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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to be freaked out by delivery drivers doing this

137 replies

Sunnyoctday · 17/10/2020 10:39

Been ordering stuff online for years...various companies....no major issues. During COVID generally deliveries fine...knock, wait, socially distanced handover...cheery banter about weather etc.
In last 4 weeks though on 3 occasions with 3 different drivers from 2 companies....
First thing heard is door being opened..parcel put into hall..door slammed shut. No knock, no bell...
On second occasion I called out to driver to say why didn’t you knock and wait..why did you let yourself into my house...his answer..it’s a porch ( it isn’t) ...you should lock your door ( hubby had gone out into garage so door wasn’t locked)...he was rude and patronising that I was not happy that he simply let himself in.
On 3rd occasion the door was locked. The driver was trying the door handle numerous times...eventually he banged on door really hard repeatedly and seemed very impatient when I opened it,

I have never experienced this in all these years- then 3 times in as many weeks.

AIBU to think delievrry drivers should not let themselves into your home unless there is explicitly a notice to say leave in porch etc ( if you have one)...is anyone else experiencing this weird new behaviour..is it a new thing? AIBU to say it is scary and weird to have random strangers trying to get into your house

OP posts:

PigletJohn · 17/10/2020 12:04

I keep the front door locked so no-one can wander into the house. It self-locks on being pulled shut. That's very common. Entry is by key only, exit is by handle.

However, I also got a wireless pir door chime "bing-bong" that sounds when someone walks into the open porch, which is very handy, so I know even if they don't ring the bell. £10 and up on fleabay.

LaBellina · 17/10/2020 12:05

YANBU. It's rude and also shows they have little empathy for women - I don't know any who would be ok with a strange man going into their home without notice or asking.

Original poster

Sunnyoctday · 17/10/2020 12:08

@Starheart

I honestly can't believe you leave your door unlocked . A few years ago this was how a thief got car keys for a number of houses in my parents street . Just in and out of a few houses in seconds . Also I'm not sure your insurance covers you if a break in happens and you haven't taken due care and attention to lock your property . Sorry but delivery driver aside leaving your home unlocked is not something that's very sensible .

A little explanation of handles and doors...yes some of us are fascinated by this and don’t just have a knob😉 Door was inherited when we moved in- would much prefer a Yale lock...but can’t retrofit without changing to whole new door ...existing door is engineered by someone who clearly has never done any domestic duties🤣🤣

So, handles on both sides with same functionality- a quick 50 degree down opens when on a “latch” and a slam shut puts it on latch- we never just do this...not secure and can come open if someone knocks heavily
Next mode is you close the door and lift handle up to 180 degree- this puts a temporary lock (ish) on it. To open door you push handle down as normal and it sort of stops and door doesn’t open...you then push harder down and will take that lock off. It isn’t great but it isn’t just a slight pressure that will open door- it makes a loud noise which is how I knew someone had come in-i he was giving it a good lot of tries as well before he depressed it enough

To actually lock the door, the genius who designed it decided you need 2 hands. You have to lift the handle up, hold it and then insert key and lock. If you are popping out the house or side or garage with hands full it is a pain....hence DH doesn’t want to do it.

I agree with everyone around security- we never just leave door unlocked if we’re at back of house or garden or not going in and out- it is only on latch if we’re in and out to garage/ bins etc

OP posts:

Toothsil · 17/10/2020 12:08

We have a porch and they often just open the door and put the parcels in, however, they know we don't mind that because we have a notice up saying to use the porch if we are out. We lock the inner door into the hall if we are out. I wouldn't like it at all if the door came straight into the hall and they opened it, it would give me a huge fright!

TommyShelby · 17/10/2020 12:10

I had this once. I used to have a dog who Was wary of people she didn’t know. The driver opened the door to put in the parcel to find 7 stone of snarly growly dog looking back at him. I went down to see what the commotion was and was given a mouthful about dangerous dogs. Said dog was now happily sat at my feet, slobbering. When I asked him how he would feel to find some random bloke in his house and that he would probably feel the same way as the dog he left pretty sharpish. Also gave him some choice words about if he let himself into my house again it wouldn’t be the dog he would have to worry about, but he’s not done it since!

slashlover · 17/10/2020 12:13

I'm always fascinated by how many MNers have front doors with outside handles.

I've never seen one ever, just on the back door.

Ever?

AIBU to be freaked out by delivery drivers doing this

PigletJohn · 17/10/2020 12:13

Larry's front door has no keyhole and no handle on the outside.

QuestionableMouse · 17/10/2020 12:14

@frewer

I'm always fascinated by how many MNers have front doors with outside handles.

I've never seen one ever, just on the back door.

See the idea of NOT having an outside handle is weird to me. I've never seen a house without one.

QuestionableMouse · 17/10/2020 12:16

I also find the idea of locking yourself into your house both depressing and scary- what if there's a fire?

IsoscelesSandwich · 17/10/2020 12:17

I prefer it when they do this, so much easier! And v helpful when kids napping.

EveryDayIsADuvetDay · 17/10/2020 12:17

well at least they turn up and deliver stuff!
Sick to death of bloody hermes drivers marking something as delivered on their tracking system, no goods, then the tracking system is overwritten, and the goods 'out for delivery' a day or so later.
I always take screen shots now, and let the supplier know that I won't be using them again given that they use such a crap courier.

EatsFartsAndLeaves · 17/10/2020 12:19

This would be a nightmare at my house because the cat would escape!

allthegoodusernameshavegone · 17/10/2020 12:19

Put a note on the delivery instructions to please knock and not just enter the property

Halliehallie9828 · 17/10/2020 12:20

Amazon and Royal Mail do that by me. Chuck it straight in the porch. Doesn’t bother me.

IrmaFayLear · 17/10/2020 12:21

YABVU.

How much do you think these poor sods earn? They have to go round at break-neck speed. No time for waiting whilst an occupant dilly dallies around.

I delivered leaflets for a while. Some people are arseholes, and I felt very sorry for regular postmen/delivery drivers: letterboxes with vicious spikes inside, or exacting instructions about where to leave post, eg “Go round to back of house and leave in third compost bin from the right. Make sure you replace lid. Do not leave gate open and secure with three knots according to instructions.”

Original poster

Sunnyoctday · 17/10/2020 12:23

@PigletJohn

Larry's front door has no keyhole and no handle on the outside.

Ah but Larry has his personal door assistants to open and close for him...maybe my DH will expect that of me🤣🤣

OP posts:

IMNOTSHOUTING · 17/10/2020 12:23

It's a bit weird but happens sometimes. Delivery drivers have a small window of time to drop stuff off and people complain if it gets wet in the rain. One driver once let himself into my back garden and left the parcel in the shed (I'd accidentally left the side gate unlocked). That said it's easily avoided by just locking your door.

FlapsInTheWind · 17/10/2020 12:23

@Nottherealslimshady

Never had this issue. They'd have a bloody shock opening our door with our rottie sleeping behind it! What a stupid thing to do. Your door should be locked though. Unless we're in sight of the door outside, say putting the bins out, its locked.

The trouble with this is if the delivery driver gets a chunk taken out by a startled dog it will end up being the dogs fault.

I had this with a planning enforcement officer. My dog was hanging on his arse like a tick for 15 minutes. Luckily the CCTV shows him leaping over the gate when he could see the issue he was complaining about from the highway so he was in the wrong. It was a bloody close call though. My complaint and three others got him the sack. The new PEO is a pussycat and I luffs him and so does the doggo.

Your situation is appalling OP. Bloody cheek of it!

MarinPrime · 17/10/2020 12:25

I also find the idea of locking yourself into your house both depressing and scary- what if there's a fire?

I don't know about you but I'd unlock the door and get out.
Key would be left in the door if I was in the house in the day.

ColdTattyWaitingForSummer · 17/10/2020 12:25

I do think there is an issue with the type of contracts drivers are on, and the expectations of how many deliveries they will make in a certain time. And I would definitely agree with employment law being tightened up to make them fairer. However I don’t think they should be opening people’s doors and entering properties without permission. That would properly freak me out.

Original poster

Sunnyoctday · 17/10/2020 12:28

@IrmaFayLear

YABVU.

How much do you think these poor sods earn? They have to go round at break-neck speed. No time for waiting whilst an occupant dilly dallies around.

I don’t dilly dally...or shuffle...small house...was in room next to small hall...he didn’t even ring bell..it would’ve been quicker for him... I am not having a go at delivery drivers generally...they’re 95% great and polite, cheery...we get a lot of deliveries due to DH WFH and we’ve regulars that can hear us coming to door, leave on doorstep and give a nice wave as they’re walking back to van rather than waiting- all very good It is what appeared to be a new trend of trying to enter my house uninvited that I’m AIBU to be freaked by it

OP posts:

Original poster

Sunnyoctday · 17/10/2020 12:31

Flapsinthewind...I’m sitting here crying with laughter at the image you paint🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣☺️🤣🤣

OP posts:

Nat6999 · 17/10/2020 12:31

It annoys me when you get the message your Amazon parcel will be delivered between a 2 hour time slot & then the slot keeps on getting pushed later & later in the day, I had an amazon delivery arrive after 10.00pm last week.

GabsAlot · 17/10/2020 12:31

that woud freak me out they have no right to do that

my sisin law always used to leave her door unlocked i said are u mad anyone could walk in

she looked at me like i was the mad one

ragged · 17/10/2020 12:33

I like delivery drivers putting stuff inside the door. I should lock the door if I don't want it to happen.

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