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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

If a stranger knocks on my front door?

72 replies

Ivykaty44 · 26/05/2009 17:00

And tells me he is not selling anything and wants to know where the homeowner is and when they will be back - I told him I am not answering questions of this nature to a stranger - he then gets the huff with me and tells me if that my attitude he is off, to which I politly explain I didn't ask him to knock on my door he says rude offs and leaves.

I know its a crappy job but why not just say "do you want to buy double glazing" I can say no, then they leave

OP posts:

wotulookinat · 26/05/2009 18:53

that remind me of a Sky man that came recently. I told him we were with Virgin. When I told him I didn't know how much we paid a month in reply to his question, he asked what time my husband would be back.
He actually had the cheek to come back in the evening too

alicet · 26/05/2009 18:55

Can someone tell me what a sofit is???

wotulookinat · 26/05/2009 18:56

It's the white boarding on a house, like around the base of the roof.

alicet · 26/05/2009 18:56

Thanks!!! Never heard that before!

YANBU by the way OP

curlygal · 26/05/2009 18:57

Agree re charity bags - I get so many - about five per week that is impossible to work out which day etc. Who has that much stuff to give to charity?

I;ve started to use them as bin bags

solidgoldSneezeLikeApig · 26/05/2009 18:57

Market researcher here. Definitely not flogging anything, and I do abide by the code of conduct (always show ID, be polite, and fuck off immediately with a smile and an apology if asked to do so).
ANd I hate the dodgy sellers and fibbers and halfwits more than you lot do, because they screw things up for those of us who are not con artists or idiots.

gemmiegoatlegs · 26/05/2009 18:59

we had a very rude lady visitor around recently looking for the previous occupants (in huge debt, i understand). She asked for my landlords telephone number, and got huffy with me when I refused to share his personal details with a stranger. Some people are just weird.

wotulookinat · 26/05/2009 18:59

I use the charity bags as cat litter tray liners.

Eve4Walle · 26/05/2009 19:12

This made me remember something one of DHs mates told me once.

He's in his early 40s but looks a little bit younger. He had a knock one day a few years back, opened the door, and the guy selling whatever said 'Is your Mum at home mate?'

At least he didn't have to worry about appearing rude, he said no and the guy wnet away!

NormaSknockers · 26/05/2009 19:22

This has reminded me actually - I had a very horrid lady knock last year, I was 34 weeks PG with DS & had only been home a day or so after he'd tried to escape early.

Anywho she was trying to sell that magazine - Can...something or other I think, people in Woolworths were trying to sell it.

I was very tired & sore etc & it had taken huge effort to get off the sofa - I opened the door & said very politely 'No thank you' to which she pulled herself up to her full height & said 'Well we support the NICU & you never know when you might need that' nodded at my bump & said 'What would you do if you needed the NICU & there wasn't one locally' with a very aggressive voice at which point I burst into tears & shut the door.

Thankfully although DS tried to escape again a few days later he then hung on til the day before his EDD

wotulookinat · 26/05/2009 19:23

that's using emotional blackmail to sell a magazine.

LaurieFairyCake · 26/05/2009 19:24

Also, they are mostly not 'charity' bags, they only give the tiniest percentage to charity - like 5%, we had one through the door that said they gave 0.8% to charity.

Watchdog did an expose on them a couple of years ago.

funtimewincies · 26/05/2009 20:01

YANBU. I find the tactics of many cold callers to be rude at best and intimidating or threatening at worst . I live in what is seen as a 'nice area' which many salesmen interpret as 'shedloads of cash, they're just being tight'. No, I have no need for Sky+ in my life and actually haven't the money to pay for it !

We used to have a gorgeous and very enthusiastic labrador when I was a child. The sight of a slobbery, barely restrained monster being held by my tiny 4'10" mother used to cause many cold callers to mutter "oh, I can see that you're busy" and flee at top speed. Result !

Original poster

Ivykaty44 · 26/05/2009 20:20

I started using the charity so called bags as bin bags - I started last May and have yet to run out of bags, so either I don't have much rubbish or they are plying me with far to many bags

OP posts:

Blondeshavemorefun · 26/05/2009 20:20

i know

it is annoying

or i get the cold calling, who ring up and ask for me, but in my maiden name

i say xxx doesnt live here anymore

PollyEster · 26/05/2009 20:40

I don't even open the door in the evening if I'm not expecting anyone. Luckily I can see from the window who's at the door. I just can't be arsed to tell charity collectors/salespeople I'm not interested. I'm afraid I'm not very polite to people who interrupt my tea/lounging/mumsnetting. Ime you have to be very rude assertive with these people - they have extremely thick skins. I know they're doing a job but most can't seem to take no for an answer. (Not you solidgoldsneeze, obviously)

ADealingMummy · 26/05/2009 21:46

I am seriously paranoid about answering the door to strangers, I speak to them from the upstairs balcony.

mrstimlovejoy · 26/05/2009 21:49

i don't answer my door i look out of window and if i don't know them i don't answer.

Poledra · 26/05/2009 21:55

When I lived alone, I used to regularly be asked if I was Mrs Poledra (or even if Mr Poledra was in ). It wasn't a lie when I said no.....

Could have cheerfully slaughtered the Jehovah's witnesses who knocked on my door 15 minutes after I had got my teething DD down for a nap and I was snoozing on the sofa. I was really quite rude to them, but honestly I could have wept with tiredness.

OP, YANBU.

pinkmagic1 · 26/05/2009 21:59

Sometimes just ignore the door if I see a sales person outside. I also get sales people ringing for the guy who lived in my house before me, 8 years ago!

pinkmagic1 · 26/05/2009 21:59

Sometimes just ignore the door if I see a sales person outside. I also get sales people ringing for the guy who lived in my house before me, 8 years ago!

sleepyeyes · 26/05/2009 22:19

YANBU I don't open the door to anyone (unless it is family) after my POSTMAN threatened me at my front door.

luvoneson · 26/05/2009 22:23

I live in a very nice area, and someone knocked the other day selling tea-towels (horrible ones as well). The bloke looked really rough, anyway I got rid of him and his offending wears and when telling my neighbour he told me that the seller was part of a group of offenders that had recently been released from prison and were doing this sort of work to get back into the community. I know we should give people a chance but it made me feel nervous.

sleepyeyes · 26/05/2009 22:28

luv I used to get them when I loved in London always at dinnertime and often when it was dark. They are very persistent I always bought their overpriced dish towel even though i really didn't want too.

bluefox37 · 26/05/2009 22:29

we live in a secluded area and get the weirdest types knocking at the door when we 1st moved in..even sum1 asking to borrow a glass of water! now I peep out, see if I know them, then hide if I don't!

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