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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Why get a Ring doorbell?

90 replies

WhistPie · 29/07/2023 13:21

Don't get me wrong, we've got one and it's useful but it only records the first 20-30 seconds after it's detected a motion or a bell ring. So why do people suggest getting one to record doorstep interactions? Or have I not got mine set up right?

(Oh, and nobody can hear me talking properly through it if I don't go to the door and use it as a walkie-talkie)

OP posts:
gingerguineapig · 29/07/2023 13:29

I don't understand why you would want one at all. The last thing I want is my mobile going off every time someone approaches my home. If I am not there, I can't do anything about it (eg if I am at work or even more so if I am on holiday). If I am there, I can look out of the window to see who it is if I am not expecting anyone or a parcel.

WandaWonder · 29/07/2023 13:29

gingerguineapig · 29/07/2023 13:29

I don't understand why you would want one at all. The last thing I want is my mobile going off every time someone approaches my home. If I am not there, I can't do anything about it (eg if I am at work or even more so if I am on holiday). If I am there, I can look out of the window to see who it is if I am not expecting anyone or a parcel.

Absolutely all this

mrsbyers · 29/07/2023 13:32

We find ours quite useful to be honest if we’re out and a parcel arrives we can direct them to a safe place etc

Kindofcrunchy · 29/07/2023 13:34

My friend got one after their house was burgled and all her precious jewellery was stolen, things passed down from her late grandma etc. It makes her feel safer which I would say makes it worth the cost and faff.

PuttingDownRoots · 29/07/2023 13:35

We have a ring security camera rather than a doorbell... helps with the motorbike insurance.

Weve had the police request footage a couple of times (tracking suspects or missing people) but our parameters are deliberately set to not record any passersby, only on our property so no good for them.

VioletLemon · 29/07/2023 13:36

Seems like another way to upp the anxiety ante, keeping people tense and unable to switch off. I'd be interested to know if it makes any difference to crime stats. I don't want one.

Lemonademoney · 29/07/2023 13:40

Love ours. We can see when our secondary aged child gets in from school. We can speak to delivery people if we need them to leave parcels. Ours has a great view of the front of our property so is reassuring from a security point of view too.

TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams · 29/07/2023 13:40

I find it dead handy for reminding the kids to double lock the front door.

But passing pigeons and cats.... 🤦🏼‍♀️

justasking111 · 29/07/2023 13:43

We can't have one because our neighbour was adamant that it was an invasion of his privacy.

AlisonDonut · 29/07/2023 13:45

I got one because my office was in a garden room in the garden and I was usually on skypes all day so I could still get deliveries and work.

It was very helpful when we were away and the local area was flooding so we could see our house was ok and not panic and get the first flight home. Also was good to see how bad the weather was back home whilst we were away.

It was really helpful when a bloke let his dog do a shit outside our house so I downloaded the footage and put on the local facebook page that I would be posting the footage on there and to the police if he hadn't come back in the next 24 hours and pick it up. He did.

fgsstopbs · 29/07/2023 13:45

Why wouldn't you want one should be the question. Extra security for the home, can track who comes and goes and also tell delivery drivers where to put parcels. I'm more than happy with mine.

Keykaty · 29/07/2023 13:47

I live on my own. It is great for showing me who is at the door so I can ignore most of the cold callers. Fab for deliveries too when I am not at home. I just find it comforting and gives me a sense of security, especially in Wintertime.

Tighginn · 29/07/2023 13:54

Fabulous for spying on the neighbours, it's amazing how much they don't over step boundaries now, in all aspects!

SerenityNowInsanityLater · 29/07/2023 13:55

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

Ihateslugs · 29/07/2023 13:56

I installed a ring door bell camera and security cameras at my mums house after she was door step scammed a couple of times - she had Alzheimer’s but still able to live alone with my help. It was great to be able to keep an eye on what was going on and to be able to talk to callers to see what they wanted before mum got to the door. I’m not sure how long the door bell and cameras recorded for, longer than just 20 seconds I think but I paid a monthly fee to Ring for extra features which might have included extra time.

I was able to show a recording of a man who had called and asked mum for some money so he could get to Leeds to collect his dead wife’s body from the hospital! It was not the first time he had blagged money from mum but the first time I had it recorded. The community policeman I showed it to knew him as he was a local drug user who preyed on several elderly people on the estate to get money for drugs. He has recently been found guilty of fraud ( which is the crime he was committing on mum apparently) and was awaiting sentencing. Because the recording of him asking for money was so clear, it was used as evidence to get him a longer sentence.

More lighthearted but the ability to talk through the security cameras came in useful a couple of times! Mum hated people parking in “her space” outside her house and would go outside to attack the car! If I was alerted in time, I would shout at her through the camera and tell her to stop and go back inside to make a cup of tea! I have no idea why it worked but mum was distracted by the sound of my voice and would toddle off. I did warn the neighbours though! There was one time when I could see mum on the pavement looking at a car so I spoke to her as usual without knowing that there was a policeman hidden behind a bush talking to mum! He was so surprised to hear my voice coming from the house! Luckily a neighbour had noticed the situation and popped out to explain who I was!

Conkersinautumn · 29/07/2023 14:00

I only lock the door if I'm going to be out all day!

Rainiestsummer · 29/07/2023 14:00

gingerguineapig · 29/07/2023 13:29

I don't understand why you would want one at all. The last thing I want is my mobile going off every time someone approaches my home. If I am not there, I can't do anything about it (eg if I am at work or even more so if I am on holiday). If I am there, I can look out of the window to see who it is if I am not expecting anyone or a parcel.

There are settings. You don't have to get an alert for each movement, can adjust the sensitivity, screen out neighbours, make it only come on for a ring etc.
I quite like seeing that the children have got home from school safely.

SummerBunn · 29/07/2023 14:01

I love mine. I can ask parcel delivery drivers to leave parcels etc, let people know I'm just five minutes away from getting home etc

I can also see who is at the door without answering, which was helpful when someone turned up with a weapon, I just didn't open the door.

VisionsOfSplendour · 29/07/2023 14:01

This reply has been deleted

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

Same here, lots of night time videos of would be or actual thrives, it doesn't put them off at all, they all wear the same clothes so are totally unidentifiable

Stealing milk from the doorstep is surely a 1970s joke, hardly any doorstep deliveries now and everyone WFH 😀

SerenityNowInsanityLater · 29/07/2023 14:04

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

JenniferBooth · 29/07/2023 14:09

to prove that the HAs contractors didnt turn up when they swear blind that they did and to prove they are lying about me denying access

Housing associations hate this technology

SerenityNowInsanityLater · 29/07/2023 14:11

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

HommeSweetHomme · 29/07/2023 14:27

My neighbour opposite has a Ring doorbell which he polishes daily as though it's made of delicate goldleaf! He also has another camera up on the wall looking down at the Ring doorbell

meridian37 · 29/07/2023 14:35

I used to work with a guy that had one and when he got a notification he never bothered checking it, he used to just say that will be my neighbour walking past the door

We've got exterior cameras that are great, they cover a huge area

Jellifulfruit · 29/07/2023 14:43

gingerguineapig · 29/07/2023 13:29

I don't understand why you would want one at all. The last thing I want is my mobile going off every time someone approaches my home. If I am not there, I can't do anything about it (eg if I am at work or even more so if I am on holiday). If I am there, I can look out of the window to see who it is if I am not expecting anyone or a parcel.

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