Kids walking on the back wall

sso

We live in the back row of charlesland park and I am really worried about the number of kids walking along the back wall in the evenings. If they slipped they would fall about 15 feet into our garden - or someone elses. They would at best badly injure themselves. Also if the owners of the garden are out it would be really hard to get the fallen person back out again!

I don't want to shout up to passing kids to get down incase I frighten them and cause them to fall!!! I did see two of the kids on level ground yesterday and told them I was worried for their safety. They looked pretty unconcerned!

I called the builders and suggested that they put a cap on the wall that is slanted so that it is harder to walk along. They said that it is not their problem. I called the management company and they said they will send someone to look.

Any suggestions as to what else could be done. Also could we be liable if someone falls into our garden and injures themself on our shed, etc? Seems crazy to even think it - but it is a crazy world!

Thanks
SSO

neets

I totally agree with you. We live in the back row too. A few weeks ago a group of kids were walking along the wall and one of them looked no older than about 4 or 5. If any of them fell they genuinely could kill themselves. And as you say, it would be nearly impossible for them to get out if they did fall.

Some kind of finish on the top to make it unwalkable on would be great. I'm not really surprised the builders are washing their hands off it now. Even when they were still on-site they refused to finish or render the wall - the result is a rough concrete eyesore that I have to look at every morning. Wish the old climbers would hurry up and grow!

I'll phone the management company too. Maybe a few calls might help.

ciaran67

Same here. Im in the corner at Charlesland Park and seen them a few times. One kid i waited til he'd come round and said, leave it out son. He said sorry. I know what you mean though cos the wall along our garden to the field next door is about 15foot.

cuddydale

I will put a call into the management company also. It is frightening to see them running up and down the wall. An accident waiting to happen.

Maisy

I am on the boundary too and have seen kids on the wall several times and would have the same concerns.

Also, I don't mean to be hard but as far as I know, if someone fell into the garden, the householder could be responsible via public liability and would be liable for fees or damages incurred, payable by insurance company under house insurance policy. Which would then of course increase insurance costst - might be worth checking with man. co. where we stand on that, will put a call in.

Finally, I feel its also a case of the good old New York broken window syndrome ie the more something is done the more it becomes the norm. And we will get adult wall walkers with more than taking a short cut on their minds. Don't mean to scaremonger, just voicing a concern.

PS I got a raised bed put in under the wall and a couple of bamboo trees put in - the grow super quick, took six months for two trees to fill the gap and cover the wall. Also makes a pretty decent deterrent !

mikedragon32

Maisy, it's probably the Occupier's Liability Act that would apply as those on the wall aren't using a public right of way and have no permission to walk on it.

sso

Thanks everyone

I think the more calls the management company get the better.

I would love it if they capped the wall nicely in a way that made it harder to walk on. It just looks so unfinished. Keep waiting for the climbers to climb high enough to cover it all. They're doing their best and an extra trelis or two helps. I am not a natural gardener though so it is a real case of willing them up that wall!

Lets hope something is done soon - I would be so sad for someone to get seriously injured. As far as I know the management company covers the house insurance for our homes as part of a block policy. We only need contents insurance. The management company policy also covers the public liability insurance which is standard with home insurance policies but not with contents insurance. Saved us a fortune when we realised we only need contents insurance. It means, I think, that we would not be liable if someone fell into our gardens - but that really was never the point for any of us.

SSO

anniec

I very much doubt the Mgt Co can do anything and the cost of replacing the slabs at tops of walls would be too expensive.

I too have seen them on my back wall and reminded them to get down that they were on private property and they got down. so maybe a friendly reminder to these kids is all they need.:)