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uk Personal safety & immediate danger someone outside my house • person outside refusing to leave • unwanted visitor at my door • stranger outside home • someone knocking repeatedly • doorbell ringing nonstop • someone banging on the door • person trying to get inside • feels unsafe at home alone • alone in the house at night • suspicious person outside property • doorstep confrontation fear • someone won’t leave the doorstep • possible break in attempt • harassment outside my home • can’t safely open the door • need urgent help at home • worried they will force entry • person loitering outside home • threatened while inside home

What to do if…
someone is outside your home refusing to leave and you are inside alone

Short answer

Stay inside with doors/windows locked and call 999 if you feel in danger, threatened, or think they may try to enter or damage property. Keep the door closed and avoid face-to-face contact.

Do not do these things

  • Do not open the door “just to talk”, even on a chain.
  • Do not step outside to try to move them on.
  • Do not argue or negotiate through an open door/window.
  • Do not threaten them or tell them what you have inside the home.
  • Do not assume you’re “wasting police time” if you feel unsafe.
  • Do not get pulled into recording from close range—staying behind a locked barrier matters more.

What to do now

  1. Make a safer pause inside. Lock the front/back doors, close and lock accessible windows, and move away from the door (but keep a way to observe via peephole/doorbell camera/window without being seen).
  2. If it feels urgent, call 999 now. Call 999 if it feels like the situation could get heated or violent soon, you feel threatened, they’re trying doors/handles, or you think property may be damaged.
  3. If you can’t safely speak, still call 999 and stay on the line. Follow the operator’s prompts. If you hear an automated message asking you to press 55 to be put through to police, do that. If you don’t follow the prompts, the call may be ended.
  4. Start with your address/postcode if you can. Your phone network may provide some location information, but don’t rely on it—say your exact address as early as you safely can. Tell them you are inside alone, where the person is, and what they’re doing.
  5. Keep the barrier: the closed, locked door. If you choose to communicate, do it briefly through a closed door or intercom: “You need to leave. I’m not opening the door. Police have been called.” Then stop responding.
  6. Increase deterrence without confrontation. Turn on outside lights (or lights that illuminate the entrance). If you have an alarm/doorbell camera, ensure it’s recording.
  7. Bring essentials to a safer room. Take your phone, charger/power bank if nearby, keys, and any necessary medication. Choose a room that locks from the inside and ideally has a second exit. Stay quiet and out of sight if that feels safer.
  8. Get another person “present” without opening the door. Call a trusted neighbour/friend/family member and keep them on the line. If you can, ask a neighbour to look out from their window and/or call 999 too—do not ask them to confront the person.
  9. If the person tries to force entry, treat it as an immediate emergency. Go to your safer room, lock the door, put solid furniture between you and the entry, and stay connected to 999. Follow the call handler’s instructions.

What can wait

  • You do not need to decide right now whether to make a formal statement—focus on safety first.
  • You do not need to identify the person with certainty before calling—describe what you can.
  • If the person leaves and it’s no longer urgent, you can report what happened later via 101 or online.
  • You can sort out longer-term security changes (locks/cameras/lights) after the situation is stable.

Important reassurance

Feeling frozen, shaky, or unsure what “counts” is a normal stress response. Staying behind a locked barrier and asking for help when you feel unsafe is a sensible, protective choice.

Scope note

This is first-steps-only guidance for the next minutes to hour. After it’s over, you may want follow-up support depending on what happened.

Important note

This guide is general information, not legal advice. If at any point you think you are in immediate danger, prioritise emergency help.

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