Harassment- Kids Playing and Parents abusive behavior

marauxsal · 09-08-2023 1:58pm #1

Hi there,

I am looking for your suggestions and support on an ongoing issue we are facing.

We bought a detached house and moved into an established estate last year. We are in the middle of a row of houses. the house has small fence around the property and shared by other people on either side without a gate. There is a small green area in the front of the property and a common road between the green area and our property with a walkway in the front allowing pedestrians to pass through. We had noticed in the past 6 months the kids on the far side of the estate are playing ball games and hurling constantly running into our front garden and throwing balls on our cars. I made acquaintance with the neighbours after the move and things were fine until I asked the kids to stop coming to the garden and throwing balls on the car. The parents since ganged up on me and my partner and abused us verbally. They do not see anything wrong in playing ball games in our front garden and the hurling. They said they lived there for so long and nothing can stop them from what they are doing now. Since this incident they have ganged on other neighbors that we never met and invited kids from other estates and some are teenagers to continue to target us. It is obvious their behavior is deliberate and they are sitting right in front of my property watching us to harass us and creating noise pollution when we come home to relax. Your home must be your safe heaven and we invested a lot in our property and feeling so helpless. They play until 10pm and all day during weekends and if you have handled similar issues in the past and could you please share some insights as to what steps might help to resolve this issue?

Shield · 09-08-2023 6:04pm

Mod: Moved to Accommodation & Property. Can’t think of a more suitable forum.

-Shield

spaceHopper · 10-08-2023 2:19pm

Do nothing schools start back soon and with winter nights they won't be out as much. They are looking for arise from you don't give them one. If it's still and issue in November the talk to the local Gardai and see if they know the family or the kids. There is very little you can do in reality and you don't want to add fuel to the fire.

herbalplants · 10-08-2023 4:09pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058308616/harassment-kids-playing-and-parents-abusive-behavior

Ignore them, they are looking for a reaction off you. The more you react the more they act badly. Pretend it doesn't bother you and they will go away.

Ezeoul · 10-08-2023 4:48pm

Are the kids actually playing within the boundary of your garden (inside the fence) or are they playing on the green area and running into your garden to collect stray balls?

anndub · 14-08-2023 12:03pm

Are they not just playing ball on the common green? Kids have always and hopefully will always use green areas in housing estates to play. I can see why your neighbours night be upset being asked to stop their kids playing there. Many people specifically buy houses with greens out front so their children have a communal space to play with other neighborhood kids

Xterminator · 14-08-2023 6:31pm

from what i read te kids are playing on the common green & thats what they are entitled to do. OPs complaint appears to be the kids entering hos property to retrieve balls etc. Again understandable.

so im at a loss why the neighbor's think OP seeks to stop kids from playing where they are entitled to play.

OP the question is why do your neighbors think you want to stop the kids playing on that green. Can you advise what created that impression? Was it something said ? Did you ask kids to stop playing there? Did you ask parents to prevent it?

padd b1975 · 15-08-2023 1:54pm

Lawn sprinkler.

marauxsal · 02-09-2023 9:33pm

Hi there thanks for your response. We have not asked the kids not to play in the green area but not to enter our property to fetch the stray balls hitting our property.

The issue is getting out of hands at this stage, the parents have placed a big tent infront of our house on the green and constantly stalking us by standing/sitting infront of our bedroom windows. When we asked them to stay away from our property their response is no they can’t which is a total lack of respect and privacy. Secondly they have also passed racist statements and we fear they are deliberately doing this by joining with other neighbors that we haven’t met. Very stressful and frustrating how one can’t see this is trespassing. We have since reported this to thế Garda

Ezeoul · 02-09-2023 9:55pm

Have any of the parents entered your property? By that, I mean stepped within the boundaries. The green area, and the footpath outside your house are not your property.

To be honest, it sounds like you may have unwittingly caused this to escalate.

Kids playing ball on green areas and running in to fetch stray balls is all part and parcel of normal everyday living in a housing estate.

marauxsal · 03-09-2023 3:17pm

Hi there yes the parent climbed over the rear fence without our knowledge when we were away and stalking us hence the reason why we are concerned about our safety and privacy. We have mentioned this to Garda and they suggested that I raise a formal racism complaint. It is deeply saddening to say the least that people don’t respect boundaries and others privacy.

herbalplants · 03-09-2023 3:49pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121063607#Comment_121063607

I would be fuming some stranger climbing my rear fence especially when I was away. You have every right to be annoyed. You paid so much for your property and you are entitled to your boundaries. Best you reported to Garda.

Mrs OBumble · 03-09-2023 4:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121063607#Comment_121063607

How do you know they climbed the fence?

Giblet · 03-09-2023 5:36pm

Is this a piss take?

Ezeoul · 03-09-2023 5:44pm

Why did they climb over the fence? Was it to retrieve a ball?

And how is it racist?

I have to admit I'm finding this all quite fantastical as well.

I think you're being more than a little paranoid, OP.

HazeDoll · 03-09-2023 5:52pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121061557#Comment_121061557

Can you clarify what you mean by 'a big tent'?

And when you say they are in front of your bedroom window, am I correct in thinking this means your bedroom is at the front of the house on the ground floor?

marauxsal · 03-09-2023 6:32pm

Hi there,

There’s some background to this the neighbor was stalking me for sometime and felt like I was being watched and followed initially didn’t think anything of it but later it was creepy. When we politely asked the neighbors and their kids to stop entering our front garden they used racist language and this was captured in our cctv and hence the reason Garda suggested that we lodge formal complaint. We are two busy professionals living in Ireland for a very long time but never experienced any racism issues to-date. This experience shook us both to the point we have completely last sleep and worried about our safety.

the tent was large enough and could easily accommodate 10 to 12 adults and he think he owns the green area and sat outside my bedroom stalking us.

The above incidents aren’t allegations we have video evidence to back up everything. They have now ganged with neighbors at the rear part of the estate some don’t belong here and allowed teenagers to play now and they are even more dangerous than younger ones.

marauxsal · 03-09-2023 6:34pm

Yes three of my bedrooms including the living is directly facing the green.

the tent I believe can accommodate 10 to 12 adults easily. This was like a camping site even the passersby’s have asked me about it.

Deeec · 03-09-2023 6:49pm

OP If I understand the situation correctly you are in a row of houses, there is a road on front of your house and the green area is behind this road. So it seems like a common enough set up. Surely the balls are going into your neighbours gardens aswell.

Are balls constantly being fired at only your house? I find this hard to believe.

Is it such a hassle allowing someone into your garden to get a ball?

Is it a bungalow you are living in considering 3 of your bedrooms are facing this green. If its a 2 story I cant see your issue with the bedrooms.

Why would a tent across the road from your house annoy you so much?

Ezeoul · 03-09-2023 7:17pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121064672#Comment_121064672

What difference do you think it should make, that you are two busy professionals?

You should be aware that there are laws around capturing video of public places, eg the footpath outside your house, the green area, and especially of other peoples' children or anywhere kids are playing.

If your cameras are constantly recording your neighbours' activities, or their children on the green beyond your property, you could find yourself in some hot water.

So, when are you going to lodge that formal complaint?

03-09-2023 9:02pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121064919#Comment_121064919

Can you quote this law which prohibits video recording of public areas? dont think so

mode1990 · 03-09-2023 9:11pm

My in laws experienced similar issues , they had over a dozen roof tiles busted from a leather football being continuously kicked onto their roof , ceiling s destroyed , it took the promise of a prosecution to put an end to it , however , they ended up moving, that's not an option for most , so cctv cameras to record any harassment, kids today are worse than vipers !

03-09-2023 9:19pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121064779#Comment_121064779

Not sure how you find it hard to believe someone may have their brats kicking balls at a persons house, sounds very much like the kind of thing petty cowards would have their brats do. While the OP may have unwittingly drawn the attention of the kind of pathetic people that would engage in this by approaching them and thereby highlighting something pathetic people latch onto, Id have suggested a more discreet solution, prickly plants that are hardy and low maintenance, some kind of fence or wall (that may now draw attention for vandalism). If the OP has evidence of someone coming onto an enclosed part of their property which sounds like trespassing and racist comments as well, I wouldnt hold back making a formal complaint, the latter is one of the few things that will get the Gardai off their arses. There is no reason for someone from a group of people who have been asked/told not to come onto your property to then climb a wall of a backgarden boundary. Report the person who made racist comments and likewise for someone getting into your backgarden, no business doing so, Id leave it for a while and disregard kids in the front garden, but consider doing improvements that dont make your garden so readily an extension of a public area.

Ezeoul · 03-09-2023 9:24pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121065380#Comment_121065380

I didn't say recording of public areas was prohibited. Don't put words in my mouth.

I said there were laws about it. Which there are, it's quite a highly regulated area, involving data protection, data processing, GDPR, and ironically, the right to personal privacy which seems to be a huge concern of the OP.

From the Irish Council for Civil Liberties:

The OP needs to ensure their CCTV cameras only record within the boundaries of their own property.

Google it, if you need more specific information.

03-09-2023 9:39pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121065489#Comment_121065489

Must have hit a nerve, getting tetchy, I didnt put words in your mouth, You said "there are laws around capturing video of public places" You make it sound like there is some law that limits recording but cant quote the law and directing meto google it tells me you know sfa. but still spouting GDPR. You brought it up, so lets hear what the laws are? What are they? There are no laws preventing a private individual putting security cameras on their home, GDPR is spouted as a reason for many things, has nothing to do with a private citizen recording their property for whatever reasons and happens to record a public area in,around or near it, the DPC may advise against it but if the OP has genuine concerns and isnt distributing the recordings (other than to the Gardai) then they havent done anything wrong. The OP at best only needs a small CCTV sticker inside their window highlighting that.

the14thwarrior · 03-09-2023 9:46pm

i'm finding this a bit hard to believe, most of it.

stalking?? can't see it? a dangerous claim to make and thus if not true, you can see how other neighbours would be annoyed at him. just because someone set up a tent in a common green area opposite your house.

inviting neighbours and teenagers from other estates just to annoy you? i'm sorry i don't believe this.

build a fence, a high one. if you are that irritated by people coming into the garden to retrieve balls, and it can be irritating a bit, but it is normal. so what? if you are that offended by it, good fences make better neighbours

i've no time for racisim, and yes, report it to gardai.

however, with some of the statements being made, it all seems very exeggrated

Ezeoul · 03-09-2023 10:07pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121065552#Comment_121065552

Can you please quote where I said it was prohibited?

Can you also please quote where I said there was a law against it?

I can wait.

In the meantime, the OP needs to be aware that if their CCTV cameras are persistently recording their neighbours and/or their kids activities in public areas as they have alluded to when they said they have "evidence of all of this", then they are leaving themselves open to a claim of harassment - from the neighbours.

I've already provided a screenshot from the ICCL.

03-09-2023 10:24pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121065653#Comment_121065653

There is no restriction on a private individual having CCTV for security reasons, there is a domestic exemption.

You said "there are laws around capturing video of public places" what are these laws? You insinuate someone might be harassed if they were in a public place and happened to be in view of a cctv camera recording footage. Added to the statement by the OP that racist comments were involved tells you the kind of people they are dealing with. I find it difficult to believe harassment will find any support if a person can simply walk out of view of the cctv. The only consideration a private owner of cctv needs to be concerned about is that their footage doesnt record someone else's private property.

THE ICCL doesn't make laws in this country.

A private person can have CCTV cameras on their property for security reasons, that's a legitimate reason and they dont even need that reason, domestic exemption is included within the GDPR. Private individuals routinely make recordings with cameras, phones, cctv, dashcams in public.

Now, until you come back to me with the law that specifically prevents, or limits or has any influence on someone recording cctv footage (security of your private property is allowed) and there is no right to privacy in public, especially when a person might do as the OP is doing so, then there is no point in me wasting my time engaging with you, you brought it up, lets hear what this law is?

Ezeoul · 03-09-2023 10:36pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121065732#Comment_121065732

Still waiting for you to come back and quote the post where I said it was prohibited.

But you can't, because I didn't say that.

That was your word.

Nor did I say anything about restrictions on installing CCTV cameras on private property or recording on private property, so again, please stop trying to put your words in my mouth.

I referred only to the OPs cameras recording their neighbours in public areas. And if the OPs cameras are doing that persistently (you might want to look up what that means) then they are open to a claim of harassment.

I hope that clears this up for you.

03-09-2023 10:44pm

Ok, so you cant provide this non existant law still, goodbye, waste of time

astrofool · 03-09-2023 11:06pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121065653#Comment_121065653

This is what you said:

The OP needs to ensure their CCTV cameras only record within the boundaries of their own property.

The notice does not say that, it say if someone thinks it is harassment, they can report it.

In this case they (the neighbors) would be reporting their own bad behavior that is on record with the garda.

People who throw out GDPR for every little thing without understanding GDPR are the worst (and they often drag unrelated threads off topic while doing so).

Harassment- Kids Playing and Parents abusive behavior

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