Delivery driver let himself into my house

[Wineatfiveisfine]

I WFH. A delivery driver knocked quite loudly on my door a few days ago. I got to my hallway within 10 seconds to find a very tall man in my hallway setting the delivery down on a table and taking a photo, as proof of delivery.

He said “hello, delivery”. I was too shocked to form a cordial response and just said “erm, why are you in my house?” He said “delivery, thanks bye” and off he went.

We’ve raised a complaint with said company - but they’ve said this is a common occurrence (!) and that they will speak to the driver, but it won’t be taken any further.

i was terrified to find a stranger in my house - but having googled, this seems to be a common occurrence!!!! How?!?!?

Probably because they’re a delivery driver in a crime free village where apparently nobody locks their doors.

Nor did we,

Till we did. Now we lock our doors

What do you do when you have workmen in if you keep doors permanently locked? I’ve had a tiler here for the past 3 weeks and he constantly needs to go in and out to cut tiles etc.

I live in a village but front door is always locked. Royal Mail, Amazon, Evri might knock and if I’m out or not fast enough to the door they leave on the doorstep.

Register a safe place ir just put a note on your door — leave deliveries on step and knock/ring bell. Thank you.
Job done

As a delivery person myself, yes we do try doors if no one answers within a reasonable time. I don't enter though, but I will put the parcel just inside the door and take a photo. With the amount we are expected to deliver in a day, we don't have time to wait around. Most people are grateful that I haven't taken it back to the office as undelivered. So many people order a parcel a day and are never in. So much of our time is wasted waiting for people to answer the door or not having a safe place to leave the parcel.

I love our DPD driver come in the front door and leaves our parcels for us.

Yes this happens where I live in deepest Devon- deliveries and postmen alike. I wouldn't want to keep the back door locked but I do worry dogs might get out.

I used to love my old posty who did this. A complete stranger would have pissed me off though.

Maybe he's new about town. Seems like he was just doing his job. I agree it would be a bit shocking but perhaps he's been told to just enter and get on with things. Who knows. I wouldn't judge him too personally until you know the full story.

Yes this happened to me recently. When I first moved in I had difficulty closing the front door properly and consequently it was sometimes not properly closed. I frequently WFH also and was frozen in shock when I heard someone open my front door and I could see the shadow of a man entering the small hallway, dropping down my Amazon parcel and casually letting himself out again! I was just frozen in shock and fright. I live alone and was shaken for a good while!

When I am at home, I almost never lock or close the front door. Mostly because it is impossible to walk past the window without me seeing you walk in, and because there is a very large dog that barks loudly at any approach lying in front of the open door. She's generally friendly, but she regards it as her job to alert me to all visitors.

It’s not common!

They don’t get told to just walk into peoples houses. Jeez, some excuse absolutely awful behaviour!

Beyond me! I keep both doors and all the downstairs windows locked but then I live in a high crime area and it would be madness not to. If I am airing a room downstairs I stay in there while the window is open and never have it fully open. I would have bloody passed out to find a delivery guy in my home and would be complaining to the company

You shouldn't have to lock your doors, agreed, but then people shouldn't have to be afraid to walk down a dark alleyway at night either. You're living in the 21st Century, not some Disney version of 1950s olde worlde Britain. Get a grip and get a decent lock!

Well said! 🙄

This is why I never, ever leave my doors unlocked, so this can never happen!

Growing up in rural Scotland and we never locked our door, even when we were out. If we were in the house it was normal to keep the door wide open and any of the neighbours could walk right in and help themselves to a cup of tea while letting us know loudly they've arrived (if we were upstairs or in the back garden). I now like in a city and my OH is from England. We have had the delivery drivers mistake our front door as a porch in the past. My OH is terrified and will lock doors when he is on his own but I still don't really bat an eye. I presume its an accident and still hold that trust (we live in a quiet cul-de-sac with neighbourhood watch) so feel relatively safe. In this instance I would assume they made a mistake by thinking it was a porch/safe place, and maybe lock the door for future while home alone if bothered.

OP - I don't want uninvited people coming into my house
Mumsnet - Lock your door
OP - Why should I?

🙆

Her last words were .. “there’s no crime here”. … as the police removed her body from the crime scene ….

please wake OP up! Please lock your doors.

Lock your door. You feel you shouldn’t have to, but if it’s common practice for delivery drivers to enter homes and you don’t want that, it’s an easy fix.

I know. It makes absolutely no sense at all. 🙄🫤

Where on earth do you live that you are worried about squatters or drug addicts coming into your house when you are in the house? Is your area just full of squatters going from door to door all day long to check if anyone is in?

Finally someone gets the flipping point

Totally 🤣 Everyone is so furious. It’s bonkers

YAdefinitelyNBU to expect deliveries drivers to not swan into your house. Or anyone else for that matter. I wouldn’t let myself into the house of someone I know without their permission. It’s basic respect

Whether you should lock your door/crime rates in your area/squatters taking up residence while you’re on a Teams call…is a different conversation. Surely!