To not answer my front door and ignore any knocking?

[Bartyy]

I’m as anti social as you can get. I have to interact with people at work but when I’m at home I want to be left alone.

In the past I’ve rushed out of the shower to answer the door to someone who turned out to be selling double glazing. I’ve stopped mid bake and washed my hands etc to answer the door to someone pushing religion. I’ve cut short telephone calls to answer the door to someone pushing a political agenda. A few months ago I decided I will no longer answer the door unless I’m actually expecting someone. I’m sick of it. This is my home, my “space” and I want to be left alone!!

I now ignore all knocks unless I’m expecting someone, including ignoring the parcel man wanting to take shit in for next door. I’m sick of that too, he should arrange delivery for when he’s actually home.

Recently a little lad has been asking to come around and play with my dogs. At first him mum used to text me first but now he just turns up so I’ve started ignoring him too. It’s tea time, DH has just got in from work and the dogs are settled. I don’t want to be disturbed and answering the door, even to tell him no sets the dogs off and disturbs my dinner.

AIBU?

I do answer it (lots of online deliveries I don't want to miss) but as I'm often alone with small child I open it and instantly cut them off before they can get into their speech (whilst smiling) 'I'm really sorry but I'm right in the middle of suppertime/bathtime/bedtime for my DS' Then basically shut the door in their face.
Good way of appearing to be polite without giving them any real reason to come back another time and bug you again

Very sensible. I feel exactly the same. If any of your friends or family were coming I'm sure they'd let you know beforehand.

YANBU.

Sometimes if it's my MIL I also hide...

YANBU at all

@missmouse101 what’s this about ONS? Why would they be knocking on the door? What fresh hell is this?!

ALSO going to get a parcel box so i don't even have to talk to delivery persons

@missmouse101 no thank you!

I have found my people. So glad to know others get in a rage when the door knocker goes and I’m not just a weirdo!

My only worry sometimes is that if it’s a robber checking if there’s anyone home they’ll take it the house is empty.

I have a window on the landing and I often sneak up to that to peep out (on my hands and knees so I can’t be seen) and check to see who it is....oh god, I do sound like a nutter!

Invest in a ring doorbell ,aswell as being able to see your unwanted visitor you can tell them to do one from anywhere in the house.

Whitejasmine lovely name

My mum just blatantly looks out of the window. She says “it’s my home, I’m entitled to see who’s at the door and decide if I want to let them in”.

@Rosawaiting , you would have had an advance letter explaining what it is about and that an interviewer will be calling. We never just cold call. It's a very real problem for us interviewers and a dreadful waste of time and money to repeatedly visit addresses where you know they were in but wouldn't answer.

rosawaiting Your mum sounds like a badass - I need a bit of that attitude!

@merrydeath, then please ring to say that as soon as you receive the advance letter. Then I know not to call. (Statistics are vital though, and the basis for many decisions that affect us all.)

I think not answering a knock on your door is weird. To those who do this, I ask, have you never had an emergency where help from your neighbour would really really get them out of a hole?

Many, many things might result in a knock on your door. From serious heath issues of others to telling you your roof appears to be on fire.

How on earth would you feel if you found your next door neighbour dead on your drive, because you didn't answer your door? If the person knocking is someone you don't want to speak to, it isn't difficult to tell them to go away. It takes less than a minute.

ON the other hand, not answering the door could result in you not helping someone in need

@missmouse101

Is there an option to say no, don’t come round? I understand I don’t have to participate but wonder if there’s a way to stop them turning up.

When I was scraping by on two jobs, I remember getting letters from an organisation, just binned as they weren’t relevant and they knocked but there was no opt out option. This was a long time ago though. I think it was about broadcasting?!

whitejasmine mum is 81, I reckon that will be her favourite compliment in ages

I have quite a few elderly neighbours who have often come round without advance warning as they needed help. I would always answer the door in case it was someone needing help.

They have helped me out too, looking for my errant cats, putting bins out etc.

Seems to be very antisocial and un-neighbourly to refuse to answer your door.

I peek surreptitiously out an upstairs window and then decide. I open if it’s neighbours. I want a good relationship with them.
If it’s not I don’t open but once they’ve gone I look and see if I can see anything that would need my attention. If not that’s fine!

I remember I wasn’t best pleased when a neighbours bin blew over and bottles and cans were blowing all over the street in a strong wind. I ended up going up and chapping her door, no reply but tv was on, so I had to pick up the bin and wedge it upright and put all the bottles back in it as they were making a total racket blowing about that I would not have slept through. I bet the woman saw me and didn’t bother her lazy arse coming out to help. Not best pleased that night, but at least i could sleep. I’ve also has neighbours chap me when I’ve left my interior light on. That was helpful.

I’m always baffled when people think it’s unneighbourly

I know my neighbours, we help each other out. So does mum. We have these things called phones. Plus if we can see it’s them and they might be having a crisis...vastly different than what OP is saying.

When I read threads like this I think I must live in a different world. Of course I answer my door, why wouldn't I. And I honestly think my neighbours do too, and my friends. I just don't get it, sorry.

YANBU, I recently moved to a small village were cold calling is banned (and surprisingly this ban is fully respected), and I hardly every order parcels, it’s so peaceful however if I have my window open the post woman will just lean through it and shout hello when delivering which makes me pretty sad!

I either ignore them or I look through the spy hole and speak them through the door
I never actually open the door, that's just a bridge too far really isn't it

I always answer my door, not that many people come to the door but as PPs say, it is occasionally neighbours needing a hand, in an emergency you can't always find a phone number so instinct is to run to someone's house.

It's such a 'Mumsnet' thing to never answer your door, I don't know anyone who wouldn't answer their door in real life. Clearly my life isn't 'busy' or important enough to mind answering the door.

You are not one bit BU. Your home is your sanctuary, you dob't have to answer the door if you don't want to. I understand the need for alone time totally.

I live on a well known JW route. We get a lot of knocks. I had to put a sign up unfortunately, but it does help.
Still doesn't deter the charity collectors who pretend they don't see it. But it's better than before.