Strangers coming into the porch instead of waiting outside

[supertabby]

Slightly random one, but we've moved house recently and now have a little porch at the front (ie small room with front door to outside and another internal front door - think a porch in US is slightly different).

We don't always lock the outer door during the day (although it's shut) and we've had a few drliveries and repair guys etc with being in a new place, and everyone seems to ring the bell (on outside of the building) and then let themselves into the porch. I know it's unlocked but to me it still feels like they're coming into my house univited.

It's a totally trivial point really and I know the answer is lock the outer door all the time. I just think it's odd as I wouldn't let myself in to someone else's porch - unless I knew the person as family/friend and it was raining or something.

Anyone else get this?

 

[Yo_Yo]

I wouldn't do that personally-like you say it's entering without permission, and seems wrong.
I know like you say the answer is to lock it-but what are they doing trying the door handle in the first place?!

 

[MrsBandEgglet]

yeah that's a bit weird :/ my friend has a porch and I don't even let myself into hers. she keeps shoes and stuff in there so its part of the house. not the front garden.

 

[Feltzy]

That does sound odd, I wouldn't dream of doing that! Does the outer door have a letter box? Only thing I can think is if the letter box is on the inner door and not the outer one, but I'm still not sure I'd enter even in that case if it was me. If I was you I'd either keep it locked or put up a sign.

 

[supertabby]

Yes the letterbox is on the outer door, and the doorbell and house number etc are on the outside of the building.

 

[Feltzy]

I wonder if the old owners had asked people to knock on the inner door so they could hear them or something? Sounds very strange that people just let themselves in, I wouldn't be happy with that at all!

 

[mummyof3babas]

i have a porch and wouldnt live that at all! there entering ur property without permision! id go mad

 

[Mummy May]

That's normal where I live, we would knock on inside door rather than porch door. I'm also a postie and a lot of people get mail and parcels in their porch and leave them open for that purpose xx

ETA - I just re read and it is weird that they would ring outside bell and then come in!!

 

[Lau88]

I dislike people doing this and see it as an extension of the house, only person other than friends and family that I don't mind doing it is the post lady. Even then majority of the time she doesn't go in and if I haven't heard her or can't get to the door in time she just pops it in the porch, strangers going in it is a big no.

 

[lhancock90]

I wouldn't like it at all!

 

[4 boys]

We have a porch and keep main door locked but recently I've had to lock porch because people kept coming in knocking for charity money and some guy came in and stole my husbands trainers

Best keep it locked let them knock hard or use door bell and if need be put a note up saying it ...

 

[sequeena]

I don't have a porch but I wouldn't like it if I did!

 

[tallybee]

I would just keep it locked hun x

 

[teal]

I would never let myself into someone's porch!

 

[wifey29]

I hate this, it's so rude. We've had delivery drivers ignore our doorbell, open the door and hammer on the internal door. They get an earful of me every time! It's especially annoying when DS is napping as it just wakes him up.

 

[tink23]

I wouldn't like it either hun, I also keep stuff in my porch (shoes, buggy etc) and wouldn't like it if strangers just walked in. My postman opens the outer door to leave parcels and large letters in the porch but that's fine by me, he never walks in and always rings the bell on the outside.I'd put up a sign if i were u xx

 

[holly2234]

Im not too bothered really, but its definitely a cultural thing! If it happened to my house in England id have probably thrown them into next week for touching my door but here its just normal. My mail lady lets herself into my car to put packages in there rather than knock on my door. I dont have a porch at this house but the one i had before did and it was one of those American style open ones and i used to keep the stroller and my shoes outside all the time! Nobody touched them so there wasnt anything to worry about.