Can a meter reader insist on entering a property when only minors are home?

Bennifred

Mandalea98, I know you have said that you acknowledge your son "made a mistake", but you haven't said which bit you think he did wrong - answering the door? Saying no adults were at home? Allowing the man into the house?

I think it's really important that you tell ALL of your children not to answer the door to ANYONE when there isn't an adult at home. That way there will be no need for them to reveal the absence of an adult, and there will be no risk of anyone unwelcome entering the house, by force or otherwise.

In addition, if anyone should phone asking for you, the children should be taught to say that you are "busy and can't come to the phone" and take a message, rather than saying you are not there.

mandalea98

I think the problem with your point is it's not relevant to the original post. We all need to make difficult decisions in our professional life. I don't believe there will ever be a meter reading emergency and if the boys are home alone and any professional requires access in a hurry they should be happy to speak to parents on the phone. If it is that urgent then a police presence may be necessary from a safeguarding children perspective. Obviously some people in this thread question my parenting decision making - that is their right but it seems strange they would want to make such a judgement on one event.

To be fair, due to this incident my children are now more safe. We have all learned a lesson from this. It still doesn't change the fact that the meter reader was wrong.

Ich_2

Mandalea98, I made it clear in my first post talking about power outages that it was a thread drift, and subsequently that it was aimed at those (not including yourself) that doubted the right of access!

mandalea98

Bennifred wrote: »

Mandalea98, I know you have said that you acknowledge your son "made a mistake", but you haven't said which bit you think he did wrong - answering the door? Saying no adults were at home? Allowing the man into the house?

I think it's really important that you tell ALL of your children not to answer the door to ANYONE when there isn't an adult at home. That way there will be no need for them to reveal the absence of an adult, and there will be no risk of anyone unwelcome entering the house, by force or otherwise.

In addition, if anyone should phone asking for you, the children should be taught to say that you are "busy and can't come to the phone" and take a message, rather than saying you are not there.

I think he was wrong to let him in. I think I was wrong for not making this more clear to him. I mostly think the meter reader abused his position as an adult, as a chap in uniform with a badge and that he shouldn't even have considered entering the house.

zoominatorone

Mandalea98 wrote: »

I think the problem with your point is it's not relevant to the original post. We all need to make difficult decisions in our professional life. I don't believe there will ever be a meter reading emergency and if the boys are home alone and any professional requires access in a hurry they should be happy to speak to parents on the phone. If it is that urgent then a police presence may be necessary from a safeguarding children perspective. Obviously some people in this thread question my parenting decision making - that is their right but it seems strange they would want to make such a judgement on one event.

To be fair, due to this incident my children are now more safe. We have all learned a lesson from this. It still doesn't change the fact that the meter reader was wrong.

Nor does it change the fact your teenager let a stranger into the house because he insisted. I wouldn't leave him alone with younger siblings again. He shouldn't have answered the door, period.

zoominatorone

Mandalea98 wrote: »

I think he was wrong to let him in. I think I was wrong for not making this more clear to him. I mostly think the meter reader abused his position as an adult, as a chap in uniform with a badge and that he shouldn't even have considered entering the house.

I think you are putting the onus all on the meter reader because he's an adult.

However, it's YOU leaving your kids to be babysat by a teenager! Tell him NEVER to open the door.

mandalea98

zoominatorone wrote: »

Nor does it change the fact your teenager let a stranger into the house because he insisted. I wouldn't leave him alone with younger siblings again. He shouldn't have answered the door, period.

You, like Spacey2012, are obviously one of those lucky people who have never made a mistake. I hope you continue to be so fortuitous

Ich_2

Tell him NEVER to open the door.

I would say tell him to ring you, drifting again, but what if it's a Police officer, A Fire Fighter, a gas board employee needing to evacuate the area because of a major gas leak (though there might be a police presence), all of these are adults!

There can be no hard and fast rules that cover every eventuality!

zoominatorone

Mandalea98 wrote: »

You, like Spacey2012, are obviously one of those lucky people who have never made a mistake. I hope you continue to be so fortuitous

No point trying to shift the blame, it's your son who needs the guidance, not me

t0rt0ise

Mandalea98 wrote: »

I think he was wrong to let him in. I think I was wrong for not making this more clear to him. I mostly think the meter reader abused his position as an adult, as a chap in uniform with a badge and that he shouldn't even have considered entering the house.

No, he was wrong to answer the door. If it had been an axe murderer, having a child say "my parents aren't at home, you can't come in" wouldn't really have done it.