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Original poster

Delivery driver came into house uninvited

33 replies

midcenturymodernmess · 12/08/2024 14:27

I just had quite an unnerving experience – I work from home and am at home on my own. Eating lunch downstairs and all of a sudden my dog starts going crazy and I hear the front door opening. It turns out a delivery driver decided to let himself through our front gate without ringing the bell (which is really obvious) and open our front door without knocking to deliver a parcel... I've never had this happen before and am really shaken up by it. I normally have the front door locked when I'm home alone but had been going in and out and obviously didn't lock it when I came back in with stuff in my arms last. Why on earth would a delivery driver come into someone's house uninvited?! Why not just leave the parcel outside the front door or the front gate (as is often done)? He then kept trying to take photos of the parcel as I was asking him to leave and obviously quite upset. Am I over reacting or is this really out of line?

OP posts:
VestPantsandSocks · 12/08/2024 14:27

YNBU - totally unnecessary.

LionAndEmperor13 · 12/08/2024 14:30

Very odd. I'd be reporting him.
(and I find the constant photo-taking unnerving at the best of times)

Ithinkwedbefriendscomelittlebabe · 12/08/2024 14:32

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Original poster
midcenturymodernmess · 12/08/2024 14:33

LionAndEmperor13 · 12/08/2024 14:30

Very odd. I'd be reporting him.
(and I find the constant photo-taking unnerving at the best of times)

I also find the photo taking quite unnerving.. this also felt totally unnecessary – I saw him take a photo and then he kept trying to take more (I think he took 3 or 4) and he could clearly see that I was shaken up and wanted him out of the house.

OP posts:
Original poster
midcenturymodernmess · 12/08/2024 14:34

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Maybe it's more common than I thought? I get parcels regularly and have never had this happen... I wanted to post before reporting it in case I was over reacting. I think I will still report as even if it is happening I don't think it should be. Who just walks into someone's home?!

OP posts:
SWLondonLurker · 12/08/2024 14:41

Did you ask him why he’d thought it was alright to let himself into your house?! Completely understandable if you didn’t - you probably had sensible safety concerns - but I’d have been too furious not to.

LiteralNightmare · 12/08/2024 14:41

I cannot find the words to say how furious I would be about this. I would go absolutely mad.

Original poster
midcenturymodernmess · 12/08/2024 14:48

SWLondonLurker · 12/08/2024 14:41

Did you ask him why he’d thought it was alright to let himself into your house?! Completely understandable if you didn’t - you probably had sensible safety concerns - but I’d have been too furious not to.

I was clearly really upset and kept saying 'you can't just come into someone's house' and 'you need to leave' as he was taking photos.. Surely he must understand how inappropriate it is to just walk into a house?! Also, he has no idea who is at home (or what pets are at home) or how they are going to react to a stranger walking into the house

OP posts:
lovemycbf · 12/08/2024 14:48

I'd be majorly pissed off at that but also I must say lock your door. I'm always shocked people don't lock the front door just from a safety point of view

Original poster
midcenturymodernmess · 12/08/2024 14:51

lovemycbf · 12/08/2024 14:48

I'd be majorly pissed off at that but also I must say lock your door. I'm always shocked people don't lock the front door just from a safety point of view

I normally do keep it locked - and will definitely be more aware of it in the future. I mean obviously a delivery driver shouldn't just walk into someone's home – but it could also be anyone coming in. lesson learned..

OP posts:
ricestardust · 12/08/2024 14:59

Idk. It's uber weird in a big city. It's socially normal in a small village, where you know most everyone. The beyond unreasonable part was him lingering when you looked distressed (and told him so). But, it's all unreasonable if you live in a city/town.

So... he's obviously not a known regular courier and shouldn't have presumed to barge in. It would be different if you lived in a village and he was your friendly local postie whom you already knew, etc.

ClockworkDisaster · 12/08/2024 15:03

My delivery drivers regularly open my conservatory door to put the parcel in there - however I put that in the instructions when I order something. The regular delivery drivers are well aware of this and just put the parcel inside without bothering me. It states on the instructions that the conservatory is unlocked. I’ve never had anyone as much as try the handle to the next door into my kitchen though. That would be very rude.

CleanShirt · 12/08/2024 15:04

Didn't I read this just a few days ago?

Original poster
midcenturymodernmess · 12/08/2024 15:09

ricestardust · 12/08/2024 14:59

Idk. It's uber weird in a big city. It's socially normal in a small village, where you know most everyone. The beyond unreasonable part was him lingering when you looked distressed (and told him so). But, it's all unreasonable if you live in a city/town.

So... he's obviously not a known regular courier and shouldn't have presumed to barge in. It would be different if you lived in a village and he was your friendly local postie whom you already knew, etc.

I'm in London and it wasn't one of the regular delivery guys (and even the ones I do know and see every week and have conversations with would never just open the door – if I'm not home, they either leave the parcel by the front gate or by the door). I've never experienced this in over a decade of living in London...

OP posts:
Original poster
midcenturymodernmess · 12/08/2024 15:10

CleanShirt · 12/08/2024 15:04

Didn't I read this just a few days ago?

I've just looked up that thread and it's pretty much exactly what happened (although the other poster wasn't aware until she saw the parcel on the dining table) Maybe it's becoming more common..? Surely there should be clear guidelines by delivery companies to all drivers that you don't just walk into a house uninvited..

OP posts:
GodspeedJune · 12/08/2024 15:13

Report it to his company at the very least.

jannier · 12/08/2024 16:38

Complain to the delivery company they can access the photos to back you up

frockandcrocs · 12/08/2024 16:41

I had this happen a while ago, I got to the bottom of the stairs as he was opening the door- he then dropped the parcel and left. It was weird and unnerving, and I've always locked the door when I'm home alone since (I never used to as I tend to go out to the front garden a fair bit).

penguinonmybag · 12/08/2024 16:43

You live in London and you don't have a front door that automatically locks when it closes? are you mad?

(from a fellow Londoner!)

Fartooold · 12/08/2024 16:47

Yes, I'd report that. And I say that as someone whose postman let's himself in and makes breakfast.
What happened to you makes no sense, report.

JKnight09 · 12/08/2024 16:49

I had a delivery driver tell me off just after we moved in for locking my door. Apparently the last person who lived here always left it unlocked so he could put the parcel in the hall without knocking. I pointed out to him that the last person who lived here didn't have 6 stone of German shepherd as a pet and that as a responsible owner I would continue to make sure my front door was locked for his safety and mine.

Skyrainlight · 12/08/2024 16:56

I would report it, it's insane to come into someone's house without permission.

YesThatsATurdOnTheRug · 12/08/2024 17:04

Some people round our way thank them for it as other wise the parcel either goes back to depo or is stolen. Definitely would have scared me too!

Menstum · 12/08/2024 17:04

@midcenturymodernmess

Report the driver obviously- you can't just walk into someone's house. Blimey I hate to think how I'd react, I know I'd be bloody angry.

FranceIsWhereItsAt · 12/08/2024 17:13

I voted you as BU but only because you didn't lock your door. These days you're open to all sorts if you forget to lock your door, so get it changed to one that locks when the door closes.

Having said that, the delivery guy was mad to even try it, particularly as he must have heard your dog start barking. There's no way I'd try and venture into anyone's house, if I heard dogs barking. We actually have our 'Ring' doorbell set up so that it sets off dogs barking on my phone, my DH saw the lady come to deliver our post the other day, he watched her for a moment to see if he needed to go to the door, and saw her leap back the minute she heard the dogs barking on my phone, so clearly she wouldn't have considered trying the door.