Neighbours

[langara]

My friends neighbours are driving her mad. She is a spinster in her 60's, with numerous health problems, her new neighbours have 3 small children who she has tried to get on with, but their parents seem to delight in upsetting her. She has done everything they have asked of her, including replacing fences, having scaffolding on her land so that they can paint house walls. Her main problem is the constant kicking of a football against the new fence, that she could ill afford to replace. A lot of her plants are getting broken with the ball keep coming into her garden, when she asked for some consideration, the mother said she was a muppet, when the little boy asked what a muppet was his mom said an old person who had nothing better to do than complain. I have no idea how to help her and most days she has tears when telling me the next episode. She is very frail and has crohns disease, so all the agro is not helping. Any suggestions would be a help. Thanks

[ummmm]

In my household too, bednobs.

[Mamyalynne]

Tried helpful, tried logical, tried reminiscing - was told there was nothing more to be done.
Desperation has now set in.

[Sammy48]

Don't think anybody said about them walking to the park on their own. Just stop kicking the hell out of the fence. Now if the fence is say 5 ft or 6 ft and the ball keeps coming over damaging her plants, they can't be very small kids.

[Sqad]

Mamy...OK.

[Mamyalynne]

PS, my nearest park is across a busy dual carriageway - if I allowed small children over alone what type of person would I be?

[ummmm]

Exactly, Sammy, so they are probably at school most they day.

[888]

(Can't believe I'm saying this half-jokingly).... Smear the ball with syrup and soil and chuck it back, then vanish! Well they started it, nur.

[Mamyalynne]

Sammy, they did.

//Walk for 30 mins to the nearest park?....Poor darlings, can't they do that without mum.?//

I gave alternatives to the fence kicking.

[Sammy48]

My partner often comes home from work and makes dinner, you just have to find the right partner lol lol

[ummmm]

Do you work?

[Sammy48]

I work from home, but hate cooking so my partner does it.

[Ric.ror]

They can't walk to the park on their own if they are small children - in fact its probably not too safe to let any children in some parks I can think of

[Retrochic]

you hate cooking -poor you Sammy. I work half at home half away and would not dream of expecting my OH to cook for me when I'd been in all day. OH hates putting the bins out and cleaning the windows but he does it,its called Teamwork.

[Ellipsis]

It is not up to the poor householder to buy the neighbours a goalnet, or to worry about the neighbours' kids and where they're playing in any way. If they play in their own garden, fine. If they start damaging your property (fence or flowers), or creating a noise nuisance (ball against fence, or shouting obscenities), not fine. If the parents call you a muppet and refuse to cooperate, definitely not fine!

The sound of small children playing next door can be delightful, but there's no need to put up with nastiness or abuse from them or their parents. If you've tried talking to them with no joy, complain to the Council ...

https://www.gov.uk/how-to-resolve-neighbour-disputes/complain-about-noise-to-the-council

... or to the Police if things get violent, threatening or abusive:

https://www.gov.uk/how-to-resolve-neighbour-disputes/call-the-police

[ladybirder]

Totally agree Ellipsis.

[Sammy48]

Glad that works for you Retrochic, don't judge as you don't know the full story.

[naomi24]

Ellipsis, I agree.

[Retrochic]

Sammy - not judging just giving my opinion. Teamwork in a marriage or partnership works for most people, not just me. Too many lazy people who 'can't ' do domestic things. Wish I'd thought of it before I got married lol!

[bednobs]

all i am saying is if i was working and husband wasn't then i came home from job and found he hadn't even thought about what we were having for tea i'd be peeved!
If he was working from home, id still class that as work, and i'd probably do it

[Retrochic]

Working from home is of course just as valid but it doesn't take much to take 5 mins out, to bung a chicken in the oven, or get something out of the freezer to heat up.