Nuisance footballs from neighbours

Mary E

I know people have bigger problems in life but this is really getting on my nerves. I have a big corner garden within a housing estate/development. There are a few teenagers who play football outside our wall and are frequently kicking their footballs in, and then coming into our garden after them. I have talked to some of the parents involved as I am tired of the footballs and the "uninvited visitors" to the garden to retrieve the footballs and they have been relatively sympathetic but the situation continues. There are plenty of communal green areas but the footballers don't want to play on wet grass - they don't mind tramping over my wet grass however. Last night they hit my shed with a ball and hit the patio door. One of the teenagers is quite obnoxious, dishonest etc. When I went to his house once to ask for repayment for a broken pot he told us to get lost in less polite language - he looked stoned at the time. Has anyone had a similar problem or some advice please?

ziedth

Maybe you could go out and ask them nicely would they mind moving somewhere else. I'm going to go out on a limb that you might have shouted at them to clear off or something to that effect.

If they are scumbags then more then likely they are doing it to annoy you espically since you have effectively "gone over their heads to their folks".
If you are married or partner tell them something along the lines NICELY that he's unwell and really needs his rest and you would appreciate if they played somewhere else

Mary E

Hi thanks for your reply. Yes we have tried that first - on many occasions - both myself and my husband.

TripleAce

Get a dog - everytime the balls come into the garden tell him to bite it

monkeytronics

To be honest, it appears you have spoken to both the offendors and their parents on a number of occasions. If it continues to be a problem, maybe you should pay a visit to the local Garda station and discuss it with them. Nothing may come out of it but if something more expensive gets borken in the future (e.g. a window) you might have to get the Gardai involved. Having previously spoken to them about the situation you may find it easier for intervention.

On the other hand, the Gardai may look into it for you and perhaps the warning of an ASBO may help to change the situation.

Just be careful how you play it, I know its not nice to have your property trampled on on a regular basis and you shouldn't have to put up with it, but you may quickly get the reputation of an oul narky hag etc..

Wibbs

TripleAce helpful posts only. Please read the charter.

Deadeyes

My parents had a similar problem, the ball kept coming into the back garden. So the kids either had to knock on the door and ask for it or hop over the back wall. When my parents seen the ball coming in they'd tell them next time we're taking it. The next time, usually five minutes later they'd bring the ball into the house and tell them they could have it back the next day.
This approach worked but the kids were good kids and their folks decent people.

Mary E

Hi, thanks for that. I had thought of that but wasn't sure if the guards would be bothered about it. I have on occasion confiscated the football for short periods of time; the last time was yesterday after my window was hit but then the one of became rather aggressive - finger on my doorbell etc. He only left when I actually threatened him with the guards but informed me that I'd be the one with the problem as I'd stolen their football!

MagicMarker

Tbh, if they're only going into the garden to get a ball and then leaving I'd forget about it.

Unless you like to sunbathe naked in the garden in winter then it really isn't effecting you.

They'll eventually get bored and move on to some other spot.

Mary E

What about invasion of privacy and nuisance. I actually work from home and it's quite annoying if there are balls and kids going past on a regular basis. Also some of my garden and plants are being affected.

MagicMarker

Do you work in your garden?

And by regular basis, you mean what exactly? Once or twice a day?

Blazer

I remember one time we used to play football beside my grandparents house..every so often the ball would go in and one of us would have to get it..
Remember it went in one day and of the boyo's went to get it.
Grandfather legged it to the garden and grabbed the ball first..
Young fella asks for the ball and old fella said no...
young fella "I'm coming in for it".
Grandfather" you come in and you'll get the same as this ball" with that he slit a knife across it and punctured it..young fella did a legger

Mary E

Reply to Magic Marker:

I sometime garden but I also have an indoor home office.

By regular basis it could be every few minutes while they are playing football and they could be playing football for a few hours at a time.

username123

How are they getting in? Climbing a wall? Could you paint the top of the wall with anti vandal paint?

Queencake

Next time a ball flys into your garden, get in and speak very evenly toned to whoever tries to get the ball. Go over to where the rest of the lads are playing and talk to them all together. I think that'd be more effective than you talking to one lad and him heading back saying "Yer one has a mouth on her." Lads in these situations will always egg eachother on in my experience. But approach them altogether and they might be more receptive.

Just explain that you work from home and the frequent crashing of the football whether it be against the patio door or wall or into a load of pots is very distracting and is having an impact. As is the welcome trespassing on your property. Say that your garden is being damaged. Then say that you've given many warnings but that they're taking the mickey now and that the next time it happens you will have to ring the guards.

If that doesn't work and the guards do nothing then I'd approach the parents again.

It's a sh*tty situation for you, very annoying.

Mary E

Thanks for your sympathetic reply.

Have tried the softly, softly approach with limited success.

Mary E

Mathew Reilly wrote: »

I remember one time we used to play football beside my grandparents house..every so often the ball would go in and one of us would have to get it..
Remember it went in one day and of the boyo's went to get it.
Grandfather legged it to the garden and grabbed the ball first..
Young fella asks for the ball and old fella said no...
young fella "I'm coming in for it".
Grandfather" you come in and you'll get the same as this ball" with that he slit a knife across it and punctured it..young fella did a legger

Thanks Mathew but would rather not resort to such tactics.
Someone did suggest to me that every time a ball comes in that I throw it into the neighbours' garden as some of their kids are the culprits and then perhaps they'd appreciate how frequently it's happening and some days it's really tempting but I don't think I want to go down that path.

Queencake

Try one more time and if it doesn't work do approach the guards.

Queencake

Mary E wrote: »

Thanks Mathew but would rather not resort to such tactics.
Someone did suggest to me that every time a ball comes in that I throw it into the neighbours' garden as some of their kids are the culprits and then perhaps they'd appreciate how frequently it's happening and some days it's really tempting but I don't think I want to go down that path.

That isn't a bad idea. But I doubt they'd appreciate the frequency because in fairness you'd be run ragged doing that each time. It's not feasible. Put doing it every time it happens for say an hr when you KNOW the parents are home might be a good tactic.

Mary E

username123 wrote: »

How are they getting in? Climbing a wall? Could you paint the top of the wall with anti vandal paint?

Thank you very much for the suggestion. They're hopping over a low part of the wall - As we're on a corner we can only have it to a certain height in certain places. We will be putting up a fence where it's allowed when the weather is drier but I reckon the balls will continue to come in. I read about the anti vandal paint just now and I don't want to use it as we have a cat.

username123

Make the garden an unattractive place to go, set up a sprinkler system thats triggered by movement - everytime they come in theyll get a wetting?

Monkey61

That must be so irritating OP. If these boys haven't listened to your complaints to either them or their parents they are hardly going to start now.

Isn't trespassing on someones property illegal? I would appeal to the parents one more time, explain that you are very sorry, but if the nuisance continues you will have to report their children to the police. Nobody should have to put up with a constant irritation like that and there is no reason for the kids to continue climbing into your garden once you have told them not to. They have no excuses and you deserve your privacy.

You could also set up a camera on the back garden so you can record proof of this happening for the police after you lodge your complaint.

Bluefox21

In fairness speaking from the angle of someone who plays street football call the guards etc and you won't get a "nice" response from the kids or from the parents. Just let them be they'l eventually move on how bad can it be!

Also Starring LeVar Burton

I'd have to disagree with everyone who's suggested you involve the gardai - it will merely elevate the situation to a point that will be uncomfortable to you.
There used to be a similar problem in the estate I lived in. Kids were playing football outside the houses, I was one of them back in the day - but we'd move on when asked, however over the years some people refused to be moved, so the residents started parking their cars on the roadside, making it impossible for football to be played so they moved on. It was and is quite effective. Dunno, if you could park your car on the street - you said it was on the corner, but it might be worth a try.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

ziedth wrote: »

Maybe you could go out and ask them nicely would they mind moving somewhere else. I'm going to go out on a limb that you might have shouted at them to clear off or something to that effect.

If they are scumbags then more then likely they are doing it to annoy you espically since you have effectively "gone over their heads to their folks".
If you are married or partner tell them something along the lines NICELY that he's unwell and really needs his rest and you would appreciate if they played somewhere else

I love how loosely people use the term "scumbag" everyones a scumbag to tell you the truth... They are just kids, doesn't make them scumbags just because they are intimidating...

OP: It's a fact of life... we had neighbours like you before, and everyone hated them. Children play. I bet you have a nice tree or lamp post outside your house that they use for a goal.

Having your property damaged is one thing, but go out and explain to them why you want them to move... They don't need to be shouted at.

iguana

username123 wrote: »

Make the garden an unattractive place to go, set up a sprinkler system thats triggered by movement - everytime they come in theyll get a wetting?

That's a good idea but would probably be quite expensive. Would planting prickly bushes like rubra, pyrocantha, roses be a deterrent?

Lollipops23

have you considered putting a mesh fence around the top of your wall?i don't agree that it's not a big deal, it's soooo frustrating when your own property is being invaded on a regular basis, flowers getting trampled etc. you could also tell the parents that next time the ball goes in you're keeping it forever and every ball that follows.

LegacyUser

I've never understood the vitriolic hatred shown towards me when I was younger for kicking balls over. Grown men used to attack us merely for the fact of a ball going over a wall. They'd flip out if we called in for it for "disturbing" them and then attack us if we jumped over to get it. There simply was no place else to go to play. We never damaged property and we never were abusive. If you want the situation to end, tell them to pick up 2/3 balls and to use spares if they go over, you'll periodically leave them out in the front garden. If you don't want to do that, get a dog. Kids are kids, if the local kids played football near me now and kicked the ball over, I'd have no problem getting it for them or even letting them jump over.

Monkey61

Philip Square Flamingo wrote: »

I love how loosely people use the term "scumbag" everyones a scumbag to tell you the truth... They are just kids, doesn't make them scumbags just because they are intimidating...

OP: It's a fact of life... we had neighbours like you before, and everyone hated them. Children play. I bet you have a nice tree or lamp post outside your house that they use for a goal.

Having your property damaged is one thing, but go out and explain to them why you want them to move... They don't need to be shouted at.

Yes children play - but they can play in their own gardens, or in front of their own garden walls. The OP says that she has asked them numerous times to stop and they won't. I'd be furious if there was a constant flow of traffic across my back garden, which is meant to be private!

Of course the kids are going to be annoyed if the guards are involved, but so what? They should be being brought up properly to realise that it's not okay to constantly trespass in people's gardens - especially if they are teenagers, not five year olds.

LegacyUser

ÀLKAKL wrote: »

I've never understood the vitriolic hatred shown towards me when I was younger for kicking balls over. Grown men used to attack us merely for the fact of a ball going over a wall. They'd flip out if we called in for it for "disturbing" them and then attack us if we jumped over to get it. There simply was no place else to go to play. We never damaged property and we never were abusive. If you want the situation to end, tell them to pick up 2/3 balls and to use spares if they go over, you'll periodically leave them out in the front garden. If you don't want to do that, get a dog. Kids are kids, if the local kids played football near me now and kicked the ball over, I'd have no problem getting it for them or even letting them jump over.

I agree with you, I'd possibly leave something on the other side of the wall like a chair and tell them to use that if they are collecting the ball so that they wouldn't mess the lawn by jumping and skidding, if thats what you're worried about?

As for the patio doors, don't be too worried but tell them if they break anything they can pay for it. Footballs aren't made of stone and although it might make a bit of a shudder, it shouldn't break the glass. Just shout over at them when they hit the window?

That or a bit of a net fence on your wall even a temporary bit of net on some wooden stilts. I'd do that if it bothered me. Excusing constructing something because of the weather suggests maybe you may not be of an age to do it, so maybe ask someone to help or even ask them to help? I'd be kinda glad I lived in an area where my biggest problem was footballs landing in my garden, and i'd be kinda glad that they are at least doing something half constructive rather than tormenting me. So, me, I'd accommodate it, teenagers being teenagers.

IanCurtis

We used to do this all the time as kids. If it went unnoticed, then we kept doing it.

Best have a word with them. No need to be aggressive, but stand firm and say it's not going to continue, end of story.

They are just kids so think like a kid. Don't "rat" on them, approach the lot of them together, preferably with big bloke in tow, and say "NO MORE". End of story.

They'll get the message. Leave the Guards do their job elsewhere, they've bigger fish to fry believe me.

BAsTid

CaptainNegative wrote: »

I'd have to disagree with everyone who's suggested you involve the gardai - it will merely elevate the situation to a point that will be uncomfortable to you.
There used to be a similar problem in the estate I lived in. Kids were playing football outside the houses, I was one of them back in the day - but we'd move on when asked, however over the years some people refused to be moved, so the residents started parking their cars on the roadside, making it impossible for football to be played so they moved on. It was and is quite effective. Dunno, if you could park your car on the street - you said it was on the corner, but it might be worth a try.

I also played street football back in the day and did have this problem sometimes.

Yes OP this might annoy you, but getting the Gardi involved is a mistake because you'll exchange getting the ball for cleaning eggs off your windows during the summer and school holidays. You'll also lose the parents support (however little they may provide) by going over their heads and going to Gardi.

In my opinion there is no way to stop this without making things worse for yourself (kids dont forget these things easily), but you can reduce it happening. As you said you have spoken to them, but i have the feeling judging by how much this seems to annoy you that you dictated what you wanted to happen (doesnt matter how nice to you to them or what tone is was in). This is the wrong way to go about it, teens tend to always go against someone telling them not to do something and like to believe they have a say in the matter.
OP your gonna have to be a wheeler and dealer in this situation and try come to some sort of an agreement, let them know its annoying you and that a 1-2 times a day is fine but anything more is uncool or play at times when your not working. Perhaps as someone said before having a few spares and putting them out later on in the day. If this fails when your gonna have to either go with bushes or the paints as someone said before.

LightningBolt

Look they're kids and no amount of you telling them to stop will work. Let them get the ball but tell them if it hits the window the ball's is being kept till the next day. The guards will have no interest if you call them and neighbours will resent you.

Hate to point the obvious but they play at your house because you've obviously got a large sidewall. They're hardly gonna play directly in front of their own houses.

Xavi6

All I ever did as a kid was play street football using the corner house as they were a great place to set up a goal. I can tell you now that calling the guards will do absolutely nothing. They might call down and have a word with the lads but if they are anything like myself and my mates they'll respond with a nod and a "Yes sir" but will be back a few days later. It won't endear you to their parents either, and as said, look out for a few eggs coming your way.

The only thing that would have deterred me would have been losing my ball. Sticking a knife in it may seem a bit extreme but if it really, really is that big a deal then that's the only way to get through to them.

Actions most definitely speak louder than words in this situation.

Btw OP, you say that they disturb you while you're working. Do you work evenings, because surely the young fellas would be in school during regular work hours.

niallk

The reason the kids are playing outside your house is most likely because there is some feature of your wall or shrubbery which make it attractive as a goal post. If you can identify the goal they use and the attribute for which they have chosen this spot, you can then neutralise it. If there's a tree they use cut it down or plant a bush in close proximity (not too far away otherwise they'll have 2 goalposts: street-footballing heaven.)

Nothingcompares

This is interesting, about 15 years ago I used to be one of these street corner football playing pseudo-brats. I also remember a woman on the corner house who didn't appreciate us recking her garden in pursuit of footballs. She took the same method you seemed to have done:

tried to appeal to our good sides and ask her politely to stop playing there (after we'd already go in the habit of playing).
Grew more frustrated and threatened things like garda.

I think we just grew out of the phase of playing football at that corner and went onto bigger and better things .

I'd advise against a hard line approach at this stage. Bursting footballs and putting paint on the wall will make you unpopular with both the kids and their parents and could ostracise you from the community (imagine some snot nosed mother barking at you because YOU got paint on her sons jeans etc.). Again if you attempt to get tough, they may find it more entertaining to harass you rather than play football (gets to the point where they're kicking the ball in on purpose etc.).

I'm sure someone else has said it but is it possible to actually put more fencing up or something that stops the ball coming in. I know it can be expensive just for pesky kids.


So what do I advise?

Keep on moaning at them to move off every time they start playing. Presumably they're not totally brass necked bastards and will move off (temporarily) when asked. Eventually, they may either get the message or just go onto other things anyway. i'd bear in mind there will probably be one who is more of a little bollox then the others so you'll have ot just try and appeal to the other lads.

Just to give a semi-related story. Friend of mine, kind of a burly bloke I suppose, had a few kids just sitting on his front wall chatting at night time. Was a pain in the arse. He just ran out the 2nd night it happened, shout at them at full force, moved them on and then wet painted the wall the next day. Obviously solved that problem.

G&T

Tell them you will put up with them
coming in only if they respect your property,
they are only interested in getting their ball,
annoying you is just a bonus,


You need to handle this with care as these
boy's will grow into cider drinking chain smoking
lad's for a time and may want to sit on your wall
leave their rubbish/butt's after them,just to annoy
the "grumpy family".

Kaldorn

leave them alone,they are doing what comes naturally to them i did it for years and i had an old git on my road that used to take the footballs and he called the guards too a few times,..he got egged on halloween contantly for years and he put his hands on dog sh1t when he tried to open his car a few mornings.if he had of just chilled out and said nothing then this wouldnt have happened. you will regret it if you take their balls or call the cops,they will discover drinking and girls soon enough and they will be off.

paperclip2

We had the same in our house when we moved in. It was mostly younger kids, seven and eight year olds. After a few weeks of frustation with the windows constantly rattling and getting hoarse from shouting we decided if you can't beat em, join em. OH went out a few nights and played a few games of footie with them. We got to know them, they got to know us and the number of footballs against the window got less and less. Now if they hit the window they often ring the doorbell to apologise.

faceman

Its one of those situations where there is no easy way out. I wouldnt bother with the gardai, it will probably only make things worse and the gardai wont be able to do anything effective anyway.

I dont agree though that you should have to put up with it either. A ball coming in every once in a while is one thing, but a few times every day is another.

I shared a house on the northside of dublin and we (eventually) put a knife through a kids ball. We didnt really care if the neighbours didnt like us though.

I reckon though your best bet is to say the kids that you dont mind them coming in to get it every once in a while but only if they dont take the piss or do any damage. If you have kids tell them that they cant be playing after a certain time or something like.

If they see that you are willing to meet them half way they will may have a bit more respect.

ergonomics

Why don't you erect a net along the top of the wall in your garden, or would that require planning permission? That way when the kids kick the ball over the wall it'll bounce off the net and back to them. It may be unsightly but you are annoyed enough at this to post online, surely you'd be happy to do anything. All you'd need is some wooden posts screwed to the wall, and a net attached to it. When the kids eventually get tired of playing football at your wall, it can be removed by unscrewing the posts.

username123

Read on another forum where someone was looking for advice re teenagers hanging round (NOT kicking footballs), the husband went out with his mate and a few cans and joined the teenagers, all friendly, and bored them senseless with stories of his youth. They never congregated at the same spot again - didnt want to get stuck with the aul fella.

Perhaps you could arrange a group of older men to take over the football playing spot and invite the kids to play, and then make sure its a long boring and annoying game?

Im astounded at the number of people here with he attitude of 'ah sure leave them alone' or 'how bad can it be'.

I think if youre working hard to pay a mortgage and you have a garden you are entitled to privacy and not have teenagers running back and forth across it at will, causing damage, annoyance and noise.

Another thing Id do would be build a VERY dangerous rockery right at the point where they jump over the wall.

Or perhaps create some kind of horrible oil slick that if they jump down they will land into.

Rather than involving the guards (who lets face it will do very little), Id be more inclined to make my garden a dangerous/unattractive place.

And if one breaks his neck on the rockery? I think any judge is going to take the side of the homeowner who was simply building a garden feature over a teenager who has been asked numerous times to stay out of the garden.

iguana

username123 wrote: »

Read on another forum where someone was looking for advice re teenagers hanging round (NOT kicking footballs), the husband went out with his mate and a few cans and joined the teenagers, all friendly, and bored them senseless with stories of his youth. They never congregated at the same spot again - didnt want to get stuck with the aul fella.

That is just brilliant. I'm going to keep that in mind for future reference.:D

Sofa_King Good

Had a similar problem in my last house, balls going over my back wall constantly, except the wall was too high to climb so it was the doorbell ringing constantly. Never bothered me because I remembered what it was like to be a kid. Guarantee you they wont understand you either. Especially when there peers are up to worse.

Sleepy

OP, I'm assuming you don't have any kids yourself? Have you forgotten what it's like to be a kid yourself? Get to know the kids and just tell them you'll leave the side gate open for them so as they don't knock things over when jumping down from the wall. Right now as far as those kids (and probably their parents) are concerned you're the evil witch of the road.

Did you honestly not think about the fact your property sided onto a green area when buying the house? I remember my own mother marking it as a 'con' when comparing two houses when I was younger.

Antagonize kids and they'll try get you back with eggs, "knick-knacks", flaming bags of dog crap and whatever other head-wrecking stuff they can come up with. Nothing the cops would be interested in but plenty to really make your life more hassle than you need it to be...

How distracting can a young fella walking around your back to pick up a football be? Seriously? I'd have thought that would be the least of your concerns in terms of distractions when working from home?

High&Low

Mary E wrote: »

Thank you very much for the suggestion. They're hopping over a low part of the wall - As we're on a corner we can only have it to a certain height in certain places. We will be putting up a fence where it's allowed when the weather is drier but I reckon the balls will continue to come in. I read about the anti vandal paint just now and I don't want to use it as we have a cat.

You are allowed, without planning permission, have a 7ft (or around 2m) high fence to the side and back of your property. You are unlikely to get any problems from the county council unless a neighbour complains if the fence is more to the front of your property. If the fence is wooden, it can be described as a "temporary structure". In addition a wooden fence is cheaper to errect and harder to climb. You could also consider a hedge.

I am speaking from experience.

spurious

username123 wrote: »

Read on another forum where someone was looking for advice re teenagers hanging round (NOT kicking footballs), the husband went out with his mate and a few cans and joined the teenagers, all friendly, and bored them senseless with stories of his youth. They never congregated at the same spot again - didnt want to get stuck with the aul fella.

Myself and some neighbours did something similar to move our lot on. They originally were playing football and had broken windows, damaged cars etc.. They had stopped the football and now stood around roaring at each other til all hours (ubiquitous mp3 players meaning they couldn't hear each other), so when we would hear them, we would go and stand in a group beside them. They soon fecked off.

Quickfire

That's a good idea but would probably be quite expensive.

Mary E

iguana wrote: »

That's a good idea but would probably be quite expensive. Would planting prickly bushes like rubra, pyrocantha, roses be a deterrent?

Thanks for this. I did plant a few prickly shrubs but they're not big enough yet to be a deterrent.

Mary E

username123 wrote: »

Make the garden an unattractive place to go, set up a sprinkler system thats triggered by movement - everytime they come in theyll get a wetting?

Thanks for the suggestion but I think I'll just put up with it for now and put up a decent fence when the weather's drier and some netting or mesh wire over the part of the garden that's affected.

Mary E

Philip Square Flamingo wrote: »

I love how loosely people use the term "scumbag" everyones a scumbag to tell you the truth... They are just kids, doesn't make them scumbags just because they are intimidating...

OP: It's a fact of life... we had neighbours like you before, and everyone hated them. Children play. I bet you have a nice tree or lamp post outside your house that they use for a goal.

Having your property damaged is one thing, but go out and explain to them why you want them to move... They don't need to be shouted at.

Seems to me that you condone kids who are intimidating.