There should be a law stopping door canvassing at night - AIBU

[Ludicrousness]

My home is my sanctuary. It is where I feel safe and relaxed.

3 times in the last week, I have had local council canvasses and charity workers knock on my door in the evening.

Last night I accidentally left my gate open (which is a deterrent to being disturbed IMO) and my dog started going nuts. When I came downstairs some guy was standing there knocking on my door. This may sound normal, but I live in a country village and having some stranger on your door, is not normal.

It is really uncomfortable telling a charity worker/ political canvasser (well maybe easier with the latter) that you are not interested. The charity worker looked incredulous when I declined to sign up for a direct debit. I offer a cash donation or a tap of my debit card, but no, I had to "sign up".

I leave the house at 0715 and get home at 1915. I make dinner, then put my feet up. The last thing I want is to fend people off at my door.

AIBU to say there should be a law about knocking on people's doors and disturbing them if you are a company or political party?

Get a sign saying no cold callers. I believe they are legally required to follow this.

We had one of these. Didn't stop people

I just don’t open the door to them.

You don’t need a law, get a video doorbell. The popular ones can be bought for £25 when there is a sale.

If local political activists don't call round, then lots of people question whether they really want their vote or not. Activists, like very many other people may have day time jobs that mean that evenings and weekends are the only time they can get out to canvass.

I look through the spyhole and don't answer to randoms.

I've noticed that if I don't answer the door when they come round in the afternoon they just reappear early evening. They seem more persistent than ever.

I think they should be banned full stop.

Sympathise completely with this. We’re on a newbuild estate, have a smart doorbell and so don’t answer to these callers. Not answering is a solution of sorts, but you still feel disturbed by them which is more the issue. We’ve had the same charity call on us 3 times across 8 hours in the same day before. The last call was after dark. We felt this was intrusive and excessive as did neighbours who spoke about it on a fb page we have.

What is your definition of late at night?

I was pissed off when the doorbell went at 7.40am on Saturday! The evening would be preferable.

Just don't be too polite imo. I'm pretty confident in just saying a cheery no thanks, bye now and shutting the door.

My friend over the road is always stuck for 15 mins or so because she's nicer than me.

You really shouldn't have offered to give anything, he could have been a scammer. I don't think door to door canvassing should be allowed full stop, it's quite intrusive.

I’m on the other side of this. We have local elections next week and I have had no calls or leaflets form candidates and have no clue who to vote for because I haven’t seen anything from anyone standing. They are welcome to knock on my door….or appear in the town high street or introduce themselves on social media, anything really

I saw three Vodaphone canvassers the other day. It was the afternoon, nobody was answering the door anyway all it does its sets the dogs off barking.

I was surprised to see Vodaphone door knocking.

I agree with you, if I could have a huge sign at the end of my path I would. It would have quite a few do not items on it 😂

I have a ring doorbell and a no cold callers sign on my door. Never had a cold caller since and have seen them on the video trotting to the door, seeing the sign and back tracking.

Got the sign from ebay - along with a 'beware of the dog' and the ring doorbell sign that says they're being recorded 😁

My door is just one mass of stickers!!

I have had a sign in my door for around 4 years now saying no cold callers and in that time have only ever had two not see the sign and ring the bell.
Once we pointed out that we dont want cold callers both apologised and left with no problem!
Definetely get a sign/sticker for your door and point it out to any who still disturb you!

The no cold caller sign doesn't apply to JW and political canvassers apparently as they don't request you to part with money.

https://medium.com/@ScottMcGreadyy*/do-no-cold-calling-stickers-actually-put-people-at-risk-b956b0b385

The only canvasser I had was labour a few weeks ago. I pointed at the sticker saying I don't take cold callers, followed by a quick "bye" and closing the door in her face.

In hindsight I do regret not asking her to define a woman for me though...

They should be banned full stop. That way you would get rid of so much intrusion.

And if people want to give to charity/vote for a political party/join Kingdom Hall we’re all adults, and presumably could make the decision to do so ourselves.. And that way you would get rid of the likes of the Nottingham knockers and other scammers with nefarious intentions who prey on the vulnerable.

There is a law. The Great Mumsnet Law of Thou Shalt Not Answer the Door to Anyone Without a Pre-booked Appointment. ☺️

As for telling people they should get a sticker/get a ring doorbell/make it clear they don’t want cold callers, why should they?

One of the worst ones I ever had was a chugger for the Red Cross. She started her speel with “I won’t patronise you by telling you what the Red Cross is all about,” I stopped her and said I wasn’t going to give her money, she carried on “oh, I’m not asking for money,” at which point I told her I wasn’t going to fill out a direct debit for her either.” At which point she became really aggressive and said “well, obviously you don’t care about children in the third world,” to which I replied “no I don’t.” And shut the door.

Obviously I do, but I absolutely won’t give to any cause which markets itself so aggressively. People like that should be banned, and charities need to start thinking about how they fundraise, because while chuggers (who generally earn upwards of £12 an hour) do bring in some revenue, they also turn a lot of people off of giving to certain charities because of their tactics.

Had a JW drop by this morning, nice lady but had to tell her I was a pagan, which is true, she soon scuttled.

Not doorstep, but we have some charity workers/ chuggers in our town centre. I was on my break at work, rushing around doing a chore and one of them, dressed as Superman tried to get my attention. I smiled and walked on and he shouted at me "Don't you care about disabled kids then?"

I often see him charming hassling people who no doubt sign up and give their personal details over. They are still there when I get back from my break, cornered like a gazelle.

I hate them too op! Victoria high st used to be a gauntlet of chuggers pre covid! I'm quite forthright in saying no I don't do business at the door and will willingly tell me I don't give a shit about kids/animals and the third world just to get rid of them from my door.

The NSPCC one was interesting though. It was just after the news about one of their employees in the loos (discussed on here) and the chugger was as horrified as me when I mentioned it!

Any charity that I give to that hassles me gets the DD cancelled.