AIBU to hate charity door knocking

[earthlybeing]

I dont understand how or why charities continue to send people out canvassing for donations by going door to door.

Does anyone still set up donations this way? AIBU to hate them?

We can't see through our door so I can't see them to be able to ignore them

Chuggers outside the station are nearly as bad, it's like some sort of Gladiators game trying to dodge them all to get inside the station to catch the train

Sorry, couldn't resist ... I just love Airplane

I had someone come round about a month before I was due to give birth, normally when someone knocks on the door I have a quick look on my ring camera to see who it is before I open it, but I was expecting a delivery that day so I didn't check and lo and behold it was someone from a charity asking me to sign up to give £5-10 a month for deafness, I told them unfortunately I wouldn't be able to afford it at the moment but he was a persistent little bugger, in the end after he would not stop talking and wouldn't let me get a word in, I just firmly said I can't afford anything as I'm expecting twins and had to just kind of shut the door in his face, I did feel abit bad but he was not taking no for an answer and I was getting pissed off really!

Don't answer the door unless your expecting someone.

Hate them. Absolutely hate them. If they had a collection box I’d happily put in a pound or two but the relentless ‘can you sign up for a direct debit, only £2/£3/£5 per month….urgh. No I bloody can’t!

The last one I had really upset me. I’d only recently gone back to work after being off for 6 months whilst having chemo. I’d then had a lumpectomy, and radiotherapy (whole back at work) but was still trying to catch up financially, on top of all the stress of having cancer. He asked me to sign up, I said I already have 2 charity DDs coming out of my back per month (which I do, and have for about 20 years). He went on and on…in the end I said look I’m sorry, I’ve been off work sick for a long time and I just can’t afford it. He looked me up and down and said “Well you look alright to me!!” before stomping back down my garden path. He said it weirdly aggressively, and it really upset me. I should have phoned the charity to complain, but I was feeling so ill and low at the time I just couldn’t face it. Awful man.

I just say "Sorry, in the middle of a work meeting" and close the door as soon as I cop that they are looking for a donation or want to sell something.

No chance would I give to door step callers. Many of them are paid to do this - galling!

I have one of these and it works a treat for me too.

When I answer the door and someone asks if I'm having a lovely day, I know it's a charity collector. Biggest issue for me is that they're actually doing it to make money for themselves by way of commission. I think I read somewhere they get 30% of what you commit to - but unsure how many donations that is for.
No problem with people making money but please don't dress it up as doing it for the charity!!

I used to engage with them years ago but I think I've reached an age where I honestly don't give a shit if I piss them off. I think the turning point was when someone aggressively asked me "don't you care about deaf children then?" when I said I already paid to a different children's charity and didn't want to sign up. It really fucking pissed me off. As soon as it's obvious they're a chugger I just put my hand up and say "Can I stop you there? I don't give at the door, I'm afraid. I already have a few direct debits every month to charities of my own choosing. Thanks, bye." And I just shut the door. Even if they're standing there looking at me.

I do feel a bit sorry for them if it's pouring down and they look fed up as I'd hate to have to do that job. But it's an unsolicited house call that I do not have to engage with and I feel no guilt whastoever about that.

I learned years back never to engage with any of their questions unless it's part of my "closing down the conversation" spiel back to them. I let them do the "how are you today?" but make it clear I'm busy and not wanting to talk and they usually just say "I won't keep you long then, I've just been to your neighbour's telling them about blah blah blah...." Then I do the hand thing and "Can I just stop you there? etc"

Works for me but it's taken me years to feel able to do that.

Any chuggers reading this to help prepare their own response to my approach to them can fuck off.

There's no way I would provide my bank details to a complete stranger in the street or on a doorstep. Once I say that to them, them go away.

I got this and it made no difference at all, they all still knock.

YANBU OP. Knocking on someone’s door and asking for money is intimidation. I feel especially uncomfortable with it when it’s a large man in his twenties at night time asking a small elderly woman to give him money. Doesn’t matter what the money is for.

I had a sweet guy asking to talk to me about greenpeace, I was having an awful evening with my autistic dd and I regret opening the door. I had to make out I'd already signed up for it then got myself tied in knots as he then asked more questions ! He then said I can see your having a bad day, I agreed and he left. Felt guilty though, he reminded me of my lovely nephew.

YANBU. It's bad enough being accosted by the chuggers on the street without them coming to your home.

I don't mind answering the door to religious people or political campaigners but not fundraisers or salespeople.

We’ve had them in Liverpool. I know they do treat very complex cases from around the country - but folks here are bound to prioritise our own children’s hospital.

I had a guy who (I now believe to be a scam) said they were on an ex offenders programme trying to rehabilitate, selling stuff at the door, one evening. He had loads of really cheapo household products that I didn't need and were imo overpriced. I let him do his spiel and then said "I don't want to waste your time but I'm sorry I don't want to buy anything " He got really aggressive and said "you people are all the same, not giving anyone a chance". At the time I was a SAHM on a really limited budget and could probably have got any if the stuff in poundland if I'd really needed it. I started yo close the door and he put his foot over the doorstep. He was enormous (I am less than 5ft) in the end I said I didn't want anything but would donate some money anyway and gave him £5 just to make him go away. I felt really intimidated.

Chuggers in the supermarket really irritate me. If it's a local group bucket rattling / packing bags happy to support, the bigger charities seem to have moved in though with pop up stands 😠

In shopping centres they went through a stage of being really aggressively in your face locally. I give a polite 'no thank you' through gritted teeth and keep walking. Headphones don't seem to dissuade them anymore!!

At the door I ignore it (usually facilitating online workshop for work) and we've got a 'we don't buy or sell at this door' sign which seems to see 99% of them off.

they stay in front of grocery stores, too.
they shout at you, block the entry.
it is stressful to dodge them.

@ChilliBandit I had GOSH round mutiple times in one day too, really annoyed me.

At the time I complained and discovered two main agencies who provide the staff for these. I contact both with my address asking them to no longer knock and haven't had any since in years, and I have seen them around so it's worked.

Well said. Most of these people are employed by marketing companies, rather than being volunteers of the charity itself. They'll be flogging for MND one day and Dog Rescue the next.

Here in Oz we have the 'Australian Charities & Not-For-Profits Commission" (ACNC). I've made complaints to them a couple of times and the charities sit up and take notice- because they can easily lose their license to practise. Is there anything similar in the UK?

I don't give at the door and say so as soon as I open it and see who they are.

I also hate chuggers - Victoria St used to be full of them! I now sign at them and they assume I'm deaf and back away slowly - normally shouting 'don't worry' at me.

It's really bad - our road and surrounding areas are mostly older people (I think the average age of the population is 75 locally!) so we get A LOT of these calls during the day. We had one over Christmas - the young girl was terribly rude, lied to our faces and used really aggressive tactics. We told her that we'd look up her charity online and donate through there (to get rid of her) and she stormed off in a huff as she obviously was on some kind of commission.
We also sometimes have people in the local town stopping people in the street. One guys tactic was to shout after people things like "Shame you don't care about stroke victims!!!!!" Really loud when people ignored him. 🙄

@Fizbosshoes - those are Nottingham Knockers and it is a scam, no such programme exists for ex offenders. They are normally run by criminal gangs.

@sunflowerdaisyrose - I will try and find out that in my area, thanks! The little signs do nothing. Ours feel off in one of the storms and I have seen no change in the number before or after. Before they’d just act like they hadn’t seen it when I pointed it out, then try their luck anyway.

I am really disappointed in GOSH. I don’t do direct debits to charities but pick a few each year and do a one off donation. I used to have a rule that if I’d seen them chugging they didn’t get a donation anymore but I really admire the work GOSH does. Argh!

You're not allowed to say that on MN

@Oopswediditagain2023 - oh I hate the ones that try to shame. My MIL is fearless. If they say shame on you for not caring about sick kids etc, we will reply without missing a beat, no can’t stand children/dogs/the elderly. They are normally too shocked to reply. She is actually a caring and empathetic woman, just hates chuggers, having worked in charities most of her life.

@ChilliBandit that's amazing! 😂

Urgh I hate them too. As soon as I see who they are, I just say "Sorry I don't do any business at the doorstep" and close the door on them. I volunteer for a charity and donate regularly but I wish the chugger system would go away.