Dodgy guy just knocked my door...

[licklee]

Partner is out, random bloke not in any kind of uniform just knocked the door stating from EDF wanting to check metre readings.

We aren't with EDF.

I asked for his ID. He said he wasn't required to carry it. Told him we aren't with EDF and closed the door. Wasn't about to argue as have my 3 month old with me.

Called 101 and they just said thanks for the report and gave me a reference number.

AIBU to be a bit worried? Or am I being paranoid?

Sounds very dodgy. Probably just checking which houses are empty to potentially Rob. Hope your partner home soon but yes I would be a bit shaken by it too.

Sounds dodgy and that you've done the right thing. Checking the EDF website says the same:

Yeah I’d think it was strange, everyone who does that sort of job has ID to prove to people where they’re from so people can check before letting them in.

I'm with EDF, they ALWAYS show me the badge before entering the property. I dont even need to ask.

"Aren't required to carry it"

Absolute bullshit!!!

Done the right thing reporting to 101.

Calling the police is the right thing to do. I'd maybe call edf too?

We had a visit from a similar person in 2012. Also stating EDF. I was equally suspicious but it didn't stop him stealing a new hosepipe and reel on his way back out of the property.

Scummy bastard obviously he was looking for vulnerable people. OP, good on you reporting it 💐

I had a man wanting to check my gas meter. There isn’t any gas in the village. He gave himself away with that.

Depending who owns your meter means you might get someone from another company asking to take reading but no excuse for not having any idea. If ever you have any doubts about their credibility, then refusing access is the right thing to do.

Dobby I used to live in the second to last house in a long road. A man called and went into a long spiel trying to encourage me to buy gas central heating. Obviously he has knocked at every other house in my road and doubtless others in the village. I had to gently break it to him that there was no gas in the village. The entire village. I thought he would cry!

Have you got a facebook group for your town you can post about it in?

Anyone working for a company doing door to door calls have to carry ID or so I thought?

You did the right thing.

My friend had a knock at the door recently and he said he was from the RSPCA. Had no ID or uniform. He ran away when she said she didn't believe him and wouldn't open door. Scary if you're on your own.

He's dodgy, but you've done the right thing.

If callers are genuinely who they say they are, they should have ID and should not be offended if you turn them away. They can always come back later when you've checked their identity with their company.

it's your house, your rules.

I had a chap from the air ambulance lottery turn up wanting to sign me up by taking my bank details. I was in theory quite happy to sign up, but explained I wanted to see his ID as he was going to be taking my bank details. He didn't have any ID on him, seemed to think his air ambulance t shirt was sufficient proof. Then he gave me a phone number to call and was quite put out when I said I'd rather Google the air ambulance website and do it that way, explaining that he could be giving me any old number with an accomplice on standby.
Even when I got through to the air ambulance lottery people, they weren't sure that 'Dave' was covering my area, but seemed to think that saying was he tall with blue eyes enough of an ID for me. In the end I found a photo of him on their website and went ahead and signed up, but really, you'd think they'd have some ID wouldn't you?

Aren't required to carry ID? I've never heard of that before.

They do carry ID. Fake ID.

Don't open the door to people you don't know or aren't expecting. And get one of those spy holes if you haven't already.

Sounds like you did the right thing.

Always better to be safe than sorry.

I had someone come to my door, offering gardening services. A bit suspicious, I watched him go to my opposite neighbours and realised he had an accomplice, who nipped round the side of their house whilst he was at their front door. Luckily my house doesn't have a side or back entrance onto the property.

I rang 101 and reported it. A couple of hours laters 2 PSCOs turned up on bikes. They said that, from asking around, they thought that these men had been to all the houses in two streets (over 80 houses). They also said that most people had been in as it was early evening but only one other person and I had reported them.

I had a guy knock on my door saying he was deaf and was selling his paintings to raise money and did I want to see.... he amazingly heard what I was saying while looking at the floor.... he also couldn't read the sign that said no cold callers.

I felt a bit sorry for him.... the guy from an energy company trying to get me to take on a smart meter I wasn't so polite to when I pointed out my sign and that he had woken up the baby

You did the right thing.

For anyone concerned about this kind of thing consider getting a video doorbell - it connects to your phone and when anyone comes to your door it videos them. Ours has a motion sensor so works even if they come to the door / walk past the door but don’t actually ring the bell.

if you are out you can speak to visitors via your phone and say something vague like I can’t come to door right now so they don’t know for sure you are out and know their visit has been logged. And if you are in you can answer them via your phone if you don’t want to open the door.

Also good for telling delivery people where to leave parcels etc

Should add ours cost about £60 & DH installed it himself