Do you automatically open the front door yo a knock or bell ring?

Never, I keep my front and back door locked, I have a security camera overlooking the front gate and one overlooking the back gate, any movement beeps on my mobile phone, I have a no sellers etc note on my gate too. Should anyone feel brave enough to ignore my sign I also have a 40 kilo dog with a very loud bark, who would if anyone strange attempted enter the house lick them to death.

We can see and hear through our front door. If it's someone I know ok or if they are waving a parcel ok. Otherwise I ask them what they want before opening or not.

Thanks to everyone that replied.
Interesting to read your takes on it.

No, I don't automatically open, I always check.
I used to be married to a police officer so I do the sensible thing.

I also keep doors locked during the day, dating back to one bathtime with the children years ago when my husband suddenly loomed in the bathroom doorway and said "I could have been anyone. You didn't hear me. Keep the door locked."

I always look out of the window if someone's at the door, and once it gets dark, I go upstairs and call out from an upstairs window.

Yes Stoker48, I’m exactly the same. Just moved from London to Suffolk so I’m expecting I will be slightly more relaxed! 🌷🌷

I check through the front window to see who it it before opening the door. You don't need to feel in the wrong for doing the safety checks first.

I check through the window next to my front door to see who it is . Or if I’m upstairs I open my bedroom window and if it’s someone I don’t know , I tell them I’ve just got out of the shower .

Never

There are porch windows either side of the front door, so I can see who is there without opening the door. This is very handy.

I usually just open the front lounge window to speak to who ever it is. I have dogs do it can be a hassle trying to stop tyrn running out. Parcels and post can be handed to me that way and I can talk behind the safety of a brick wall with some height. It’s become a habit.

If it's a particular knock, I just know it will be my next door neighbour. In which case, I hastily nip into the kitchen, out of sight, until I think she's given up and gone. Any other knocking and I look through the side bay window and, if I like the look of them I'll open the door. If not, it's another sprint to the kitchen.

crazyH

No, not always. I may sound mean, but I have one neighbour/friend who knocks almost daily. There’s only so much I can listen to, her family (widow, no children) who don’t visit, all the young men in the pub, who want to date her (she is 85). One wants to whisk her off on a cruise. Maybe I’m jealous, but I’m just about tired of hearing the same old, same old …….so , I don’t answer her knock, 4 days out of 7 😂

I think you’d be justified in reducing that to one day out of seven! You must have the patience of a saint!

I keep front and back door locked and have a 'No Cold Callers' sign. I answer the door during the day, but at night my husband always answers it. We once had a very strange incident where our doorbell was rung at midnight. I got my husband and he spoke through the door to a man who said he was delivering a food order ( carry out), my husband said sorry, no one ordered from here. We did not open the door and never would at that time, unless we knew them. Sadly, we have a few dubious characters in our area.

When I was a child our front door stayed open all day with just the inner porch door closed which had glass panels. There was a long flight of steps up to the front door and we lived on a steep hill so we didn't get much passing footfall. Our neighbour accross the road would waalk in unannounced and our next door neighbour walked in calling her characteristic "Ooh-Ooh"! When mum got older and lived alone, she started to close the front door but only locked it during the evening. Her back door was locked mostly but sometimes left ajat as it sometimes swelled up in damp weather and more than once someone broke in during the day when she fell asleep in the chair! Thankfully she was nevr harmed and only a few things were taken. When my kids were younger my front door was unlocked for them to come in and out while playing out in the cul de sac on their bikes. Where I live now I can't leave the door unlocked unless it's actually ajar. However I answer the door without thinking mostly. I'm probably too trusting! I might think twice at night.
I've just been at my son's for a few days and their door is always unlocked if they are at home until they go to bed, This thread has made me think about aspects of safety for my young GC. They don't yet play out unattended but I guess they will before long. It's only how things were when I was a child and when my children were young, but times have changed so I now wonder if they should be more cautious. DiL was brought up in a small village and DS in a market town, but they live in a city now! However they do have a dog. If anyone came in that shouldn't she would likely bark, but is hardly a guard dog!

I check the CCTV monitor before going to the door.
If there is a delivery van at the door it is obviously something I am expecting but other callers don't always get answered.
The other day a group of people rang the bell several times, after a few minutes one stepped away from the door and waved at the camera. How did they know I was sitting watching them ? 🤔

If you live alone, it's quite a good idea, even in the daytime, to call something like " Okay, Sam, just answering door!" as you open the door.

Reading through here has redoubled my happiness in my home.
It wouldn’t occur to me to be afraid of who might be at the front door or that they could be a threat.
Not entirely naive having lived elsewhere but wow!

Our house is off the street, built in what used to be a pub car park. It has an entrance door which is hidden inside a small conservatory, or at this time of year, greenhouse. The majority of callers miss it and walk round to the front where we have sliding patio doors. I have never felt the need for a doorbell.
We do have external security cameras though.

Keeping doors locked is the wise thing to do.
Many years ago the parents of one of my friends were working in the back garden. They had left the back door, which was on the side of the house, unlocked, for convenience.
Some time later it was discovered that all the lady's jewellery was missing! An opportunist thief had obviously seen the pair working in the garden and taken the opportunity to enter the house unnoticed.

My friend lived beside a wood and one night about midnight a man rang the doorbell. He had been up in the woods with a lady friend and she had fallen probably drunk.They managed to help her down and an ambulance was called.

If I'm not expecting anyone then I don't answer.

I'm a female, 6'2, well built and physically able to fight someone off so I can handle myself if I have too but I always look out of the bedroom window, if it's a neighbour or someone I know then I'll answer but if a total stranger then I don't!

Absolutely not! We live on a farm ideep in the countryside, quarter of a mile down a drive from the lane. The drive has an electric gate. I would have to be expecting someone before they got as far as the door or else I'd be extremely suspicious!!

When people say they keep their front door locked do they mean with the deadbolts engaged? My front door can't be opened from outside without the key, so it's just kept shut during the daytime and only deadbolted at night or when we're out. My backdoor is right round the back of the house having passed the kitchen window to get to it so although it can be opened from outside it's only locked at night or when we're out. I do answer the door to any knock in the daytime except if I've spotted groups of Jehovah's Witnesses when I've been passing the upstairs landing window. At night I'm more cautious if I'm alone, otherwise DH answers.

I never open my door until I've had a quick look out of my bay window,as we often get window salesmen, Jehovahs witnesses or my moany neighbour knocking. I'm going to get a ring doorbell to save me having to get to the window to check who's there

Rosie 51 I live in a safe, quiet residential area. My front door is always locked, not just closed. At the turn of a switch five deadlocks are put in place. I don't have a back door as such, French doors to the patio. Always locked, unless I am actually in the garden. From the front it isn't obvious how to access the back of the house. The high back gate is locked too.
If doors aren't locked and the house is burgled, I doubt the insurers would pay out.