Is it normal for your family members to just walk into your house without knocking?

28 comments

1. Yea it’s the norm for my family and my wife’s family

2. Depends on your relationship, but if the door is locked, I’d at least knock then enter rather than just walk in.

   Edit: Also make a big deal of keys jangling and calling hello as you open the door! But again depends on your relationship and wether you’ve been invited to do so

3. Not really, but my front door is always locked and nobody else has a key, so that’d be a pretty neat trick. If my door was opened or if they had a key? Sure

4. I personally find it utterly mental that any families do this with either rooms (with adults living in them) or each others houses. You’re entitled to privacy and your own space, families don’t override that entitlement for me. But I know it’s common for a lot of families to do it.

5. No because I keep my doors locked.

6. Yes and it annoys me. I do keep mine locked always now.

7. Normal for sum.

8. [deleted]

9. I have keys for my parents’ house but I still knock.

10. Norm for my wife’s family. My family would call before they come round and then knock.

    Once my mother in law came round and complained that the door was locked. When I said I do that to keep burglars out she literally asked me ‘are you expecting any burglars?’ In a really smarmy way.

    When I then explained that one of the key things about burglars is they don’t make appointments in advance she grumbled off into the house.

11. It’s different for different families. I’m 100% against it. I get on with them very well but none of us would ever consider just turning up.

12. If anyone thought they could just walk in my house without me letting them in, I’d lose my temper with them rather quickly

13. That wouldn’t be normal at all. Firstly they don’t have access, they don’t have keys. Secondly, they would always call first and wouldn’t come by without our permission.

14. No. My inlaws got in to this habit and i called them out on it one day. “Is the doorbell broken” said in a sarcastic tone.
    “We knocked”
    “No you didn’t, you just walked in and started shouting hello”

    They’ve used the doorbell ever since. They ring and wait for the door to be answered now.
    My home is my personal space and I should be able to walk around in nothing but a pair of my wife’s knickers without the fear of my mother in law walking in.

15. Normal for me grew up without ever locking a front door so everyone was always welcome to come in
    Wifey thinks it’s strange and is always locking the door.

16. My uncle used to tell me off for knocking before coming in his house…”what are you knocking for?! Just come in!”

17. If they drove an hour to get here (the nearest one) then I would expect some notice.

    Outside of that – no they don’t have keys and have none for their houses.

18. Our door is usually locked so that means unexpected visitors have to knock, if we’re expecting company we’ll usually leave it unlocked and they would walk in. I usually knock as an indication I’m there, then walk in.

19. If I’m expecting them, yeah just walk in.

    They also know not to show up unexpected haha

20. It is normal here in Yorkshire. I would find it odd if a family member knocked. They just come around to the back door and walk in. What’s wrong with that? We are family after all.

21. My ex’s family and friends did and I honestly hated it.

22. Nobody in my family has the keys to my house, and I would be very upset if someone just showed up without prior call or text. Not the norm in my family.

23. Only if they’re expecting me, I don’t live near enough any family to come randomly

24. I have a key but only use it in an emergency or if we’ve arranged to go over. Otherwise it’s knock and wait. We all have a right to privacy after all. It’s important to respect people’s boundaries.

25. I used to round my Nan’s and Grandad’s when they were alive and will probably do the same round my parents, it helps they both leave the door unlocked during the day. Also there was a point with my best friend when we we’re teenagers when I used to be able to just enter through the back door and announce my presence which was enough for his mum.

26. Haha hell no. We respect each others private houses.
    I’m pretty close to my mum & dad but would never just rock up and let myself into their house, nor would they do it to me.

    If they know I’m coming (pre-arranged) they un-lock the door for me to let myself in and vice versa but we’d never do it unannounced.

    That’s just basic respect isn’t it? Not to let yourself into someone else’s house, no matter who’s it is.

27. Absolutely not. Families that do this are mad.

    What if you’re bumping uglies 🤣

28. Not normal. How can you have any privacy if people randomly walk into your home without knocking?