Door Sellers

[Guest]

Unsure if this is in the right place so apologies if that's the case.

 

Periodically I get guys at the door from the probation service selling dusters etc, despite my note on door saying no buying/selling etc the ring the bell anyway. I am always polite but never buy.

 

Yesterday a guy rang the bell, he had a similar large bag with him, which didn't look like it had much in it. My dog is a home guarder and was still barking when I opened the door. The guy was quick to say he wasn't a thug, he tried to look through to see the dog, he said don't set him on me. He said he was ex forces, ex military, not selling dusters but selling military items, he thrust a card with writing on it but unfortunately without my reading glasses I couldn't read it anyway. It didn't look very formal and he had no photo ID visible or offered. I was polite and said I don't buy at the door, and sadly have no money anyway. He said he would be in the area every 3 months and would call again, I remained polite and nodded and shut the door. If this is genuine then all well and good but I have never heard of the military doing this? first time ever I have had this at my door. What do they sell?

[Brownguy53]

probably lieing...out of interest what was he tryna sell? You did the right thing my friend.

[Guest]

Well that's the thing...he just said "I don't sell dusters and that stuff, its military"...what that meant I have no idea.

 

My dog is a little cocker spaniel and so cute, but hell has she got a bark on her when the door bell rings or anyone knocks. She was enough to make him stand back, although try to peer in to see.

 

If it was a genuine ex forces scheme I would go all out to try and buy at least something to support, as I have respect for the men and women who are in/have been in the forces. Just never heard of this before.

[Brownguy53]

Hahah good old dogs. Normally tbf dog's will not like someone and bark more if they're a bad person- a old opinion but something i believe.

TBF I've never heard of ex-military doing door knocking so i doubt very much it was a [problem]..but probably was something more to do with he's raising money for the military rather than he was ex-military.

[Guest]

my dog is gobby by nature, its a cocker trait and she definitely doesn't let the side down on that one ....think I will just not answer the door in future. I always know when family or friends are coming, and can see the postmen/delivery uniform through the nets on door. The milk tray guy will find another way pmsl

[citizenB]

If you are unsure of the seller, you could always telephone the non emergency number of your local police station.

 

I our area they have to have permission / licence to do door to door. You might find your area requires the same.

[Guest]

I didn't know of that citizenB I will bear that in mind. Thankyou.

[citizenB]

[BanditQueen]

Why can you not just open the door: state at once that you do not buy or sell and are not interested no matter who they are or just no thanks and close the door? It never ceases to amaze me how people get themselves sucked in to conversations at the front door or on the phone. If you have a notice, just say NO Thanks and point to the notice. If they continue to come, then ask them to put their credentials through the door, close it on them, make a note of who they are and details and phone their company and tell them in no uncertain terms that you have a NO CaLLLers notice and if one of their staff disregards it again you will call the police. Believe it or not but in some areas door to door selling is actually illegal as the residents have got together and have had the road declared a NO Sellers area. Notices are put up at the ends of the roads and these people can be removed if they come to your door. I would also get a spy hole: look through it and if there is someone you do not know: then tell them from your side of the door: NO THANKS AND WALK AWAY. You do not have to open the door to them and you do not have to listen while they babble on. You did the right thing in not falling for it and asking for ID, but why put up with them at all? If you have a notice, they should respect it and if not, teach them to respect it.

[assisted blonde]

All door to door sellers should be licenced, could be worth calling the local council to see if anyone is due to call in the area having said that they don't all go through the council and may have a hawkers licence which I believe is issued differently. Always worth asking the question though, as long as you don't buy and don't let them in though it isn't a normally a major problem its just someone trying to earn a living normally.

[citizenB]

A few years ago, a lot of the villagers were being abused by one group of Door Sellers. A van had dropped about 5 of them off. When people were saying they didn't want to buy anything the sellers became quite aggressive saying things like.. people who live in their own homes and have smart cars on the drives should have stacks of money and helping guys like them out !!

[Guest]

All comments taken in, and I will follow the advice given. Thankyou all of you that took the time to reply. I only once pointed to the note which says no buying/selling, I did it politely, and the guy was quite abrupt and said he couldn't read. That was the only time I felt a bit uneasy, he had manner about it him that was intimidating, that wasn't this possible military seller, it was one of the probation guys. Despite the note they always without fail ring the bell. If they genuinely cant read, or say that, then theres not much can be done. But I will be taking the advice from you all re the checking it out further and definitely a spy hole.

[ericsbrother]

Cant read? then he is not ex-military.

[Guest]

Hi ericsbrother, it wasn't the guy who claimed to be ex military who said he couldn't read, it was the previous caller on the probation scheme.

 

The more I think about this the more I feel the need to look into it. I have emailed the local neighbourhood police officer to ask about door sellers in the area. The one that was on the probation scheme who said he couldn't read, was intimidating, and I did feel uncomfortable and was glad to close the door, although remained polite throughout. This last one, so called ex military, has me wondering now as to how genuine he was. The bag he had looked like it couldn't have had much if anything in it, all he said was he didn't sell dusters etc it was military. I have found on my local council website a free sticker to put on door which looks more official than my note. Was thinking to change front door and have spy hole but that's too costly so will have to keep my half glass door with net, I can see enough through to know if its postman etc.

 

Both of these sellers were just two weeks apart.

[honeybee13]

Hi Ruby.

 

We had this too, and the one time I took pity on the 'ex-offender' I paid the same as any shop would charge, but for inferior goods.

 

Then my sister sent me a weblink to warnings about this type of stuff. The next time one of them turned up, I told him that I was sure it wasn't his fault but that what he was doing was illegal. I think our local police or somewhere else said they need a pedlar's licence, but don't quote me. Anyway, we haven't seen them since and our local police want a call if we see them locally.

 

I'll see if I can find something to post here because this sort of stuff really irritates me. These people are taking the mick.

 

HB

[honeybee13]

Not related to ex-military, but here's something from Cheshire Probation Service. Our ones claimed to be from the probation service, but they don't run schemes like this. Scroll down to the bit about hoax callers.

 

http://www.cheshireprobation.org.uk/

 

And this is one from Middlesbrough. I'm struggling to see why ex-military would be any different from alleged ex-offenders. Could be the same people of course.

 

http://www.middlesbrough.gov.uk/?articleid=5289

 

HB

[assisted blonde]

to sell door to door a pedlers certificate should be obtained from the local Police chief in the area that you live in. This entitles you to trade door to door anywhere except where the local authority has introduced bylaws regarding certain streets. a person needs to provide the Police with two forms of ID so that they can check you are of previous good character ( seems strange then that ex offenders seem to get them then) A pedlers certificate does not guarantee the quality of the goods sold

[Guest]

Thankyou Honeybee13 and assisted blonde. That certainly clarifies things for me.