Chuggers on your doorstep

Sunny Dayz

Now I could be completely mistaken.... but I thought people collecting money, in particular those to sign up for direct debits for charity were no longer allowed to call around to people's houses.

I had one call to the house this afternoon from a well known (and IMO well deserving) Irish charity but I was on the phone at the time so couldn't deal with him. I was a bit surprised to be honest.

Chattastrophe!

Sunny Dayz wrote: »

Now I could be completely mistaken.... but I thought people collecting money, in particular those to sign up for direct debits for charity were no longer allowed to call around to people's houses.

I had one call to the house this afternoon from a well known (and IMO well deserving) Irish charity but I was on the phone at the time so couldn't deal with him. I was a bit surprised to be honest.

I'd the same today, I didn't answer, but she rang twice. And woke the sleeping baby twice. :mad:

I'm also surprised if this is legal.

uck51js9zml2yt

I never give anything or sign up to anything on the door step.

If I want to do so it's generally possible to do it online.

rubadub

Chattastrophe! wrote: »

I'd the same today, I didn't answer, but she rang twice. And woke the sleeping baby twice. :mad:

I'm also surprised if this is legal.

Pretty sure cold calling is still legal, maybe the direct debit thing is new. I have no doorbell, there was none when I moved in almost 10 years ago. There is no real need in this day & age, we do not miss it and if I moved house I would remove it if there was one. Nobody has come up with a good enough reason that would make me want one, i.e. any benefit is outweighed by the negatives.

You can get doorbells that can be turned off, or a simple switch could be added to the current one.

I think cold calling & posting unaddressed mail should be illegal as its a perfect alibi for burglars checking out property.

Sunny Dayz

He was back around again this evening! I heard him out. He was trying to get me set up for direct debit cos he said we are not allowed collect cash at the doors anymore!! I'd rather give him a fiver than give him my bank details!

coylemj

Sunny Dayz wrote: »

He was back around again this evening! I heard him out. He was trying to get me set up for direct debit cos he said we are not allowed collect cash at the doors anymore!! I'd rather give him a fiver than give him my bank details!

He was correct there. The model they use (get you to sign a standing order) doesn't involve collecting money on the doorstep or on the street which would require a permit from the Gardai under the Street and House to House Collections Act 1962 so they can bang on doors or ambush you on the main street all they like and there's no formal background check on the individuals or the 'charity' involved.

With the brighter evenings since April they've been out in force in the suburbs, I just refuse with no ceremony - 'I don't do that sort of stuff on the doorstep' is my stock reply.

What I really mean is that by giving you guys money or signing a standing order I'm just encouraging more of you to call tomorrow so PFO.

JoeySully

I don't even answer the door any more and recently the bell has stopped working !! , If someone I know is visiting they text/call before hand so not missing out on anything really by ignoring them.

rubadub

JoeySully wrote: »

If someone I know is visiting they text/call before hand so not missing out on anything really by ignoring them.

exactly.

I have heard no reason to make me think of getting one. People will say "well what if your house is on fire and a neighbour is calling", well if my neighbours house was on fire and there was no doorbell I would hammer the hell out of the door and windows.

This is why I think no doorbell is actually better than a non-working one.

mikeym

I get these kind of people calling to my door on average once every 3 weeks.

They annoy the S*ite outta me :mad:

coylemj

Do the Sky and Airtricity people migrate north with the Greenland geese for the summer? I seem to recall that they only call on bitterly cold winter nights wrapped up in their dark fleeces expecting me to listen to their sales pitch on the doorstep.

No Pants

I take it that if you asked them to stop and the company/charity concerned persisted in calling, you could report the harassment to the Gardai?

knarkypants

We used to get 2 - 4 cold callers a week so I got one of these and stuck it to my door. Problem solved!

TheDriver

I used to feel pity that I had to listen but now I simply say "sorry, changing baby" or something like that and close the door.

smemon

Had several around over the past few weeks.. why anyone would give out bank details on the doorstep is beyond me...

I'm of the view that anyone simply asking for money doesn't deserve it. Charity or no charity. It doesn't matter. Do something creative or sell me something interesting and I might buy at an inflated price if it's mildly useful... i.e. sell me a bag of little sweets decorated by kids for €5 or something. But I won't give money to a stranger who asks for it and has nothing to offer me in return beyond a well-crafted sales pitch selling a sob story.

coylemj

Back in the 1980s there was a series of Lada (crappy eastern European car) jokes and one of them went: 'what's the difference between a Jehovah's Witness and a Lada?', the answer was 'you can close the door on a Jehovah's Witness!'

That was when the only nuisance on the doorstep was people peddling religion, now it's open season on all fronts, no wonder some of us don't bother answering the door any more.

Keano

I give a once off donation to a charity and will consider yours is my stock reply.

L1011

Keano A Legend wrote: »

I give a once off donation to a charity and will consider yours is my stock reply.

They're on commission - unless you actually close the door then, that's not going to stop them trying to hawk.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Why do people feel they have to make excuses or lie to callers at the door? Just say "no thank you, I'm not interested" and close the door. It works for me every time.

P. Breathnach

Damian Gray Sweet-talk wrote: »

Why do people feel they have to make excuses or lie to callers at the door? Just say "no thank you, I'm not interested" and close the door. It works for me every time.

The caller is some poor sod attempting to earn a living, not an agent of the forces of evil. And the work is made more difficult by people who are rude. I go a step forther than Damian Gray Sweet-talk: "Thank you for calling, but I'm not interested." The courtesy costs me nothing, and might do just a little to make his day less awful.

I don't begrudge them the few seconds it takes to open the door, identify what their business is, and close the discussion courteously. For me, it's a better lifestyle option than being afraid or unwilling to respond to a knock on the door.

No Pants

Damian Gray Sweet-talk wrote: »

Why do people feel they have to make excuses or lie to callers at the door? Just say "no thank you, I'm not interested" and close the door. It works for me every time.

I've even got the missus trained on how to do it; she handled a call from Oxfam yesterday evening while I was out on the bike.

MadDog76

Had one yesterday myself, I told him "I was too busy to listen to his speech before saying no" to which he replied "will I call back later so?" Wtf!?!

No Pants

I had one a couple of weeks ago. I was off work as I had an assignment to finish for college. I also had a serious backache, so I couldn't walk upright. Anyway, during the day while the missus is out at work, the doorbell rings. I ignore it and it rings again. I swear to myself, drag myself out of the chair and start hobbling to the door. This takes a moment and the doorbell rings a third time. I reach the door, pull myself upright and open it. Your man starts into a few lines about how warm it is and if I have sunscreen on (?), then sees the look on my face, says sorry and goodbye, then leaves.

fat to ripped

They aren't interested in one of donations, or even donations, as those particular people are representing a business, much as they'd like you to think they're there for a charity. The starving children are only the commodity.

Pinch Flat

|Not quite on my door step, but heads up about Oxfam, change in chugging tactics in Dublin. I stupidly fell for it.

"Hi Sir, you want to sign a petition about a (particular issue) in (a certain country)."

So I sign a petition on this fellas Ipad, he needs my phone number and email address - I query why they need this info. I know, I know.

Get a call from Oxfam a few days later - "call is being monitored for quality and training purposes" - hard sell on the phone, asking me to sign up to a monthly direct debit.

rubadub

Did it appear to be a genuine Oxfam tactic? i.e. it could be a rogue chugger who gets money for contacts and came up with this scam himself.

SteoL

It's definitely Oxfam. Happened to myself back in March or April. Exact same tactic, sign this petition to stop Tax avoidance and next day call looking for cash.

Pinch Flat

rubadub wrote: »

Did it appear to be a genuine Oxfam tactic? i.e. it could be a rogue chugger who gets money for contacts and came up with this scam himself.

I'm so annoyed because I usually give chuggers a wide berth.

The guys had oxfam branded t-shirts on and (from memory) ID cards around their necks on lanyards. Next time they'll be getting a more curt reply.

endofrainbow

I always ask to see their license - they show me their ID to which I reply , that's ID not a license and puff they're gone like a bat out of hell....