Cold callers at the door

I just say this is not my house and close the door

We don't answer the door to anyone selling or promoting anything. On the odd occasion when we've opened the door, we tell the seller we're renting the house (lies) and won't be here much longer.

I once answered the door to a young gipsy woman selling clothes pegs and lace. I told her no thanks, but couldn`t shut the door because she`d plonked her little girl right in the doorway, I`d have knocked her over if I`d closed the door. Took ages to get rid of her.

Thank you NorthFace for the link (it saved me looking it up). I’ve now spoken to someone at BT and informed them that their subcontractors need better training as they don’t understand the phrase cold calling. I explained about my own experience this morning, but also about another (very vulnerable) man who told me he’d had a similar experience with a female sales agent today.

I usually keep the chain on the door but that was not enough to stop a persistent and aggressive cold caller who put his foot in the door to prevent me from closing it. I swore very loudly at him to get his xxxx foot out of my door now, luckily that did the trick. Not saying this is the best way to deal with it but it worked for me. I don't know who was most shocked at my language me or him, not usually the sort of words in my repertoire!

this is why i suggest a quick shout from an upper window.
or through the door.
we have to unlearn polite default mode.
no is a complete sentence, as MN says.

I believe that anyone knocking on my door without an appointment or permission is intruding upon my time and privacy. They are implicitly saying that what they want is more important than whatever I am doing. I could be in bed having a nap, in the shower, in the toilet but I am supposed to be at their beck and call.

Well no, actually. Im mobility impaired and Im not going to get up and come to the door at your pleasure. If you cant read and pay attention to the notice or call/text/email up front to make an arrangement then I dont want to see you - unless you are delivering a package. And 99.99% of my packages are tracked.

If its an emergency go find someone younger and fitter to bother.

It’s a recognised phase he’s just an idiot

I'd have shut the door having told him about having internal IT support AND pointed to the sign.

I even have a sign on the door saying we're disabled, and as I'm the least disabled, it's always me that answers the door

Luckily my property has windows that I can open & tell unwanted callers politely to go away! Never open the front door unless I have checked who is there even if I am expecting someone! Never worried when I had my very big dog but now will not risk it! Since disability hit will not risk the little I have by opening the door! Some do get annoyed so I just shut the window & let them moan!

Rakshma: is it wise to have that notice on your door, advertising that you’re vulnerable?

I have a ring doorbell with camera. When doorbell goes I check the camera on my phone and if I don't know the person I don't answer. Did this a couple of weeks ago and saw the person was showing a police identication lanyard. Spoke to him through doorbell/phone and he explained he was investigation a recent attempt at high end car theft. I answered the door. By then his colleague had joined him again showing ID. They wanted to assure me I was not at risk and my car very unlikely too and also to enquire if I had seen or heard anything. Door bell very useful.

BT and Ee are not separate companies. They joined a long time ago! My son worked for them

I have porch speak to cold callers through this, if they won't go away I just leave them talking to porch door,soon move on

Sago

I think this was a scam, BT/EE are two different companies they do not cold call!

Fact check. EE became part of the bt group in 2016. And it looks very much as if they DID cold call.

www.bt.com/ee

We live so rurally even people we want to find us, can’t - I would be so shocked to ever find a cold caller at the door

I hate it when young students come to the door to get you to sign up for a charity donation. Do people really give out bank details on these forms they carry? In these days of Internet why would anyone ever sign up for services on their doorstep. I do feel sorry for the callers ,they are only trying to earn money. Its the same with these "accident " phone calls. Sometimes I carry it on saying yes I did have an accident how did you know?
. Or if in a grumpy mood I'll say why are you disturbing my peace to tell me lies, I haven't even been in a car lately as I don't drive. Maybe I'm being a bit cheeky as they too are only doing a job but they rile me with their downright lies.

We live in a one way street and mostly only locals come up here anyway. My daughter goes one better because she lives at the top of a very long steep driveway and it is hard to manoeuvre a car up there. I don’t think they have ever had a cold caller.

Recently installed ring door bell...disappointed I have not had the chance to tell someone to "bugger off" ( joking of course)

Sago

I think this was a scam, BT/EE are two different companies they do not cold call!

I’m with them both it’s not a scam they have joined together if you have BT you get a discount off EE

I’ve a sign saying no cold callers if they do knock on my door. I just point to the sign and say sorry not interested and I shut the door the longer you stand at the door the longer they will waffle on lol

We have a NO COLD CALLERS sign on the door which seems to be disregarded. Before covid we had a group of religious woman at the door. My husband pointed out the sign and their spokesperson said "that doesn't apply to religion". That's exactly who it apples to!

Door-to-door selling or touting for work is illegal in Denmark, so we only get people collecting for recognised charities and missionaries, usually Jehovah's Witnesses or Mormons.

Charities are easy to deal with - you either give them something, or state that you have already contributed (whether this is true or not).

The God Squad is more difficult, but we tell them the truth, that we are practising Catholics and they leave pretty smartly.

A friend states with equal truth that he is an observant Jew, and this works too.

So we only have to deal with phone salesmen and women, and one can always cut off the call if they cannot take no for an answer, and then block their number.

I lie, at Election time politicians ring door-bells too, but I get rid of them by saying, "I am 71 now, and have voted for the same party all my life, and am not changing my opinions now." Then I close the door.

At election time I display a polite notice saying “no Tory canvassers. Thanks 😀”