Neighbours throwing fag butts into our garden?!?

jaxjax123

Our neighbour is a 3 person household. Parents and an older son around 25 I'd say.

We have never fallen out with them but we just don't really talk just due to the fact we don't see them.

Anyway around 3 months ago the mother and son started to use our garden as an ashtray. We have been living next door to each other 18 months and it had never happened before.

I had hoped it would stop, I have tried to knock on their door but they wont answer. The cigarettes are coming over lit and I have a 3 and 10 year who, when it is nice like to play in the garden but I am having to search the garden before they go out to play.

So far we have had around 100 butts thrown over. I sort of feel like I'm not going to get anywhere with them.

What would you do?

tea_lover

Collect them up, go and knock on the door, if no answer post through letterbox.

Probably not the most sensible answer but it would cheer me up for a few minutes!

jaxjax123

tea_lover wrote: »

Collect them up, go and knock on the door, if no answer post through letterbox.

Probably not the most sensible answer but it would cheer me up for a few minutes!

The thought has crossed my mind.

valk_scot

Buy them a large ashtray, gift wrap it, accompany it with a brief note explaining that you have a young child that gets too interested in fag butts/may get hurt by a lit one coming over the wall and requesting them to stop. Then leave it on the doorstep.

Two weeks later, if there's no change, I suggest you contact your community police officer. This sort of thing is what they're there for. First thing the CPO will ask though is how much effort you've made to resolve the problem but as you've tried to talk to them and sent the aforementioned polite note, you'll be fine there.

In between, keep a diary of how many butts a day come over. Keep them in a jar for evidence.

jaxjax123

valk_scot wrote: »

Buy them a large ashtray, gift wrap it, accompany it with a brief note explaining that you have a young child that gets too interested in fag butts/may get hurt by a lit one coming over the wall and requesting them to stop. Then leave it on the doorstep.

Two weeks later, if there's no change, I suggest you contact your community police officer. This sort of thing is what they're there for. First thing the CPO will ask though is how much effort you've made to resolve the problem but as you've tried to talk to them and sent the aforementioned polite note, you'll be fine there.

In between, keep a diary of how many butts a day come over. Keep them in a jar for evidence.

Excellent thank you, I didn't know there was anyone to turn to.

Lagoon

I think I'd start throwing my own litter into their garden.

Pixiechic

I was going to say throw them back over, which I would be tempted to do but it doesn't solve the problem!

I agree with Valk_scot, buy an ashtray and write a note.

If they ignore that then I would have to assume that they are ignorant and rude

I hadn't heard of a community police officer but I would complain to them about it too if their behaviour doesn't change.

Wickedkitten

valk_scot wrote: »

Buy them a large ashtray, gift wrap it, accompany it with a brief note explaining that you have a young child that gets too interested in fag butts/may get hurt by a lit one coming over the wall and requesting them to stop. Then leave it on the doorstep.

Two weeks later, if there's no change, I suggest you contact your community police officer. This sort of thing is what they're there for. First thing the CPO will ask though is how much effort you've made to resolve the problem but as you've tried to talk to them and sent the aforementioned polite note, you'll be fine there.

In between, keep a diary of how many butts a day come over. Keep them in a jar for evidence.

I wouldn't bother giftwrapping it, I would just take it next door, knock on the door, tell them I couldn't help but notice they don't seem to have an ashtray but instead of mistaking my back garden for one, here they go.

red_devil

how low can people go with their behaviour, dont they think you are going to notice?

LJ68

I have had the same issue previously ... neighboughs would lean on the fence to have a fag and throw their fag ends over our side. We nailed an ashtray to the top of the fence - it never happened again!

mummyroysof3

Try a polite note through door and if that doesn't work I would throw them back. Do they throw them over when you out there or only when you not? How high is fence between you? Contacting the local police for advice too as IMO this could cause an injury or a fire