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Original poster

Door step seller! Help!

149 replies

Thehorrifiedone · 01/08/2020 17:58

Last week I had a door step seller at my door. Young uni kid who was selling educational books for kids.
I was interested to begin with, until he said the price was 3 "easy" payments of £99 for two lots of question books and some encyclopedias. I said I cannot afford that and he said he can do the question books for just £59. At this point (after a long 45 minutes) I just wanted him to go. I said yes, with the intention of cancelling, as I hate confrontion with a passion and will avoid it at all costs.
At the end, he said I am now subscribed to some kids gaming app which cost £20 a month! I didn't consent to having that at all and it made me a little bit mad. He then wanted a picture of him, me and my kids (who was there at the door with me) to prove to his company he was doing work. He said he did it with everyone and they all were ok. Left his card with social media address on and went.
I immediately cancel the subscription and books via email and thought that was it.

Over the couple of days, he has been knocking on my door. I've ignored it of course because I don't want anything to do with any of it.
Just now, I looked up his facebook and he has pictures of families with the products. Scrolling a little further down, I saw me and my children. I did not consent to be put up on social media at all! I've re-read all the terms and conditions and no where did it say anything about this. Surely this is in breach of something? Can I get it taken down?

OP posts:
acatcalledjohn · 02/08/2020 09:31

@Seeleyboo

Maybe good to know that these people are commission paid. He will be paid for you signing up. Then they will ask him to pay it back. I'm afraid you wasted 45 minutes of his time when you could have just said. No thank you.

The word 'diddums' springs to mind.

Anyone on my doorstep gets a hard no. Charity people get a kinder no. Still, I always state that I don't buy or sign up to anything on my doorstep.

Nottingham Knockers warrant a call to 111 and a warning to other locals on the local Facebook groups.

pudcat · 02/08/2020 09:59

If you haven't got a chain on the door get one and until then speak to callers through a window

Puzzledandpissedoff · 02/08/2020 10:37

I learnt all about ... standing with your arms wide open when someone opens the door

Oh god, not that one - you open the door and find someone who after all doesn't know you, grinning like a maniac and spouting some claptrap about what a wonderful day it is and don't you agree?

Do they not realise how deranged they look?

iklboo · 02/08/2020 10:41
  • There is a huge difference between not liking confrontation and being able to say “no thank you” and close a door. What about when you cant close the door because the (much larger) person has put one foot in the door as in my previous post?*

Trespass. Tell them to remove their foot or you will be calling the police.

EveryDayIsADuvetDay · 02/08/2020 10:44

sounds like you'd be better spending the money on assertiveness training.

how did he get a photo of you and your children? In using it he has broken GDPR regulations.

Isn't there a cooling off period for "sales" like this?
Report him to the police.

Say No to the next one.

fiftiesmum · 02/08/2020 10:47

I can resist them but unfortunately DH is a soft touch especially with the charities and will sign up with for a direct debit with anything and anyone. Fortunately most come in the late afternoon when he is still at work. I send the (older teenager) kids to answer door - find out who it is first and then say " mum says she is not in"

itsaratrap · 02/08/2020 10:51

Any callers at our house have been told through the glass that we’re not opening the door because of vulnerabilities.
Doubt we’re the only ones.
Next time, no thank you through the door.

Thisismytimetoshine · 02/08/2020 12:53

@Puzzledandpissedoff

I learnt all about ... standing with your arms wide open when someone opens the door

Oh god, not that one - you open the door and find someone who after all doesn't know you, grinning like a maniac and spouting some claptrap about what a wonderful day it is and don't you agree?

Do they not realise how deranged they look?

That alone makes me instantly close the door with a brief "Sorry, I'm busy" before I even hear what they're trying to sell. Even my best friends don't stand on my doorstep like bloody Al Jolson about to break into song. Hard to believe op obligingly stood there for 45 minutes 🤔
fuckinghellapeacock · 02/08/2020 13:09

I always ask myself 'what's the worst that can happen'
And the worst that can happen if you shut and lock the door is that they won't like you and may call you names. I was trained in door to door sales when I was unemployed and desperate. Even then in couldn't do it. Grasping deceptive charlatans! I realised they will think even less of you if you buy the shitty product!
Practise saying no. Never give people the opportunity to get you in a 'yes yes yes' chain. If they say 'isn't the weather lovely' say 'no, I like rain' if they say 'do you care about your children's education' say 'no'
It throws them and you can exit the sakes pitch. Practise saying no.

pinkpetal2 · 02/08/2020 14:20

I believe the OP stood there for 45 minutes because my nan is like this and Jehovah's witnesses kept doing this to her.
They'd stand on the doorstep for about an hour a few times a week or come in for tea. It wasn't until I stayed there once and they tried it again.
I told them to leave her alone or I'd call the police. They actually left her alone.

And
I can remember about four years ago now my dad walked past this man down the road laying on the floor with a bottle of 2l cider as a pillow under his head.
He came home and told us and within about half an hour the door bell went.
We opened it and the man was there!
He said I've got some dusters do you want them?
We said no it's okay thank you.
So he shouted oh piss of then ... well can I have some food instead then?.
Dad offered him a sandwich to take which he'd just made for himself and he flung it at the front door. ConfusedConfused.
Looking back he was obviously unwell but my god it was funny at the time. My dad was so confused.
Still gets brought up now Grin

OneWomanOneDog · 02/08/2020 14:38

^Practise saying no. Never give people the opportunity to get you in a 'yes yes yes' chain. If they say 'isn't the weather lovely' say 'no, I like rain' if they say 'do you care about your children's education' say 'no'
It throws them and you can exit the sakes pitch. Practise saying no.^

This.

Also practice interrupting their script.

"Good morning how are you today?"

"Never mind that I'm busy what are you trying to sell me?"

Michaelbaubles · 02/08/2020 14:45

I’m the least confrontational person and I have no qualms in shutting the door in someone’s face mid-sentence or hanging up on a phone call when they’re in their spiel.

“No thank you!” - close the door. No excuses or long winded stories needed.

Fuck “be kind” - I am NEVER EVER going to buy anything from them, so it’s better they can toddle off to the next sucker all that bit more quickly. There, that’s kind of me, isn’t it!

Skyla2005 · 02/08/2020 15:04

Just smile and say no thank you straight away

Bananalanacake · 02/08/2020 15:40

I say politely, through the letter box,,,,
" I am NOT the owner of this property, I am the tennant, and as a tennant I have no right to answer the door to anyone except the landlord. If you wish to speak to me you need to request permission from my landlord, I rent with an agency and I have forgotten their name, so you will need to go to the town centre and try all the agencies"
How are they to know I own the place or not.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 02/08/2020 16:40

Never give people the opportunity to get you in a 'yes yes yes' chain. If they say 'isn't the weather lovely' say 'no, I like rain' if they say 'do you care about your children's education' say 'no'

A good idea, but an even more effective one IMO is to just say nothing and smile patiently

"Good morning!! I'm just in the area and wonder if you've got 5 minutes?"
Silence
"I've brought you some good news as to how you can a, b or c"
Silence
"This is VERY popular round here - would you like an opportunity to x, y or z?"
Silence

Sooner or later they start stammering, which can be quite fun ...

Thisismytimetoshine · 02/08/2020 16:43

@Bananalanacake

I say politely, through the letter box,,,, " I am NOT the owner of this property, I am the tennant, and as a tennant I have no right to answer the door to anyone except the landlord. If you wish to speak to me you need to request permission from my landlord, I rent with an agency and I have forgotten their name, so you will need to go to the town centre and try all the agencies" How are they to know I own the place or not.
God almighty Confused. Just say No thanks...
iklboo · 02/08/2020 16:46
  • I say politely, through the letter box,,,, " I am NOT the owner of this property, I am the tennant, and as a tennant I have no right to answer the door to anyone except the landlord. If you wish to speak to me you need to request permission from my landlord, I rent with an agency and I have forgotten their name, so you will need to go to the town centre and try all the agencies" How are they to know I own the place or not.*

Blimey. Very OTT. Just say no thanks or get a 'no cold callers, sales etc' sticker. Of course you have the right to open the door as a tenant. You don't need anyone's permission. The landlord doesn't imprison you. If you said that to me I'd either think you were barking or trafficked.

Hopoindown31 · 02/08/2020 16:49

COVID has help me get even more assertive with doorstep sellers. I just tell them through the letterbox to go away as I'm not interacting with anyone on the doorstep because of the virus.

OneWomanOneDog · 02/08/2020 16:52

@Puzzledandpissedoff I do enjoy mild torture of people who have interrupted my day to come to sell me something, I will try that!

What about when you cant close the door because the (much larger) person has put one foot in the door as in my previous post?

I would stare at the foot, then stare at them in the eye and coldly repeat "Remove your foot from my doorway NOW" until they did. Not get drawn into further conversation, apart from if after a few minutes of broken record they were still there I'd warn them once that I'm going to start screaming for help or slamming my door on their foot in self defense, and then I'd get on with the threatened action.

Also if it came to it and they were determinedly leaving their foot wedged in my door, the rest of their body is in a very vulnerable position to be pushed over and lose balance. That would work for me too.

But funnily enough, it's never come to that. The worst I've had was I had to repeat myself once, with an added door slam on his foot once.

Seracursoren · 02/08/2020 17:01

There are ready made "posters" for you to print off from MoneySavingExpert.com

www.moneysavingexpert.com/mobiles/no-more-junk/

It is about half way down for door to door sellers.

You need to practise saying no thank you and just shut the door. Cut them off mid sentence. But get the poster printed off and stop them knocking in the first place. I have one at my front door.

Isthisit22 · 02/08/2020 17:09

You sound lovely OP but you do need to work on your assertiveness. It's a bit concerning that you can't say no to the extent that it impacts your children and causes you so much anxiety. Some counselling sessions may make life easier for you in future? 💐

Thisismytimetoshine · 02/08/2020 17:31

@Isthisit22

You sound lovely OP but you do need to work on your assertiveness. It's a bit concerning that you can't say no to the extent that it impacts your children and causes you so much anxiety. Some counselling sessions may make life easier for you in future? 💐
I couldn't agree more. Don't want to stick the boot in, but allowing a random door knocker to take a photo of your children outside your house because "he said he needed it for his company" is very concerning behaviour. That sort of meekness needs to be addressed with all possible speed.
Rose789 · 02/08/2020 20:31

@Bananalanacake

I say politely, through the letter box,,,,
" I am NOT the owner of this property, I am the tennant, and as a tennant I have no right to answer the door to anyone except the landlord. If you wish to speak to me you need to request permission from my landlord, I rent with an agency and I have forgotten their name, so you will need to go to the town centre and try all the agencies"
How are they to know I own the place or not.

This is the most batshit thing I’ve read for at least a week on here. If you say that I can imagine someone phoning the police and saying you are obviously being held hostage. Only allowed to open the door to the landlord ffs

itsaratrap · 02/08/2020 20:37

I’m a miserable old bat, take that as read (red?).
Should doorstep sellers even be operating in the current circumstances?

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