Dear Annie, No matter what I do, the lawyers won’t stop bothering us.

Dear Annie:

We recently moved into a new house, and in just three months we had a crowd of lawyers knocking or calling on our door. After the sixth one, I got so frustrated that I started using the Ring app on my phone to answer them remotely because I just didn’t want to deal with it anymore.

However, if I ignore them, they often come back later! It’s as if they don’t understand—or don’t care—that they’re not welcome here.

To try to solve the problem, we even went out and bought some “No Trespassing” and “No Calling” signs that are clearly visible from the street. And yet, despite these signs, they still have the audacity to walk right onto our property and ring the doorbell! I don’t understand – what’s wrong with these people? Can’t they respect our privacy and follow obvious signs?

This becomes more than just a nuisance; this is really worrying. There’s something about strangers knocking on your door uninvited that makes you feel unsafe in your own home. These lawyers are even worse than junk mail or email spammers because, unlike an unsolicited message in my inbox, they physically invade my personal space. I don’t think these people realize how intrusive and inappropriate their actions seem.

Please help spread the word that most of us don’t want strangers showing up on our doorstep uninvited. Having to constantly deal with this is not only annoying, but also worrying. — Sick from lawyers

Dear sick lawyers!

If you have already put up signs and asked the lawyers to stop, then at this point they are trespassing on your property. Next time you encounter this problem, ask your neighbors what they are doing. You could even band together and see if the police can enforce the no-solicitation policy in your area.

Despite all that you are bombarded with outside your home, you absolutely have the right to protect the peace and integrity inside your home.

“How do I forgive my cheating partner?” out now! The second Annie Lane anthology, featuring beloved columns on marriage, infidelity, communication and reconciliation, is available in paperback and e-book. Visit for more information. Send your questions to Annie Lane at [email protected].