How to Stop Neighbors From Knocking on Your Door
It’s annoying enough when you have a neighbor constantly knocking on your door during the day, but having neighbors do this early in the morning or late at night is just unacceptable. If you’re dealing with this issue on a regular basis, you need to figure out how to stop neighbors from knocking on your door asap!
The simplest way to stop your neighbors from knocking on your door is to answer the door and firmly tell them that you would rather have them call or text you prior to coming over. There is also the option of never answering the door until the person leaves.
Your response to a neighbor’s knock on your door will usually depend on your overall personality and your relationship with your neighbor. In this article, we will discuss what is considered acceptable knocking and share some tips on how to avoid neighbors who like to disturb your peace and privacy.
Is Knocking on Someone’s Door Harassment?
It’s inevitable to have your neighbor knock on your door, especially if you live very close to each other. There could be a variety of reasons why your neighbor does this. They might be in need of help with something and they think you’re the most accessible person.
It could also be that the neighbor is looking for someone to talk to, or perhaps has something to offer or give you as a friendly gesture.Whatever the reason may be, it’s no fun to be interrupted, especially if you’re in the middle of something, enjoying your privacy or if you’re generally an introvert.
Knocking on the door in general is not considered a crime. However, it can escalate to one pretty quickly. For instance, repeated door knocking could happen, and that’s when boundaries are being broken. That being said, you should be able to notice if your neighbor’s door knocking harassment is done more frequently or in an intentional manner.
Another thing to note is if you already made it known that you don’t want to entertain any visitors, yet the person refuses to leave, then that person is already committing trespass.
Do You Have to Answer the Door if Someone Knocks?
Many people feel that they are obliged to answer a knock on the door. But what you need to remember is that it is okay if you ignore those knocks. However, this will still depend on the overall situation and you can approach this in various ways.
You should be able to determine whether you must answer the knock or not. There will be times when you need to, as in the case if a family or someone you know who’s close to you wants to visit you. On the other hand, if you’re not expecting any visits on that day, understand that you are not obliged to answer.
Meanwhile, there’s also an option to respond, as some homeowners would do, as they believe making your presence known can prevent burglary intentions. You can respond by asking who’s knocking but you don’t have to open the door for them. If it’s your neighbor, you can always let them know you don’t want to talk to someone by telling them through the door.
Whether you want to answer out loud or just keep quiet until the person goes away depends on what you feel like doing that day. The more important thing to keep in mind is that you don’t have to open the door.
Can I Call the Cops if Someone Keeps Knocking on My Door?
As mentioned above, you may choose to ignore until the person leaves on their own. But what if the person just keeps knocking and doesn’t seem to get tired of doing it? What can you do then? Should you call the police?
The answer is yes, you can call the police, especially if you’ve already told the person on the other side of the door to leave you alone. It doesn’t even matter whether this person is someone you know so well or just a neighbor. You can even call the cops on a family member who refuses to leave your door.
For instance, if you have a family member who insists you let them in for some serious talk, you have the right to refuse entry since you are the owner or tenant. If the family member doesn’t like to deal with the rejection and instead, swears to continue banging on the door until you let them in, you should be calling the police.
You might also enjoy our post on What to Do If a Neighbor Tried to Open Your Door
How to Stop Someone Knocking on Your Door
Getting a knock on the door is pretty normal but don’t let your guard down, especially if you’re not expecting someone to visit you. It can also be pretty annoying to have neighbors or solicitors knock on your door and disturb you, so here are some tips on how to deal with them:
- If you know which neighbor’s knocking on the door, talk to them and let them know you would appreciate it if they send you a text or call you before dropping by.
- You may also send a handwritten note letting them know of your wishes.
- If someone knocking on an apartment door is a solicitor, you may put up a sign that says, “No Soliciting” like this one!
Dealing with unexpected knocks can be annoying. If a neighbor keeps knocking on my door, I would probably just go up to the person and firmly say I don’t like to be disturbed. It’s all about setting boundaries and if the person can’t respect that, you can get the police involved.
What to Do if Someone Knocks on Your Door in the Middle of the Night
Frequent knocks may not be the worst kind of unexpected knocks you will get. The worst will probably be having your sleep disturbed very late at night. So should you open it? The answer may not be all that simple.
The truth is, a lot of people are unsure about what to do when they get an unexpected knock in the middle of the night. This tends to happen a lot to kind and trusting people who live to help others in need. I understand if some people feel the need to be a good samaritan and offer help, but if a person is knocking on the door in the middle of the night, that would be a red flag.
Personally, a neighbor knocking on my door at night or worse, a neighbor knocking on my door at 3 am doesn’t deserve my attention at all. The smart thing to do is to never open a door at midnight or the early hours of dawn.
It might be a knock from an elderly woman needing help and you may be tempted to readily offer your assistance, but don’t let your guard down just yet. You can ask loudly through the door what the person wants. If they seriously need help, let them know that you are calling the police for them.
In these situations, people with bad intentions can easily pretend to be someone they’re not. It may be a stranger with an intent to do crime by pretending to be a neighbor in need. It’s a common tactic for criminals just to gain entry into someone’s home.
You may have probably not considered this scenario but think about it: the knock could come from someone convincing enough to be a helpless woman, for example. But what you may not realize is that someone else out of view might be waiting for the door to open before striking.
People can easily take advantage of someone’s good intentions to help those in need. Don’t let that happen to you and be on the safe side. When someone knocks on your door in the middle of the night, be alert and be mindful. Don’t open the door, especially if you don’t know who it is.
Is It Rude to Knock on Someone’s Door?
So, with all the discussion regarding knocks – expected or otherwise – is it considered rude to knock on someone’s door? Should you avoid knocking altogether? The answer is no. On the contrary, knocking is showing respect rather than just barging into someone’s home or opening the door without being invited.
But for the knock to be considered respectful, the person should wait for a response from the homeowners. If you’ve been knocking for 30 seconds (or less) and you didn’t get any answer, the homeowner may not be around, may be too preoccupied to notice your presence, or just don’t want to engage with anyone.
Conclusion: How to Stop Neighbors From Knocking on Your Door
Dealing with a neighbor who likes to knock on your door is just like dealing with any neighbor-related issues. The first step is to always talk with the neighbor and let them know that their frequent knocking disturbs you. Be honest about how you feel, but at the same time, be polite about it.
If you feel that the knocking is intentional and is seriously bothering you, despite telling them off or informing them beforehand about not receiving visitors, that can be considered trespassing. In such cases, you can have the police involved.
