Neighbour Issue

ashpan

Unfortunately my neighbours children are very noisy in the garden. Parents seem to close doors and ignore the screaming, arguing etc. Balls are frequently kicked into my garden which I know I should return but to be honest I'm so fed up with the noise, i rarely do this. 

I can't enjoy my garden because of this so I went round and politely requested at least stop the screaming, the response was neutral. But since then I'm aware they have climbed over the fence to retrieve their balls. 

I'm at my wits end now. Other than move which I don't feel I should have to do, any suggestions ???

ThisIsWeird

Contact your Local Authority, and explain what's going on.
Meanwhile, write out a detailed log, dated and timed, of what is going on. Keep it purely factual - no emotive language. Take recordings and video clips if possible to show the worst examples, but do not share these with anyone who doesn't have cause or authority.
Is the neighbour on the other side affected?

ashpan

I need to pop round and ask the other neighbours of which there are four including myself, if they’re  totally fed up like me
im  concerned about making anything official as I may move in a few years due to my age

TELLIT01

It's a difficult situation.  We had to put up with kids screaming in a garden of properties behind us for a few years but thankfully they have either gone or the kids have grown out of the screaming phase.  I really don't think you will get anywhere with the council over noisy children.  I would raise the point of children, or adults, climbing over fences to get balls back.  That is unacceptable.  Tell them you will throw them back when you are in the garden.  There is no point in antagonising them as it's only likely to make matters worse.

twopenny

Do they own the house or is it housing association?

I lived with something similar and worse for many years. It's truely a horrible situation.

One thing I did with balls and the next door school (I'd already gone down the reasonable route) was to take each one round to the office with a lovely smile said 'this came over' and because they had to find the owner they were getting disturbed every time a ball went over. It stopped after the 3rd time.

Perhaps if you took the balls back to the parents each time and smiled, be as nice as you can, said 'didn't like to throw it back in case it hit something/someone' .

If they say just throw it back insist that no, you don't like to in case of damage/hitting the children and that once it interfers with the parents time they may make it stop.

As long as you're nice and smiley they can hardly object.

Noise a tough one. The shouting I couldn't stop, just drown out with music. However when they became teens and it was just the thumping of music from open windows I took my very loud radio out and played opera. That worked too. It may work for you, 'your just working in the garden and have music on. At least you won't hear the shouting 

Sometimes reasonablness and common sense doesn't work. You have to think outside the box.

baser999

ThisIsWeird said:

Contact your Local Authority, and explain what's going on.
Meanwhile, write you a detailed log, dated and timed, of what is going on. Keep it purely factual - no emotive language. Take recordings and video clips if possible to show the worst examples, but do not share these with anyone who doesn't have cause or authority.
Is the neighbour on the other side affected?

Be mindful though, if you go down the official line and in a few years you do decide to move I think I’m right in saying you’d need to disclose any neighbour disputes etc which may sway purchasers. If you’re in HA accommodation that may not be a concern.

ashpan

twopenny said:

Do they own the house or is it housing association?

I lived with something similar and worse for many years. It's truely a horrible situation.

One thing I did with balls and the next door school (I'd already gone down the reasonable route) was to take each one round to the office with a lovely smile said 'this came over' and because they had to find the owner they were getting disturbed every time a ball went over. It stopped after the 3rd time.

Perhaps if you took the balls back to the parents each time and smiled, be as nice as you can, said 'didn't like to throw it back in case it hit something/someone' .

If they say just throw it back insist that no, you don't like to in case of damage/hitting the children and that once it interfers with the parents time they may make it stop.

As long as you're nice and smiley they can hardly object.

Noise a tough one. The shouting I couldn't stop, just drown out with music. However when they became teens and it was just the thumping of music from open windows I took my very loud radio out and played opera. That worked too. It may work for you, 'your just working in the garden and have music on. At least you won't hear the shouting 

Sometimes reasonablness and common sense doesn't work. You have to think outside the box.

I’ve just taken delivery of a rather large Bluetooth speaker which, if things don’t improve I shall be placing near the fence at their bed times! I am a fan of classical and repetitive house music, which can only truly be appreciated at full volume 
Due to the road layout, their house is a good 20 min walk from mine, I do however have several holly bushes and brambles my side of the fence which could easily puncture a ball
my son in law suggested planting several large fast- growing connifers to form a more solid high boundary but I’m aware there are now laws around this??  

I own the house

ashpan

baser999 said:

ThisIsWeird said:

Contact your Local Authority, and explain what's going on.
Meanwhile, write you a detailed log, dated and timed, of what is going on. Keep it purely factual - no emotive language. Take recordings and video clips if possible to show the worst examples, but do not share these with anyone who doesn't have cause or authority.
Is the neighbour on the other side affected?

Be mindful though, if you go down the official line and in a few years you do decide to move I think I’m right in saying you’d need to disclose any neighbour disputes etc which may sway purchasers. If you’re in HA accommodation that may not be a concern.

I’m not going to make it an official dispute which has to be declared on sale, I've lived here for 25 years, I have nine houses bordering onto my land, and this is the only property which causes a problem

gwynlas

It is the  summer holidays so they should be going back to school soon. Unfortunately kids scream even in the prescence of their parents for no apparent reason. Prickly hedges will deter their climbing over to retrieve balls.

TELLIT01

ashpan said:

I’ve just taken delivery of a rather large Bluetooth speaker which, if things don’t improve I shall be placing near the fence at their bed times! I am a fan of classical and repetitive house music, which can only truly be appreciated at full volume 

So in order to get back at one neighbour who is annoying you, you are prepared to annoy all your other neighbours?!

ashpan

TELLIT01 said:

ashpan said:

I’ve just taken delivery of a rather large Bluetooth speaker which, if things don’t improve I shall be placing near the fence at their bed times! I am a fan of classical and repetitive house music, which can only truly be appreciated at full volume 

So in order to get back at one neighbour who is annoying you, you are prepared to annoy all your other neighbours?!

As a last resort, one is away most of the time and one is very deaf, if I have to do this I’ll speak to them and let them know. I really hope it doesn’t come to this!