Neighbour trouble

aileth

Hi, wasn't sure where to put this so please move if appropriate. We have a neighbour who lives behind us. She has a son maybe 8-9 years. Son loves football like a lot of young lads and they insist on playing it right next to our house, despite there being a massive park 1 minute walk away. Now, we don't have a problem with that. What we do have a problem with is they both consistently kick it at our house which causes a massive bang, house shakes, sets dog off etc. they've almost nearly smashed our windows countless times.

We've put up with this for months as were not overly confrontational, but this week they've kicked the ball into our garden every single night and demanded we fetch it.

Tonight it came to a head as within a space of 15 minutes she kicked it in twice and came ramming her finger countless times on the door bell whilst we are trying to eat dinner. My OH quite rightly had enough and requested that if she can't keep it out of our garden, could she play it somewhere else, possibly the big park, to which he got a torrent of abuse and her saying that shell just climb over and get it herself. OH then removed ball from her garden and lobbed it in the road rather than passing it to her as normal, cue lots more abuse.

Now, I'm personally a bit worried that, a) she's going to now instruct her spawn to kick it against the house on purpose, and/or b) climb into our garden when we are in (she manoeuvred our bins last time to get in and out and climbed up a wall!)

Do I have any recourse if so? Will the Police do anything? When she kicks it against the wall, it's incredibly intimidating, and surely she can't just let herself into a secure garden when we are in!! She is a fairly coarse individual who according to my OH smirked every time she requested the ball back, so not sure how much we could do. Any advice?

warwicktiger

A few well placed nails will shorten the game, and also make people think twice about climbing the fence.

valk_scot

Is it a big dog? Big teeth? It might like to play with the ball too, when it comes over the wall into the garden.

You're not allowed to top your fence with glass, nails or barbed wire btw. Nice bit of pointed trellis with some really vicious rambling roses or thorny climbing shrubs are allowed though.

Heffi1

Puncture the ball and give it back and do it for every ball that subsequently gets kicked into your garden, they will soon get the message. Threaten to call the police if she is found to be trespassing on your property.

Alternately you could buy a ball and spend all evening kicking it against her house once her child has gone to bed...

pigpen

valk_scot wrote: »

You're not allowed to top your fence with glass, nails or barbed wire btw. Nice bit of pointed trellis with some really vicious rambling roses or thorny climbing shrubs are allowed though.

But you can fix carpet gripper to your side of the fence at the top.. our nutty neighbour was advised by the police to do this at an Ageuk safety meeting thing.. and you can call the police if they are trespassing on your property. and paint it with antivandal paint.

I'd collect the balls and put them in the bin every bin day.

aileth

Isn't it theft if you keep their balls though regardless if its on your property? Or criminal damage if you punctured it on purpose?

gingin_2

I'd smile sweetly and say sorry you've looked everywhere but can't find it. Then do it again and again and again every time they knock.

Errata

If your house is shaking when a ball hits a wall of it, you have far more to worry about than your neighbour's offspring.

princeofpounds

If you can, something like trellis and planting against the wall will stop the football game. They only do it because there is a bare wall. Stop the bounceback and the game is no longer fun.

Tenyearstogo

aileth wrote: »

they've almost nearly smashed our windows countless times.

So they've never smashed your windows?

sharp910sh

Kick them.