How to Beat Doorstep Callers

Paul_Varjak

I am always trying to think of ways to beat those dreaded doorstep callers and junk mail deliverers. I think I now have the solution...

I have needed new gates for some time and will be ordering iron gates with a combination lock. Only the postman, friends and neighbours will be given the combination, which can be changed at any time.

The postman will have a special instruction at the depot telling him the combination of the lock. So, even if a relief postman is used, the special instruction will remind the deliverer of the combination. Postmen carry those special instructions with them when they are on their delivery rounds.

I had thought of using an intercom system but sales callers would, no doubt, press the intercom despite any instruction not to do so. Instead, I will have a dedicated 01 local number phone number (free from Flextel using 'credits') displayed on the gate should any genuine person require entry. That number will divert to my mobile phone over WiFi (entirely for free) so I can answer the call anywhere on my property (or at any WiFi hotspot) and go to the gate to open it, or provide the visitor with the combination so they can open the gate themselves.

So, I will get the benefit of mail being delivered through the letterbox by the postman but getting junk mail rejected. I doubt doorstep sales callers will bother calling a phone number but, if they do, my phone is set up to record ALL calls. Also, even if a caller withholds their number, I can still see their number and call them back to say I am not interested! Lastly, I can also block any nuisance callers quite easily on my Android phone!

I am looking forward to peace at last without having to adorn the house with pesky sales stickers which often did not work anyway!

spirit

What about the folks who come to read the gas and electric meters? What if you were to be taken ill and the ambulance needed to get to you quickly?

Dogger69

Most junk mail is delivered by Royal Mail.

shammyjack

" How to Beat Doorstep Callers " ?

A Baseball Bat comes in handy !

monty-doggy

Paul_Varjak wrote: »

I am always trying to think of ways to beat those dreaded doorstep callers and junk mail deliverers. I think I now have the solution...

I have needed new gates for some time and will be ordering iron gates with a combination lock. Only the postman, friends and neighbours will be given the combination, which can be changed at any time.

what about your family lol?

The postman will have a special instruction at the depot telling him the combination of the lock. So, even if a relief postman is used, the special instruction will remind the deliverer of the combination. Postmen carry those special instructions with them when they are on their delivery rounds.

never heard of this before, what if its DHL or another courier?

I had thought of using an intercom system but sales callers would, no doubt, press the intercom despite any instruction not to do so. Instead, I will have a dedicated 01 local number phone number (free from Flextel using 'credits') displayed on the gate should any genuine person require entry. That number will divert to my mobile phone over WiFi (entirely for free) so I can answer the call anywhere on my property (or at any WiFi hotspot) and go to the gate to open it, or provide the visitor with the combination so they can open the gate themselves.

what if they don't have a phone on them or a non compatible wifi? They need your key code for wifi or something?

So, I will get the benefit of mail being delivered through the letterbox by the postman but getting junk mail rejected. I doubt doorstep sales callers will bother calling a phone number but, if they do, my phone is set up to record ALL calls. Also, even if a caller withholds their number, I can still see their number and call them back to say I am not interested! Lastly, I can also block any nuisance callers quite easily on my Android phone!

you sound so paranoid lol recording calls! Isn't there a legal requirement to inform people they are being recorded, otherwise it may be entrapment?

I am looking forward to peace at last without having to adorn the house with pesky sales stickers which often did not work anyway!

Seen like I have over thought this just as much as you lol

Paul_Varjak

spirit wrote: »

What about the folks who come to read the gas and electric meters? What if you were to be taken ill and the ambulance needed to get to you quickly?

That argument could be applied to anyone with just a locked door and with their electric/gas meters inside!

Depending on the positioning of any gate, it may be possible to leave the meters outside the gate. It would certainly be possible in my case.

If, like me, you are on an on-line self-read tariff, the only requirement is for the energy company to read the meter every two years I believe.

With the roll-out of Smart electric and gas meters over the next few years, the utility companies will no longer need access to your property to read the meter; it will all be done remotely.

I am not sure if this still happens, as there is no longer door-to-door selling of gas/electricity, but competing energy companies used to send out bogus meter readers to check your meters. If you only give the genuine meter readers the combination number you keep out the bogus readers.

Water meters are usually located on public land of course and there is no competition in the supply of water anyway, so no bogus readers.

If I am ill inside the house and have called the ambulance myself, I can give them the combination to unlock the gate. If anyone in my household has called the ambulance service, they can let the ambulance crew in themselves. My immediate neighbour and relative living nearby will also have the master combination lock number etched onto my house key.

Paul_Varjak

Dogger69 wrote: »

Most junk mail is delivered by Royal Mail.

Only if you have not asked Royal mail to stop their delivery of unaddressed mail and if you have not registered with MPS and have failed to inform individual companies not to send mail via the post.

Most junk mail I get nowadays is from local businesses who still ignore the signs on my door

monty-doggy

How about writing to all the companies sending junk mail saying you will invoice them for your time reading and disposing next time they post crap.

I remember in the days of fax, getting junk faxes and it cost me a bomb so I sent reams and reams of crap back! Did the trick!

Paul_Varjak

monty-doggy:

It goes without saying that my family would know the combination!

If it is a carrier, other than Royal Mail, they can call the phone number on the gate or I can give them the combination as part of the delivery instructions if I ordered the goods.

They don't need WiFi to call the number, they just need a mobile phone. If they don't have a mobile phone I expect they can use their initiative and knock on the window. I don't think those doorstep sellers would resort to window-knocking.

How can it be entrapment to simply record a call? Anyway, there is no legal requirement to tell anyone calling you that the call is being recorded if the recording is entirely for personal use. Only if that recording is made available to a third party would it be necessary to advise the caller they are being recorded.

Paul_Varjak

monty-doggy wrote: »

How about writing to all the companies sending junk mail saying you will invoice them for your time reading and disposing next time they post crap.

The simplest and most effective way is just to contact the company and tell them you want no more mail. Threatening to invoice them is only likely to make them laugh and ignore your request, since it is not illegal to send junk mail.

If you were receiving unwanted phone calls, that is a different matter. Unwanted phone calls can constitute a breach of the Data Protection Act or even harassment.

By giving unwanted callers at your home, only one method of contact (ie phone) you could then have a claim in law if they continue to contact you when you have asked them not to.

monty-doggy wrote: »

I remember in the days of fax, getting junk faxes and it cost me a bomb so I sent reams and reams of crap back! Did the trick!

That, in itself, could be breach several laws but I guess it probably would work! As I can see the number of anyone calling me I could effectively do the same and call them back. That would give them a shock if they had withheld their number! I doubt they would call again!

miss_scrooge

Could get one of them spy holes in your door look through hole and if you don't know the caller then just don't open door that's what I do.Could even just look out your window if you can see the door from there and not answer if you don't recognise them.You must have 100s of cold callers to go to all that trouble to keep them out.