In 2026, is it acceptable to ‘pop in’ to a friend’s house without a text or phone call first? Exclusive poll reveals what Aussies think

Gone are the days of simply ‘coming in’ a friend’s housewith the majority of Aussies saying ‘spontaneously at home’ overtakes must remain in the past.

Whether you’re ‘just in the area’ or not, an exclusive nine.com.au reader survey shows that 51 percent of respondents believe that by 2026 it will no longer be acceptable to drop by a friend’s house without a text or phone call first.

Only 35 percent of the 1,119 respondents were still okay with a surprise visit, while 14 percent were reluctant, saying it depended on the situation.

‘There are friends you know you can always call [and] others you cannot. My own mother-in-law will have a meltdown if we don’t let her know. Others are happy if I just show up,” replied one of the Australians surveyed.

Most respondents agreed that suitability depended on how well you knew the person, but one felt there was still an unwritten rule.

“Between, say, 10am and 4pm should be fine, otherwise a text or phone call is required,” they said.

On the “no” side, many said they didn’t want to interfere with their friends’ busy lives.

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“Friends won’t last long if you drop by unannounced – very bad manners,” said one.

“Today’s younger generation does not appreciate visitors coming in unannounced. They feel this is an invasion of their privacy,” agreed another.

There were, of course, those who clung to a golden age when a spontaneous visit was simply something you did.

“I always stopped by and will continue to do so. If the person I’m visiting doesn’t like it (which happened to me many years ago), that will be my last visit,” said another person.

In 2025, a Mothernet One user’s post sparked debate when she asked for advice about her husband’s friends regularly coming to her house without asking first.

One day the woman simply didn’t invite them in and wondered if she was wrong.

“My teenage daughter was sitting in her pajamas in the living room (this would make her uncomfortable in front of visitors), I had just gotten back from grocery shopping and was trying to put it away,” she explained.

“Is it too hard to send a text and say, ‘Is it okay to come over in half an hour?’ My daughter could have gotten dressed, I could have put my groceries away, I could have locked up the dogs… It really frustrates me!”

The woman said she would never dream of showing up anywhere unannounced, even to her own mother.

“People can be in the shower, in the middle of something, already have guests, and not really want to see me – for all kinds of reasons!”

Most placed themselves on her side – further proof that the time of ‘intrusion’ is definitely behind us.

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