Door to door salespeople, especially gas/elec.

It annoys me, but mainly because when we lived in a rented flat they were constantly hassling us.

It was a condition of our rent that we didn't change any of the suppliers, but the gas and electric salespeople wouldn't accept this. One even told us that we should change it anyway as he was sure the rental company weren't allowed to do that to us, and we should 'show them'. Yeah, right, like we'd risk paying all sorts of penalties and possibly being evicted for breaking the terms of our rent in a moment of childish rebellion...

It annoys me greatly, and I'll politely say no thankyou. some of them are persistant buggers though, the same man came 3 times in 3 weeks last year ?

I have 2 sod off signs outside the house, they don't work but it does give me great pleasure when I ask if they can read an watch them shamefacedly walk down the path again ?.

I just don't open the door! I have a look through the peephole and unless it's a friend/neighbour, then the door stays shut I'm afraid. I've had too many run-ins with people selling stuff and have got waaaay too fecked off so now I just don't bother. If I want something, I'll go out and find it - I never have and never will do business on my doorstep.

(Not after the fresh fish debacle for those Hitchers with long memories....) ?

It really annoys me. Generally only salespeople use our front door so we try and ignore them. If we inadvertantly do open the door then I tell them I'm just putting my daughter to bed or something. No matter how good the offer is I'm not about to discuss it at the door and i'm not letting a stranger in the house. I'll look on their website. My H once made the mistake of giving his name to the man from Virgin Energy or some such company, next thing we know they've signed us up for their gas/electric and cancelled our supplier, I was not amused, I couldn't believe they could do that without a signature but apparently they can.

I just tell them I don't buy from any door to door sellers on principle. Has never provoked any argument. I would prefer a wholesale ban on door to door selling as for many people it can be intimidating.

After enduring many slightly intimidating sales pitches, I now simply don't answer the door if I don't recognise the caller.

Hmmm, I can't not open the door as its a solid door and the window faces the front of the house and its a side entrance so can't see whos at the door unless I get CCTV ?

But still, I think a sign or two probably won't do any harm! Will hunt for one, that'll be my exciting challenge for the day.

So glad its not just me though.

WHS. Same with people cold-calling on the phone.

You're not alone! Loads of people hate it, with or without extra communication hassles. I won't answer the door to them. No matter how reputable they look and sound... why on earth would you HAVE to sign up there and then? To make sure you do, and to get them there commission - that's why! At the end of the day, whatever firm they representing wants customers - and I'm sure if you / your H called them direct you'd get the same deal. But (understandably) the door to door guy needs the commission to be his. I firmly believe though that NO offer on the doorstep is too good to walk away from - so please don't feel you're missing out! It's just part of their pressure sales tactics.

That's really reassuring MG, thank you for that, just what I needed to hear. I know you're right, so I'll remember that.

We luckily don't have the same problem with cold calling as we don't have a landline!

Wondering if I can find a firm but polite yet amusing sign to send them away...my H can easily say "Thanks but no thanks" as per BGB and SophM but I'd rather not have to deal with them at all

(asbeforeIgetawordintheystarttalkingreallyreallyreallyfastandIhavetosayparden?whichthenofcoursemeansthey'vegotme)

Drives me nuts. I answered the door the other day and realised it was a gas/electric person and started saying that he wasn't trying to sell me something! I repeat over and over that I am not changing suppliers/buying something on the doorstep, that I will look for the information when I want to. One of them replied that not all deals were on best buy websites. They take the hint eventually - although one muttered that he was only trying to do his job!