How can I stop anti-social behaviour outside my home?

ELISHA82

Hi

I am a local authority tenant for over 10 years and for 10 years i have been putting up with anti-social behaviour right outside my house. Some examples;

damage to my car, damage to my BFs car, my fence damaged. Balls being constantly hit of my sitting room window when I watch tv. I came home one night and they was a gang of about 15 of them literally right outside my door sitting on my wall and my front street, when we pulled in the street they wouldn't even move until we beeped the horn.

I've thought of many ways to deal with them-

I've shouted at them resulting in them trying to burn down my fence, kicked my gate to pieces, tried to hit my dog with a plank of wood through the fence. my window has been broken and im constantly having to pick up there rubbish.,

Ive called the gaurds, they came gave out to them, as soon as the gaurds went they came right back and became even louder!

Now for the last few weekends it is getting to the point were they are out all night shouting and singing. I am a very light sleeper so it literally keeps me up until they stop which has been around 5 or 6 am recently, i also work in as a student nurse in a hospital doing 13 hour shifts so this is affecting me physically and mentally.

I can't afford a rental place as its 3 times the price of the on im in. so today i've asked for a transfer and ther sending me out a form. but this could take ages.

I suppose im jus looking for anyone going through the same thing or any ideas on how to deter them, it seems confronting them jus makes it worse for me.

any help would be great sorry for the long rant 2 :-) x

ScottStorm

What sort of age are they? Young teen? older teen? Adult? Also do you know any of your neighbours?

FiachDubh

My aunt lives in a..... not very friendly part of Limerick City.
She has two rottweilers that are also not very friendly.
She has no problems.

Mrs OBumble

What suggestions has the housing officer at the council made?

Have you attempted to befriend any of their families? That's usually the most effective way, though it doesn't work in larger cities.

Pawwed Rig

I don't know much about this but it might be worth doing a bit of research

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mosquito

silentrust

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

I don't know much about this but it might be worth doing a bit of research

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mosquito

I was working as a teacher in Birmingham when these were used outside a few shops. My only complaint was that I was under 25 at the time so could still hear them. Apparently you can achieve the same effect by playing classical music on a perennial loop outside a building with none of the human rights concerns! :-)

expectationlost

you can complain to council of these people live in LA housing too

romperstomper

couple of practical cheap solutions that i used. none of these are effort-free and TBH 10 years sounds like you have let the problem carry on for FAR too long. simply put, they feel like its their hangout area and are essentially claiming squatters rights.

when I initially moved in, I had the same situation. the kids were aged from 8 to 15. earlier in the day the younger kids would be on the wall outside my house. later in the evening it would be the older ones. so after shouting didn't work I used the following. NONE worked in isolation, but the combination worked fine:

sprikler in garden with reach to my wall. pipes buried, sprinker under RIGID fencing.
constantly, EVERY SECOND NIGHT, paint the cappings of my wall (midnight or later). the paint is soft and smudges on clothing the next day.

The above reduced the large frequent congratations to more adhoc smaller groups. at this point i installed cameras and became militant about them sitting on my wall. if they wouldn't move i left my stereo on the crapest 80s sh1te and went out for a walk/cycle. they were never there when i returned.

whatnext

Get your local TD's contact details, all of them.
Then report every incident to the Gardai with pic's and recordings if you can. Take the Gardas number when you report it.
After you have a catalogue of complaints made send them on to your TDs and tell them the problem is not being dealt with in a meaningful manner and get them to follow up for you. It worked a treat for me.

silentrust

whatnext wrote: »

Get your local TD's contact details, all of them.
Then report every incident to the Gardai with pic's and recordings if you can. Take the Gardas number when you report it.
After you have a catalogue of complaints made send them on to your TDs and tell them the problem is not being dealt with in a meaningful manner and get them to follow up for you. It worked a treat for me.

Good thinking, it's best to keep an accurate log as that way you can make more specific complaints. Naturally people are free to congregate in public places but if you have pics and recordings then no one can dispute how events played out - you never know some of the kids may already be "known" to the Police. :-)

from_atozinc

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

I don't know much about this but it might be worth doing a bit of research

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mosquito

I hope no stupid do gooder starts spouting about human rights now.

OP, I feel for you. There seems to be an awful lot of this type stuff going on. Hang in there.

I read something like this recently and somebody recommended putting down Jeyes Fluid, as the smell is supposed to be horrid, and the kids move on. Worth a shot.

djimi

Mayo Gurl wrote: »

I read something like this recently and somebody recommended putting down Jeyes Fluid, as the smell is supposed to be horrid, and the kids move on. Worth a shot.

Unfortunately the OP would also have to put up with the smell!

jobless

Couple of chicken breasts, dig up a bit of the grass where they congregate and put the breasts under it.... the rotting chicken smell will soon have them gone

aaakev

djimi wrote: »

Unfortunately the OP would also have to put up with the smell!

If its arround the perimiter of the garden it might be far enough away from the house to not bother the op...

I like the paint idea and the music, reckon the music is worth a shot first

FutureGuy

The Mosquito sounds the business.

Rhys Essien

OP,You could get a few 'Rotting Flesh' plants for your garden or you could get rapid growing hedges.I know this worked for people with your problem as the kids could no longer sit on the wall when the hedge got too big.

the groutch

and what about neighbours who are able to hear it? why should they be punished?

Rhys Essien

Also you could put this in your garden

djimi

djimi wrote: »

Unfortunately the OP would also have to put up with the smell!

It'd be a small price to pay though...

Del2005

Would planting a row of thorny plants/hedge along the wall/ boundary deter people from hanging around?

ABajaninCork

Anti climb paint is the answer! I also like the idea of keeping a diary with video proof. Put up a CCTV and train it outside. They don't cost much, and you'll need to get as much evidence as possible.

I'd also be getting on to the council weekly with the diary evidence. If the little darlings live on the same estate, and it's proved they're indulging in anti social behaviour, then the parents can be evicted for that.

djimi

Mayo Gurl wrote: »

It'd be a small price to pay though...

Do you know how bad Jays Fluid smells?

GarIT

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

I don't know much about this but it might be worth doing a bit of research

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mosquito

That is so cruel, I've been doubled over in pain from them when they are a few doors down. They are so horrible, think about all the kids and babies you are causing severe physical pain to.

However a dummy CCTV camera can be picked up for maybe €20 and will keep them away. Another thing that always works is to go out and sit with them, comment on everything they say in a motherly way, maybe record the conversations on your phone. If there's any men in the house get them to pretend to be a pedo, saying things like "you're a nice young boy" nothing that could get you into trouble but it will freak them out. Buy a pot of oil ot grease and cover the wall in it.

the groutch

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/36-X-STINK-BOMBS-JOKE-PRANK-NASTY-SMELL-QUICK-DISPATCH-/280909535668?pt=UK_Toys_Games_Games&hash=item41678359b4

djimi

djimi wrote: »

Do you know how bad Jays Fluid smells?

No! Is it absolutely septic? I read it elsewhere

GarIT

from_atozinc wrote: »

I hope no stupid do gooder starts spouting about human rights now.

OP, I feel for you. There seems to be an awful lot of this type stuff going on. Hang in there.

You can't just hurt innocent people to get people off you wall.

HomelessMidge

Have you got in touch with your local Sinn Fein? In no way am I trying to promote them as a party, but they usually know a few heavies to sort the problem out.

GarIT

HomelessMidge wrote: »

Have you got in touch with your local Sinn Fein? In no way am I trying to promote them as a party, but they usually know a few heavies to sort the problem out.

I don't think promoting violence is an appropriate solution.

djimi

GarIT wrote: »

That is so cruel, I've been doubled over in pain from them when they are a few doors down. They are so horrible, think about all the kids and babies you are causing severe physical pain to.

Surely you can control the level of them?

ScottStorm

GarIT wrote: »

I don't think promoting violence is an appropriate solution.

Well; it is likely to be more effective than your one about her pretending to be a senile old tw*t and her boyfriend pretending to be a paedophile.

GarIT

djimi wrote: »

Surely you can control the level of them?

Apparently you can but how do you judge how loud it is if you cant hear it, the one linked at its max is as loud as your average outdoor concert. Even at low volume like in Supermacs in Heuston Station its fairly painful and it hurts people that have done nothing wrong.

It could be somewhat acceptable depending on how you use it, if you only turn it on for 60 seconds when its needed it could be ok, but the few I've heard are on 24-7.

ScottStorm wrote: »

Well; it is likely to be more effective than your one about her pretending to be a senile old tw*t and her boyfriend pretending to be a paedophile.

What I've said are all things that have worked before, while violence may work it is wrong and illegal.

TwoShedsJackson

GarIT wrote: »

If there's any men in the house get them to pretend to be a pedo, saying things like "you're a nice young boy" nothing that could get you into trouble but it will freak them out.

What could possibly go wrong? :rolleyes:

GarIT

TwoShedsJackson wrote: »

What could possibly go wrong? :rolleyes:

Not much really, it's not doing anything illegal, just creeping them out so they feel uneasy about being there.

from_atozinc

GarIT wrote: »

You can't just hurt innocent people to get people off you wall.

And there we go

GarIT

from_atozinc wrote: »

And there we go

Please explain why you should do something like that. Why should someone like me suffer because of what other teens do. Adults don't realise how painful these things are. If you are so adamant that it is acceptable why don't you tell her to get the one that hurts everyone?

MAJJ

I completely agree with this poster and don't like the party.

But I know of a long standing serious anti social issue with teenagers that was solved in days through contact with local SF person. I honestly don't know what happened but it did work and the kids have been seen walking around looking unscathed, so perhaps a polite but firm talk was sufficient.

HomelessMidge wrote: »

Have you got in touch with your local Sinn Fein? In no way am I trying to promote them as a party, but they usually know a few heavies to sort the problem out.

from_atozinc

GarIT wrote: »

Not much really, it's not doing anything illegal, just creeping them out so they feel uneasy about being there.

Stoopid idea. When the scum hear pedo, they will probably gang up and kick the **** out of said "pedo "

GarIT

from_atozinc wrote: »

Stoopid idea. When the scum hear pedo, they will probably gang up and kick the **** out of said "pedo "

I suppose that depends on the people and factoring in that they have been aggressive before it might not be a good idea, but still going out and sitting in the garden listening to them and commenting on what they saying things like "you shouldn't be disrespecting girls like that" etc will annoy them and they will leave to get peace. However if the OP isn't that brave I guarantee that they wont sit on a wall once you have greased it up. A dummy cctv camera would discourage them too. All you need to do Is not let them have somewhere to sit and relax, make it annoying to be outside your house without resorting to cruelty.

djimi

GarIT wrote: »

It could be somewhat acceptable depending on how you use it, if you only turn it on for 60 seconds when its needed it could be ok, but the few I've heard are on 24-7.

Theres the solution really. Flick the switch when you see them at your wall and turn it off when they leave. Repeat until the message sinks in.

from_atozinc

GarIT wrote: »

I suppose that depends on the people and factoring in that they have been aggressive before it might not be a good idea, but still going out and sitting in the garden listening to them and commenting on what they saying things like "you shouldn't be disrespecting girls like that" etc will annoy them and they will leave to get peace. However if the OP isn't that brave I guarantee that they wont sit on a wall once you have greased it up. A dummy cctv camera would discourage them too. All you need to do Is not let them have somewhere to sit and relax, make it annoying to be outside your house without resorting to cruelty.

I don't think the scum care about how cruel they are being to the OP

If cruelty to the scum keeps them away, I would have no problem at all wit that.

GarIT

djimi wrote: »

Theres the solution really. Flick the switch when you see them at your wall and turn it off when they leave. Repeat until the message sinks in.

The thing that puzzles me is that a device can be bought that hurts everyone yet nobody will promote it. If its ok to hurt innocent teenagers why isn't it ok to hurt adults too? Those devices are just picking on young people for no reason.

GarIT

from_atozinc wrote: »

I don't think the scum care about how cruel they are being to the OP

If cruelty to the scum keeps them away, I would have no problem at all wit that.

Its not just them though, it will hurt children in the surrounding area too. The most amazing thing is when I asked about do this to keep animals out of the garden I was the cruel one, its ok to hurt kids but not animals sh*ting in your garden apparently.

Mousewar

If it's as bad as you say, there's only one solution. Get out. One way or the other get out. No point spending your whole life dealing with something like this. The effort and hassle it will take to move will be worth it.

from_atozinc

GarIT wrote: »

Please explain why you should do something like that. Why should someone like me suffer because of what other teens do. Adults don't realise how painful these things are. If you are so adamant that it is acceptable why don't you tell her to get the one that hurts everyone?

My only concern here is the scum. Obviously I don't want innocent people affected.

As stated if one could turn it on only when scum are there, lower the level of it etc.

GarIT

from_atozinc wrote: »

My only concern here is the scum. Obviously I don't want innocent people affected.

As stated if one could turn it on only when scum are there, lower the level of it etc.

It's still not an ideal solution. Some people will abuse it. The devices should be illegal really. If anyone was going to get one be fair and get the 8Khz one that hurts everyone's ears.

djimi

GarIT wrote: »

The thing that puzzles me is that a device can be bought that hurts everyone yet nobody will promote it. If its ok to hurt innocent teenagers why isn't it ok to hurt adults too? Those devices are just picking on young people for no reason.

Its not really for no reason though. The devices were brought out to combat groups from loitering in front of shops etc, and it tends to be mostly young people who loiter in this manner (it would be rare enough to see a group of 30+ year olds loitering in a group).

Also having a device that prevents adults from entering your store is not really good for business!

GarIT

djimi wrote: »

Its not really for no reason though. The devices were brought out to combat groups from loitering in front of shops etc, and it tends to be mostly young people who loiter in this manner (it would be rare enough to see a group of 30+ year olds loitering in a group).

Also having a device that prevents adults from entering your store is not really good for business!

This scenario is outside a house not a store, there's no point in targeting just one group of people. What you have said is its ok to hurt innocent people because they are of a similar age to the offenders but it's not ok to hurt adults. Adults don't seem to realise how painful this is. I have had to spend €40 just to get away from one and I did it just because I had to, it really wasn't possible for me to wait and get a train I had paid for so I went and got a bus instead.

djimi

GarIT wrote: »

What you are saying is some teenagers cause trouble, some are innocent.

Some ( but much less) adults cause trouble, some are innocent.

But lets go after just the teenagers even the innocent ones. Why cant I have one in my garden that keeps animals out? And she is in house not a shop, why does it matter if the noise hurts adults too.

Im not saying that they are right; Im simply pointing out why they are designed to target younger people.

And lets not pretend that gangs of kids loitering in certain areas is not a problem, and also lets not pretend that its not almost exclusively gangs of people younger than their mid 20s at the oldest.

I take your point; its a far from perfect solution and it will affect some that are not causing trouble. My understanding of these devices is that they are designed to be at a level where they are annoying rather than actually painful on the ears (I would suggest that if it is painful then the device is turned up far too loud), and that its intention is to move on gangs from hanging around rather than really affect those who are simply passing by.

GarIT

djimi wrote: »

Im not saying that they are right; Im simply pointing out why they are designed to target younger people.

And lets not pretend that gangs of kids loitering in certain areas is not a problem, and also lets not pretend that its not almost exclusively gangs of people younger than their mid 20s at the oldest.

I take your point; its a far from perfect solution and it will affect some that are not causing trouble. My understanding of these devices is that they are designed to be at a level where they are annoying rather than actually painful on the ears (I would suggest that if it is painful then the device is turned up far too loud), and that its intention is to move on gangs from hanging around rather than really affect those who are simply passing by.

I agree that some young people are a problem but take these figures into account, 1 in every for people in Ireland is under 21. How many do you see causing trouble. Where I live there are 20k people that's 5k young people and there are maybe 3, max 5 groups that cause trouble, each group could have an average of 10 people, that's 50 people of 5k, 1% and still adults group in the other 99% of teens as trouble.

You say its not a perfect solution but seem to imply its something that is ok to do. Would you agree that if I got one and set it up that it can't be heard outside my garden its ok to use on animals?

You say your understanding of these devices, Adults don't understand the pain they cause they just install it turn it up to the max and its fine because they cant hear it. My GF has actually cried from the pain of the one in Heuston station, yet this id ok because in Ireland teenagers are seen and not heard.

kgarvey

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

I don't know much about this but it might be worth doing a bit of research

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mosquito

That sounds cool.... I would give it a try