Best way to deal with unsolicited callers ringing the doorbell?

Jobrowne33

In the last 2 weeks I've had two different people knock on the front door of the house asking if we want powerwashing done on the front path, I declined. Neither provided anything official, they were quite pushy and both times I felt uneasy after the interaction. What is the best way to deal with this? We lived in an apartment until recently and never experienced unsolicited callers. Is it better to answer to door to show someone is home? Or not to answer at all? Is there anything that can be said to prevent them returning? (without annoying them) Thanks in advance.

Explosive_Cornflake

Tell them no, and they'll stop coming back.

ineedeuro

Jobrowne33 wrote: »

In the last 2 weeks I've had two different people knock on the front door of the house asking if we want powerwashing done on the front path, I declined. Neither provided anything official, they were quite pushy and both times I felt uneasy after the interaction. What is the best way to deal with this? We lived in an apartment until recently and never experienced unsolicited callers. Is it better to answer to door to show someone is home? Or not to answer at all? Is there anything that can be said to prevent them returning? (without annoying them) Thanks in advance.

Put a video doorbell on, they have to buzz...you can see who they are and tell them to go away.....

It's a lot harder to be pushy with a computer :P

The Ring doorbell is 100 quid which is great value, don't bother with the cheap knock off chineses ones because from what I have seen they never work!!

Jobrowne33

We have a ring doorbell and they used the knocker instead of ringing it, which was odd.

Tabnabs

No thanks you (with a smile), and close the door.

ineedeuro

Jobrowne33 wrote: »

We have a ring doorbell and they used the knocker instead of ringing it, which was odd.

Take the knocker off

It's not odd to use knocker instead of ring, as I said you can't be pushy with a computer. Don't answer the door till they use the door bell.

I lived in Dublin, had Ring doorbell and even with no knocker a certain type would start banging on the door. Just ignore till they push the buzzer then tell them to get lost!!

POBox19

Answer the caller, if they are selling something you don't want just firmly say "NO, thank you" and shut the door. If they persist call a neighbour or the local Garda Station. If you have an alarm set it off.

SupaCat95

I had the Jehovahs Witnesses (ladies) call to me one morning after a three night shift. I turned up unshaved, red eyed and in a loosely tied dressing gown. I was fairly engaging and insisted they come inside. Strangely they declined politely despite me being strongly insistent.
They never cameback.

A few copies of "The Watch tower" or some born again Christian material is warning signs enough to ward off any experienced commercial salesman. Omens of complete time wasters wanting to talk about their own religion. Its like garlic to a vampire.

Just reread your post OP these were "Travelling Sales men of the non-commercial variety". You were getting scoped for getting robbed (Person, time keeping habits, worth visiting, possibility of being challenged). They dont come under the "good and services act" or pretty much any law. Not sure what to do.

whisky_galore

Easy. Don't answer the door if not expecting anyone.
Filters out most if not all unwanted callers.

Jobrowne33

The only reason I answer is because apparently answering deters people scoping out houses - sometimes knocking/ringing the doorbell to check if the house is frequently unoccupied

Victor

"STOP
COVID-19 INFECTION

Unfortunately we have a COVID-19 infection in the household and we are unable to answer the door.

If you are making a delivery, please phone us."

Delirah

I usually bring the German shepherd out to the door with me and say no thanks

JustAThought

Victor wrote: »

"STOP
COVID-19 INFECTION

Unfortunately we have a COVID-19 infection in the household and we are unable to answer the door.

If you are making a delivery, please phone us."

Good but might terrify the neighbours and out off their visitors!! Perhaps a sign that says no sales calls or politicans please or unscheduled knocks will not be accommodated/answered. I can just see that being changed into knockers!!

My neighbour has a dire warning
If you ring and wake my sleeping baby
My wife will come down and kill you.

Seems quite effective. He dosn’t have a baby!!

Or a dog sign - one of the non verbal ones showing a dog with big teeth that can you buy ir print off the internet. With a line through the doorbell sign. Door chuggers HATE dogs. Best deterrent ever - even /especially if you’re not in.

SupaCat95

Delirah wrote: »

I usually bring the German shepherd out to the door with me and say no thanks

The German shepherd is never wrong.

poisonated

Frankly I would be overly concerned with being rude to people harassing me. If they were overly pushy, I’d just tell them to f.ck off. Maybe that’s just me though haha

Wishbone Ash

I answered the door recently to find a short scruffy skanger type in a dirty tracksuit. He started to try to engage me in conversation and I immediately responded with something along the lines of 'whatever you're selling, I'm not interested'. I was just in the process of closing the door when he flashed his ID. Turned out to be an undercover detective.

crosstownk

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I answered the door recently to find a short scruffy skanger type in a dirty tracksuit. He started to try to engage me in conversation and I immediately responded with something along the lines of 'whatever you're selling, I'm not interested'. I was just in the process of closing the door when he flashed his ID. Turned out to be an undercover detective.

Any chance of episode 2??

Wishbone Ash

crosstownk wrote: »

Any chance of episode 2??

Sorry, I should have added that he was looking for some info from my CCTV as the school across the street had a safe removed and they were trying to get a rough timeline of when the vehicle involved was at the scene and if it picked up a reg. I think he forgot he was undercover when he called.

(The Garda ERU also arrived in force at my door one day in a fleet of Q7's . They were arresting an very unpleasant individual who resides a couple of doors up from me and they wanted to send a back up squad through my rear garden to access his rear garden to prevent an escape before ramming his front door. It was a bit disconcerting for us as a family as it was obvious that we were 'facilitating' his capture).

Never a dull moment at my abode!

Muahahaha

jaysis dont know how I would feel about allowing the ERU use my back garden. If the suspect tried to escape into your garden and got caught he would be blaming you when he gets bailed later. Its a pretty awkward position for the Gardai to be putting you in, they dont have to live next door to him afterwards

ineedeuro

Muahahaha wrote: »

jaysis dont know how I would feel about allowing the ERU use my back garden. If the suspect tried to escape into your garden and got caught he would be blaming you when he gets bailed later. Its a pretty awkward position for the Gardai to be putting you in, they dont have to live next door to him afterwards

If you don't stand up to these people then they will walk all over you!!!

El_Duderino 09

Jobrowne33 wrote: »

We have a ring doorbell and they used the knocker instead of ringing it, which was odd.

This is a side issue bit I have worked as a delivery driver and lots of people's door bells don't work. So i always knocked instead of using the door bell. Saves you having to stand there wondering if the bell worked or not.

So using the knocker isn't suspicious in and of itself. It's just a sign that it's someone who knocks on a lot of doors.

Strumms

I haven’t been of the mind answer the door unless I’ve been expecting something to be delivered or somebody at my residence, who I’d be expecting for a particular reason...

I’ve a good view outside and if I see somebody walking away or I’ll see a courier/ supermarket delivery who I’ll be expecting anyway... I’d open.
Since the beginning of this health chaos there have been three or four instances of people collecting for charity... fûck that,... no sorry you can have a face full of front door.

ineedeuro

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

This is a side issue bit I have worked as a delivery driver and lots of people's door bells don't work. So i always knocked instead of using the door bell. Saves you having to stand there wondering if the bell worked or not.

So using the knocker isn't suspicious in and of itself. It's just a sign that it's someone who knocks on a lot of doors.

If you did that to me I think the response would be "did you not see the f**king door bell?" :P

Not sure how you can't hear it, 9 times out of 10 they are stuck right above the door a few ft away from you. The likes of Ring etc make a sound telling you they are trying to contact the owner.

El_Duderino 09

ineedeuro wrote: »

If you did that to me I think the response would be "did you not see the f**king door bell?" :P

Not sure how you can't hear it, 9 times out of 10 they are stuck right above the door a few ft away from you. The likes of Ring etc make a sound telling you they are trying to contact the owner.

Can't always hear the door bell if it rings. You'd end up spending time standing waiting to see if someone didn't hear it, it didn't ring or they arent in. Knockingbthe door always makes the same noise so if you knock a lot of doors, then you'd end up just knocking the door or if there's a knocker then you'll always use it because you know it will make noise.

But in relation unsolicited callers. "Thanks, I won't waste your time because but I don't need the service you're offering/ I'm happy with the charity donations I make at the moment. Best of luck, goodbye".

I'm always surprised when people want to invent lies or stories to tell people. The truth, put bluntly and politely, is usually all that needs to be said.

Dyr

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Sorry, I should have added that he was looking for some info from my CCTV as the school across the street had a safe removed and they were trying to get a rough timeline of when the vehicle involved was at the scene and if it picked up a reg. I think he forgot he was undercover when he called.

(The Garda ERU also arrived in force at my door one day in a fleet of Q7's . They were arresting an very unpleasant individual who resides a couple of doors up from me and they wanted to send a back up squad through my rear garden to access his rear garden to prevent an escape before ramming his front door. It was a bit disconcerting for us as a family as it was obvious that we were 'facilitating' his capture).

Never a dull moment at my abode!

I would have told them to **** off with themselves tbh.

Wishbone Ash

ineedeuro wrote:

.....Not sure how you can't hear it, 9 times out of 10 they are stuck right above the door a few ft away from you....

In an urban environment with passing traffic and interior and exterior front doors, it can be difficult to hear.

DaveyDave

Why do people have issues with Gardai? If they wanted to use my garden or have a look at my CCTV I couldn't give a crap.

Would love to stop unsolicited knocking though, some traveller selling rugs from a van won't stop knocking at my house after we've told him no about 6 times. They done rounds around our new estate last year and some people bought off him but now it's gotten to the point where he just comes to our house directly and isn't just driving around asking everyone.

Muahahaha

DaveyDave wrote: »

Why do people have issues with Gardai? If they wanted to use my garden or have a look at my CCTV I couldn't give a crap.

Its not an issue with the Gardai, its with getting potential harassment from a criminal that you still have to live next door or close to.

Until you are in that situation you dont know what it is like. Several years back I lived about 50 metres away from a seasoned career criminal with 80+ convictions, many of them for violent assault and he had done two stints in prison. I was fine 50m away and also up a few levels in an apartment. But he made life absolute hell for his close neighbours, he assaulted two of them badly (broke one nose) in arguments over a car park space and had his fellow criminal mates calling to the house at all times of day and night, sitting outside drinking and smoking weed and playing music from their cars. This guy was a raging lunatic who shouldnt have even been on the streets and violence was his way of solving problems no matter how insignificant they were.

If hardened criminals like that see that you've allowed the Gardai access to your property to help arrest them then I doubt that will be the end of it. Its very likely that they will make your life hell because in their minds you are now a snitch who needs to be dealt with. You are not dealing with people you can reason with here and the Gardai do not have the resources to sort it out. Its the type of situation that can end up in good people being forced to sell up and move out of the area altogether just to get a peaceful life.

cnocbui

Buy a power washer and clean the path.

theoneeyedman

I usually answer in a gruff manner, if it's one of the ethnic minority or someone I don't want to engage with I'll say no thanks, not interested and close the door.... Wouldn't worry much about being a little short or rude if necessary TBH.

<SNIP>

punisher5112

Nothing ever good comes from answering the door unless it's for a delivery... Everything else I don't bother even getting up to look ...

Have a ring, even if they don't press it the video feed is kept as soon as there is movement once you have the zone settings set up correctly you can also have it make a sound to alert you even if the bell isn't pressed.

During the 1st lockdown the amount calling to the door was unreal, never answered.