To be furious about salesmen knocking after kids bedtime!

[Murane]

Just answered the door to a dodgy looking "salesman" in a tracksuit who claimed to be part of an ex-offenders scheme selling cleaning products. Out of a sports bag at night! Gave him very short shrift for waking my DC and slammed the door. Rang the police and apparently it's legit! Why on earth do the organisers think it's acceptable to send dodgy blokes round on a school night when everyone's kids will be in bed? I am absolutely furious and now have screaming DC to sort out!

In the nicest way you need to calm down.

It was 8pm not 3am.
How was this chap meant to know that you have an overly loud door bell, barking dogs and a sleeping baby?

Also, why are you posting here while your dinner goes cold and your DC are so upset?

There are 100 legitimate reasons someone could knock at your door.
It wouldn’t have mattered who had knocked or why, the result would have been the same.

@Pattistanger

Ahahaha - you made our evening- just read out your post to DH - our thoughts exactly 👌

Oh, and the ‘only prearranged people can ever knock at me door’ brigade always confuse me.

Yes Simon!

Wow that poor guy. There are quite strict rules on this - the type of offensive has to be minor and they have to really be trying to get themselves back on the level. I've had several of them come to me over the years and I always try to find something to buy. If they sell over a certain amount they get a discounted hostel space that night.

It’s quite worrying how many people think this is legit, for a start hostels don’t work like that. It’s a con, they’re looking for elderly or vulnerable people who keep cash in the house. If you buy from them they’ll sell your address on to burglars and other con artists. If no one buys from them then they’re less likely to return.

If you want to help ex cons you’d be better off looking for a charity to donate to.

I cannot believe anyone still thinks this is legit. It's absolutely not. Our local police tell us to call them if they come out - oddly, they've been around a few days ago - and they come and move them on.

We had Christian Aid ring the doorbell tonight at about 8.15. I suppose that would set your dogs off too and you would be furious with them.

I'm equally annoyed by chuggers.

I'm trying to be charitable and believe that your utterly over the top and inappropriate level of anger is due to you having little kids and being at the stage of obsessing over everyone's sleep.

If that's not the case you should calm the fuck down.

Fury?
Really. You need to calm the fuck down.
Disable doorbell if it's such a major problem. Sort the barking dog (which probably wakes up more than your own kids and pisses off all the neighbours). Put up a sign.
But fury? Serious overreaction.

@notacooldad exactly

Have you got a no cold caller zone where you live? Get one. And make sure you report this to the police. It will build up a picture.

I have a few suggestions:

1. Put a notice on your door saying "No cold callers"
2. Disconnect your doorbell
3. Build a moat round your house and get a drawbridge and portcullis
4. Calm down

I had one tonight too (I wonder if we live near each other?) and I agree with you - I find people ringing/knocking after 7 or 8 really annoying. In particular, I don't want some burly ex-offender on my doorstep in the evening (my husband not yet home), it makes me feel really vulnerable

your barking dogs should be a warning to the scam artists not to come back, so that's a positive.

On another note, I know a few neighbours who have closed their front door and put the curtains down by 8pm, and would be quite upset to be disturbed. I do think it's too late

I'm amazed the police told you it's legit

The local police to me regularly tell people on their twitter account and local newsletters that these are total scams and aren't endorsed by any known charity

They sell pound shop products for hugely inflated prices.

Plus what 'training' are they getting?
Door to door selling is hardly a growth industry in this country. What skills are they learning beyond intimidation and mildly threatening behaviour?

Reading that link gave me the willies. Hope no one knocks disabled mum's house😕

I hear you op... we had chuggers last night. Seen them coming down the street and as I was doing the side garden I told them not to bother ringing the bell. I think 830 is a liberty.... they knocked up all my elderly neighbours many of whom have mobility issues. I think cold calling should be outlawed....i will never ever buy or agree to donate to a cold caller

Cold callers are unwelcome at my door at any time of day or night. There's no baby to disturb, but yes, my dogs would freak out (and it's easier said than done to stop barky breeds from barking, if they were bred to be watchdogs).

It sounds like a scam (and the whole "I'm was in prison" thing would kind of scare me, to be honest), but honestly, even if they're legit, I'd rather make charitable donations as and when I choose-- not be poked and prodded and put on the spot by some random stranger.

Over here, it's more and more common that you're asked if you'd like to donate your change (or more) to such-and-such an organization when you check out at different shops (grocery stores, pet marts, certain charity shops, etc.). If you're going from store to store, you can be asked several times in one shopping trip, which puts a serious strain on the "giving spirit".

I do think past 8pm is a bit late for cold callers, but OP's over reaction is over the top and you can't possibly expect to know every time someone is coming round. But, if you do and If the doorbell is that loud just switch it off/ disconnect it once DC have gone to bed!

I believe Nottingham knockers was originally a well intentioned scheme but as there is no way of knowing if a caller is genuine, it's been abused in many areas by scam artists.

YABU...... Get a grip.

@Luisa27

Ok, I've spent a good half hour searching and I can't find a single registered charity involved with this 'scheme'

I can find several links to stories such as this: https://www.essentialsurrey.co.uk/news/two-charged-following-nottingham-knocker-style-offences/
https://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/chester-residents-warned-after-reports-12612633
where the police explicitly warn this is a scam

And also stories of well-known charities for ex-prisoners warning about the scam and saying they have nothing to do with it

Sorry, but I think it is quite obvious that you've been taken in by the scam...

As a police officer of 7 years, I can 100% promise you that these people are NOT legit at all.
We were forever being called to deal with them, and not one was from an organisation as claimed.

It's bullshit.

But regardless, my opinion is that OP is overreacting about the whole 'fury' thing...

Of course they’re not legit

I’m a reporter. I’ve done story after story on this over the past two decades and I’ve never once found any actual legitimate charities or organisations that would in any way back it.

They are, at best, manipulators and menaces who claim to have recently been released from prison because it causes people to worry that if they don’t buy something, they’ve said no to an ex-con and may become a victim of crime.

Or at worst, casing the joint.

No homeless shelter in the land is going to make its service users go out and sell a load of marked-up pegs and dusters door-to-door before they allow them to have a bed for the night. That’s one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever heard.

“Yes Jonny, you might be sober and not have any weapons on you, but have you don’t your J-cloth quota for the night?”

Our force tells you to immediately call the non-emergency police line if they knock at your door and they do follow up the calls and chase them out of town. The last time, they rounded them all up in their van and took them back to Nottingham (they actually did come from Nottingham this time. Though they don’t always, obviously)

I think cold callers after 6pm are inappropriate (actually they're inappropriate at any time really), but your reaction is way over the top. If it's such an issue, then put up a sign saying No Solicitors /No Cold Callers.