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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Postman trying to open front door?

170 replies

Bumblebee2302 · 13/01/2018 10:33

Postman just tried my (locked) front door handle when an item wouldn't fit in the letterbox. He hadn't even knocked. I could see this happening from the inside and opened the door - I asked him if he was trying to open my door and he said he was only going to leave the item in the inside of the door. I said that I didn't think he should be attempting to open people's doors and he got a bit shirty.

Is this a thing?! I don't know him and he is not a regular postie - in fact, the postmen in this area change frequently. Just made me feel uncomfortable - does your postman/woman do this?

OP posts:
WizardOfToss · 13/01/2018 11:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

brizzledrizzle · 13/01/2018 11:54

Our postman/woman always does it - it suits me fine as that's what the porch is for. They just open the door a little and slide it through; they don't open it all the way.

jaseyraex · 13/01/2018 11:57

My postie does this but he does always knock first and he has asked my permission before he started doing it. My door opens straight onto a set of stairs and there's another door at the top that's always locked so doesn't worry me that he might snoop around my house (although I doubt he would anyway). I'm grateful if I've been out the back or in the shower when he comes, my local office for pick up is miles away. But if you've never said it's okay for your postie to do that, I can see why you're annoyed! He's still trying to come into your home without your permission, wether it's just inside the front door or not.

Jobjobjob · 13/01/2018 11:59

Can it be clarified if it was a porch or the front door?

If it was the porch, get over yourself. It's a bloody porch, what's likely to happen? He steals a pair of your worn shoes?

And it was a redelivery, that you'd previously missed, a bloody good free service i would say. What other company re delivers free of charge on your nominated day?

Also, the door was locked....non issue.

Sallystyle · 13/01/2018 11:59

I would be well pissed off if my postie tried to open my door without my prior agreement.

I had a regular postman for years and we got really friendly. I would have had no problem with him doing it but I would have expected him to have asked me if it was ok before he started doing it. Just assuming it is ok to try to open your front door is wrong and unprofessional.

SandAndSea · 13/01/2018 12:00

Yes, this is normal where I live too. Gave me quite a shock when I first moved in. DP used to keep the door unlocked but we always lock it now. So many people have porches with an open front door and then an inner, locked door that posties get used to just opening the door.

Katyb1310 · 13/01/2018 12:00

Ours does this and I'm very grateful because we live rurally and it makes life so much easier. He just opens the door, puts the parcel in and closes the door. If I'm going out I lock the inner door and leave the porch open

Sallystyle · 13/01/2018 12:01

Obviously a porch would be different.

WellAlwaysHaveParis · 13/01/2018 12:03

YANBU!! He should've rung the bell.

Original poster
Bumblebee2302 · 13/01/2018 12:17

No porch - front door opening straight into hall

OP posts:
Eleanorsummer · 13/01/2018 12:19

I wouldn't be comfortable with it. If it is agreed then fine, otherwise they shouldn't try open your door.

Talkingfrog · 13/01/2018 12:35

I wouldn't like it if he tried the door, especially without knocking first.

I can often tell if a parcel has been delivered on foot or on the van.

On foot, card through the letterbox to say at sorting office or next door as pedestrian access is at the front.

By van, they walk up the drive to the back door, see a storage seat for outdoor toys and put parcel in. Card is often left shoved in the doorframe though.

Only a few delivery people have worked out that the six ft wide space at the side of the house means they can walk from back to the front to put the card in the letterbox.
Have contemplated putting up a posting box at the back, even though we don't have a dog.

verystressedmum · 13/01/2018 12:36

If it was the postman just throwing a parcel in the door I’m not sure I’d mind that much. It wouldn’t happen as our dog goes mental if he hears anyone at the door so the postie wouldn’t do it.
But anyone else I would go mad. My FIL would tend to do this and just walk in dh had to say to him to not do it.

But whether you mind or not isn’t the issue I’m pretty sure postmen shouldn’t be doing this (no idea if this is tight but I’d guess that in the training they’re not told it’s ok to open people’s doors)

TakeTheCrown · 13/01/2018 12:52

Porch doors are fine. Actual front doors are not fine. Though they should be locked anyway! I'd rather get the fright of my life because a postman let themselves in than a more genuinely horrifying alternative!

SandyDenny · 13/01/2018 13:24

I don't remember this subject before on MN, I will add it to my list

I'm not sure if you're joking sparklingbrook, a quick advanced search on postman, open and door brings up several without having to search too far donw, one of them from the OP who was having a similar issue in 2016 Grin

amicissimma · 13/01/2018 13:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Bumblebee2302 · 13/01/2018 13:58

I'm not sure if you're joking sparklingbrook, a quick advanced search on postman, open and door brings up several without having to search too far donw, one of them from the OP who was having a similar issue in 2016 grin

Nope, that's not me - you had me worried I'd had had a touch of memory loss there until I searched! Similar name, but not me Wink

OP posts:
Snowysky20009 · 13/01/2018 14:07

Ssshhhhh my postie also signs for my parcels if they need signing for and I don't hear them.

Raffles1981 · 13/01/2018 14:12

Our postie does it. We live rural and it would be a pain if he didn't. He is also quiet about it since we had our baby. He doesn't come into our home, snoop around or anything else inappropriate. He just delivers our mail.

Lovesagin · 13/01/2018 14:13

I'm shocked at the number of people saying this is ok? It's absolutely not ok for a postman to try and get into someone's home uninvited, unless previously arranged of course.

I'm not normally a complainer but I'd make an exception for this.

AngelsSins · 13/01/2018 14:14

I would absolutely hate this and I cannot for the life of me understand why some people think it's such an over reaction to expect a postie to knock.

Snowysky20009 · 13/01/2018 14:16

Why do some people see it as a crime whilst others of us see it as 'they are doing you a kind favour, going above and beyound'

Lovesagin · 13/01/2018 14:17

Ami - so when you go to a friend's house, take your kids to a party at someone's home, see someone has left their lights on their car, trick or treating with the kids, take a parcel to a neighbour's etc, you just open their door without knocking?

derangedmermaid · 13/01/2018 14:17

Some people love this.

I had a postie do it for the first time in my old house and went a little bit mad for a second until my ex said it was normal in that area.

Graphista · 13/01/2018 14:31

"He's your postman, not a thief. Relax." The 2 aren't mutually exclusive.

Every Christmas there's a rise in thefts from mailed products by postal staff. My dds friends dad works for Royal Mail investigating these type of thefts and his view is that background checks are ludicrously lax now (he's been doing the job over 20 years). Fwiw they are breaking the rules if they do this (I asked after seeing another similar thread). If reported they get a warning.

Also numerous threads on here of postmen/delivery drivers forging signatures and dumping parcels God knows where! Which has led to lost (stolen by others possibly too) and damaged items. For this they're very lucky if not instantly dismissed it's highly illegal to forge a signature.

Unless everyone that experiences this complains it'll get worse.