uk Personal safety & immediate danger

What to do if…
an unexpected person at your door or building entrance will not clearly identify themselves

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: 22 July 2026 Last reviewed: 12 August 2026 Editorial policy UK guide

Short answer

Keep the door or entrance locked and do not let the person in. Speak through the closed door or entry system, and call 999 if they are trying to force entry, threatening anyone or putting someone in immediate danger.

Do not do these things

Do not open the door simply to see them more clearly or continue the conversation.
Do not buzz them into a shared building because they claim to know a resident.
Do not rely only on a uniform, badge, vehicle or identification card.
Do not use a telephone number supplied by the person to verify their identity.
Do not reveal that you are alone or share personal, financial or security information.
Do not go outside to confront, follow or photograph them at close range.
Do not approach them if they leave while you are contacting the police.

What to do now

Move behind a locked door or to another secure part of the building. Keep children, vulnerable people and pets away from the entrance.
Speak only through the closed door, intercom, video doorbell or a secure window. Ask for their name, organisation, reason for attending and who they intend to visit.
Tell them you will not provide access until their identity and reason for attending have been independently confirmed. End the conversation if you feel unsafe.
If they claim to represent a company, landlord, utility provider, council, police force or another organisation, find the organisation’s official contact details yourself and ask whether the visit is genuine. Keep the entrance locked while checking.
In a shared building, contact the concierge, caretaker, managing agent, landlord or resident they claim to be visiting through contact details you already trust. Do not disclose another resident’s flat number, routine or contact information.
Call 999 and ask for the police if the person is trying to force entry, using or threatening violence, attempting door handles, damaging property, putting someone in immediate danger or committing a crime that is in progress.
If there is no immediate danger but you want to report suspicious behaviour or a non-emergency incident, call 101 or use the appropriate police online reporting service.
From a safe position, note the time, location, appearance, words used, direction of travel and any vehicle details you can see without approaching. Save relevant doorbell or building CCTV footage if it is already available.

What can wait

You do not need to decide whether the person was confused, dishonest or dangerous. You also do not need to investigate them, warn everyone nearby, make a formal complaint, review building security or arrange repairs until the entrance is secure and the immediate situation has ended.

Important reassurance

Keeping a locked door closed is a reasonable safety step. A genuine visitor can usually wait while their identity is checked, contact the person they came to see or arrange another visit.

Scope note

This guide covers immediate first steps only. Repeated visits, stalking concerns, suspected fraud, tenancy issues, damaged locks or continuing building-security problems may require help from the police, your landlord, managing agent or another appropriate specialist.

Important note

This is general safety information, not legal or professional security advice. Use your judgement about immediate danger and follow instructions from the emergency services.

Additional Resources

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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