of my choice; I have gone out of my way to actively sign up for them but I don't want people bothering me at home. If it was once a year, fair enough but it's not and it's really happening a lot the last year or two.

I will have to get a sign made obviously.

OP posts:
RaeSkywalker · 04/04/2017 12:26

I hate this so, so much. We get them very regularly- and I'm always polite, because I'm sure that a lot of people aren't. It can't be an easy job.

However, the latest one- I'd just got poorly baby DS down for a nap at 4pm, which was my first break since he woke up at 4am. I was just making a sandwich and the doorbell went. I was really polite but said early on "sorry, I'm on statutory maternity pay and can't commit to direct debits". The caller just went on and on and on. It took up the whole 20 minutes that DS actually napped for. So I had no break at all. I appreciate that this is my problem, so I clearly need to be firmer next time.

It's just so intrusive. And I do feel a bit vulnerable when a man is in my face with a clip board, when I've already indicated I'm not interested, on my own doorstep in a quiet area, with my child sleeping upstairs. We have an elderly lady who lives opposite and I always watch to make sure she's ok. I've noticed that she just doesn't answer the door any more, unless it's her carer (and presumably she knows when to expect them).

fizzingwhizbee · 04/04/2017 12:47

I always cut them short and say "can I just stop you there". Then I explain I already donate what I can to charities close to my heart and I'll bear them in mind if I decide to stop donating to my chosen charities.

Gets them off my doorstep pretty sharpish and I don't feel bad or whatever because it's all true.

fizzingwhizbee · 04/04/2017 12:48

But yes - post 9pm is far too late. And yes, I do hate being hassled at my home.

HecateAntaia · 04/04/2017 12:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

sirfredfredgeorge · 04/04/2017 12:52

9pm is too late.
Complain
www.fundraisingregulator.org.uk/make-a-complaint/complain-about-a-fundraising-approach/
Marie Curie also outsource all their collecting to paid collectors, so complain directly to them, and DO NOT EVER GIVE since many months of any collection will be going to pay the fundraiser.

I don't believe they're on the national list, so also complain to the local council that they breached their permission.