The family next door constantly kicks footballs into our garden. I know we have to give them back but tend to make them wait a while or ask for them back.
Some days there can be as many a three or four.
We’ve tried to reason with the neighbours but they just don’t see it as a problem.
They just say they are children and they love football. The son is 15 !
Gransnet forums
AIBU
Footballs over the fence
(115 Posts)I have children to the back of my garden I find balls all the time big ones and little ones, it doesn’t bother me I just chuck them back I did joke with them that I only Chuck them back in hopes they’ll buy me a big bar of chocolate like the advert. Why do you find it so annoying? Are they causing damage maybe in which case you are entitled to be annoyed.
I have had this problem with previous neighbours and its blooming annoying. I had a dog and its amazing how many times the dog got to the ball before I did. Of course I always handed the balls back but they weren't good for much and it was amazing how quickly the balls stopped coming. Another option would be to say that you will hand balls back once a day/week month at xxx time and no other.
I just chuck them back I did joke with them that I only Chuck them back in hopes they’ll buy me a big bar of chocolate like the advert.
DH did that with the children next door - he's kicking footballs back to them every day.
They popped round with their dad last week to present him with a box of Heroes.
We don't find it annoying. Children love football and gardens generally make small pitches. They'll grow out of it soon enough.
We had a neighbour, we called Juliet Bravo, as she was always calling the police about children's balls going in her garden.
One parent went to ask her for a ball back, she opened a cupboard, it was full of consiscated balls!
We have had this bother, despite the fence being six foot high. We just throw the balls back over. However, I can see it can become annoying.
It becomes annoying if you have spent a bit of money on lovely flowers and plants and they end up broken. This was happening to a friend of mine . Apart from damage from the ball she came home from work one day to find the teenage neighbour trampling all over the vegetable plot looking for a ball.
People moan that kids are always on screens then moan when they’re playing out. They can’t win!
I have the same problem over the last 6 yrs I had to stop inviting my mum n dad over to sit in the garden for a bite to eat and cuppa.
Tues/Thursdays/Saturdays. 2 lads playing football kicking it against "their" fence with bang bang constantly.
We would sit in the conservatory but no peace there as the ball would land on the roof, making my mum jump. It got worse when 2 more gc arrived.
We gave up in the end as was too stressful, it was sad as my mum n dad lived in top floor flat, my mum was terminally ill.
So we used to drive and sit near the park in peace and quiet.
It must be horrendous for the other neighbors also, but we don't say anything.
I have 2 gs myself, one 15yrs one 6 yrs they have never once kicked the ball into neighbors garden as I take them to the park or the car park near by.
Some many
have no consideration for others.
We have two tinies next door so we can’t expect their aim to be much good yet. So I happily throw anything back that comes over the fence - including balls. I usually get a “thank you” from the older one (4).
PaperMonster
People moan that kids are always on screens then moan when they’re playing out. They can’t win!
Don’t think I’m moaning, I’ve had years of hell from neighbours. I doubt you would understand having up to four balls every day in the garden.
You imply that I am moaning about kids being on screens.
Can you point me to where I made that statement please ?
PaperMonster
People moan that kids are always on screens then moan when they’re playing out. They can’t win!
Who are these people? because none of them are me!
I would only return the balls when they come round to ask for them , and give them a lecture as you do. They can't have an inexhaustible supply.
"They just love football" so basically, stuff everyone else.
Explains the attitude discussed elsewhere about football.
Panda - never implied that about you at all. But own it if you want. But generally people complain about kids and screens - but then people also complain about children playing outside and their noise/balls. Just think children can’t win nowadays, criticism whatever they do. Just chuck the bloomin balls back and move on!
PaperMonster
Panda - never implied that about you at all. But own it if you want. But generally people complain about kids and screens - but then people also complain about children playing outside and their noise/balls. Just think children can’t win nowadays, criticism whatever they do. Just chuck the bloomin balls back and move on!
a couple of times a week and no damage done? Sure, but multiple times a day when it lands on my plants and frightens my dog? No way.
and once again, who are these "people" because none of them are me! Provided children aren't causing a nuisance, I don't care what they do.
If you can't see an end to it, can you install a net? Two poles in the corner of your property, and some netting and hopefully the balls will bounce back. I know it's a bit extreme, but it could end the issue.
At 15 he is old enough to be aware that it must be annoying for his neighbour to keep having these balls landing in their garden, possibly damaging expensive plants.
He is most certainly more than old enough to go to an open space somewhere to have a kick about.
The parents’ attitude is dreadful.
The children love football so to hell with everyone else.
I used to have the kids from next door playing in my back alleyway and the ball would regularly come over I don’t mind getting it for them, I made a rule that evening time I would only get up twice, and after that they had to wait till the next day they quickly got the idea and the third one they wouldn’t bother asking and would get left till the next morning, anyway they grew up and it became quiet, no balls last year Now a new family have moved in, the others side, we re not joined on, a small alleyway in between, but the first day they moved in I had two balls and an arrow to recover for a little 3/4 year old and 7 am each morning I hear bounce bounce bounce haha I don’t really mind I m glad they re out in the fresh air
I chuck my neighbours stuff/balls back over the fence but it has occasionally included shoes I honestly don't find it an issue at all. The last thing I want is to be irritated by small stuff from my neighbours as I have to live next door them EVERY SINGLE DAY
We had exceptional neighbours who removed a couple of slats from their fence and invited our boys to pop in and collect their balls whenever they knocked them over. Not only that, but when our cat walked into their kitchen when they were serving Sunday lunch, and walked off with the roast before the wife could carve any for herself, they didn't even mention it to us for six months!
Until you’ve lived this (six, eight, ten times a day at weekends and summer holidays) you have no idea how annoying it is or how damaging to susceptible plants such as lilies, peonies etc or seedlings.
In our case they used to shout at us from the other side of the fence - sometimes we couldn’t find it and the shouting went on…
The neighbours the other side put up a massive tall net on top of their 6ft fence and trellis which looked pretty odd but did the job, mostly.
Stick a sharp object in the ball and throw it back or throw it in another neighbours garden.
Oh how nasty redhead some truly mean folk around
I just told them to come into my garden and collect their balls, no need to ask me first. A tall hedge and trees prevented balls coming into the back garden, so only the front was affected.
Love to see kids playing, they have had so many restrictions lately, just chuck them back, or let them in to collect the balls, you never know you may get a bar of chocolate one day.
I don't find it a problem - I just throw whatever (balls, foam arrows etc) lands in my garden back over the fence. Kids grow up, and the 15 year old will soon find girls and going out far more interesting!
Join the conversation
Registering is free, easy, and means you can join the discussion, watch threads and lots more.
Register now »Already registered? Log in with:
Gransnet »